This past year has been a kind of crossroads year for me and Sharpologist. Let’s take a brief look back at the year that was and get your help with what will be in Sharpologist’s future.
The most popular Sharpologist posts of 2015 were:
- What Is The Best Shaving Brush? (#1 by a wide margin)
- Is OneBlade The Perfect Razor?
- Safety Razor Design And Construction
- Are Wet Shaving Subscription Boxes For You?
- Personna Blades Are Here To Stay
The most popular posts through the year, published at any time were:
- What Is The Best DE Razor? (most popular by far)
- What Is The Best Shaving Cream?
- Wax vs. Pomade vs. Gel – What’s the Difference?
- What Is The Best Shaving Soap?
- What Is The Best Fusion Proglide Alternative?
I think I see a trend here. 🙂 It looks like in-depth articles about a particular topic, with lots of background information followed by some of the best examples of the topic, fair well (or at least bring in new readers!).
What about the new year’s resolutions I made at this time last year? They were:
- Get really good at straight razor shaving.
- Make A shaving Video every other week.
- Make Sharpologist and shaving/grooming advocacy my full time job.
I’ve gotten reasonably good at straight razor shaving. I still get the odd nick or burn and I still haven’t tackled honing yet, but I think I’m competent enough at stropping and shaving to teach it. I had originally hoped to do a straight razor shaving class in September. However part of my idea was to provide personal coaching and feedback but I just haven’t had the time (family commitments) to do it that way. So I’m thinking of doing a series of stand-alone videos and then following up with something more personalized later.
Speaking of videos, I admit that hasn’t been entirely successful either. I was finally able to devote some time starting in July, so the second half the year was better than the first. But my video “work flow” is getting better and I think I will be able to stick to a schedule moving forward.
The last resolution was the scariest but turned out the best. I took early retirement from my very stressful 9-5 desk job starting in April to make shaving advocacy and Sharpologist my full time job. Personally, it’s worked out amazingly well for me: I’ve lost over 30 unwanted pounds and I am healthier and happier than I’ve been in years!
Sharpologist 2016
So what’s next? Here is where you come in. This is what I’m thinking of concentrating on for 2016:
- More tutorials and “best of” content related to shaving (and grooming, but to a lesser extent).
- More on straight razor shaving.
- More on how to buy, restore, and use vintage razors.
What do you think? Do you have any additional suggestions? Leave a comment below!
I think a growing number of the wet shaving community are using Cartridges razors along with traditional pre,post shave products and various brushes, gels, foams, creams, and soaps. Articles on this side of wet shaving, if I am correct, would find a welcoming readership. Your Fusion Proglide Alternative article was number 5.
Good comment and as a matter of fact there will be several cartridge-related articles coming up, including Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s, and even some about disposable razors. 🙂
I hadn’t thought much about head shaving but it’s a good idea! I’ll try to include it.
Congratulations on a successful 2015, Mark. May 2016 bring even greater accomplishments.
I think you hit the blog’s sweet spot with the planned focus for your blog in 2016. Shaving, front and center, seems to be what most here are interested. Yes, there is some interest on other areas of grooming, but as an occasional feature.
The one kind of blog post I hope to see less of (none of?) are the guest articles by anyone talking about trends, what’s “in style” and anything promising that some prescribed method/look/scent is just the thing to impress boss/women/etc. Aren’t we all a bit too intelligent and sophisticated to buy into that kind of garbage?
I realize you need content to help fill the daily hole—and perhaps there is revenue attached to these articles, so I can understand the inclusion of some of these blog posts, if you must. But I’d almost rather read another 10-blog post on a particular fragrance (though I admit I can’t understand that much real estate given to such a micro issue, that is mostly not shave centric). Maybe there is a way to title/package these posts so they are easily identifiable as sponsored or “fluff”.
Anyway, just some thoughts. Carry on.
Hi Dean– Some great comments, thanks. I think one item in your comments deserves some explanation by me, guest articles. You see, years ago I was a freelance writer for magazines. It can be a tough, time-consuming way to get into the writing business but it can also be very personally satisfying. So I want to give struggling writers a chance to get some experience and exposure. Yes, sometimes their work can be basic and only marginally related to men’s shaving and grooming, but I want to offer them an outlet. I do have my limits though: I take maybe 10% of the pitches offered to me–a lot of them are just poor attempts at “content marketing” or so poorly written (usually by authors who speak English as a second language) that it would take too much effort to edit. I have published a couple “sponsored” (paid) posts in the past but very rarely and I always mark them with a “sponsored” tag at the end of the article. On the other hand, some articles are “assigned” by me and the author gets an honorarium: Sharpologist will pay for good content. So it’s a back-and-forth process.
Good explanation. Thanks for the response.
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