When I started blogging, I really had no idea what I was doing. I was new to the whole concept when I started typing away in 2006. As for role models, there were not that many. However, it was clear what worked and what didn’t in the blogosphere …. and one local woman discovered the secret to success.
Her name is PittGirl and Tuesday she finally pulled the plug on her popular blog The Burgh Blog. It was a simple, well-written daily discussion of Pittsburgh culture and popular Pittsburgh people. She took aim at some and poke fun at others. Most of all, I think what she did was get us to pay attention to the news and current events. Let’s face it, you had to know what was up in Pittsburgh to understand her blog.
While all these elements make for a good blog, what made her so interesting is that we never knew who PittGirl was. Her anonymity was her greatest weapon … and her greatest asset. She didn’t hide behind it as much she used it to truly say what she felt and what was on her mind. Had she used it to just rip on people, I doubt she would have had thousands log onto her site daily.
PittGirl’s logo: Who is the lady in silhouette? Someone knows and that’s why she’s done blogging.
I will admit I did not read her blog daily, but when I did I discovered how interesting and well written it was. It was written with an attitude and, in her own words, her readers span the spectrum. Older and younger, rich and poor, connected and common folk.
Unfortunately, it was her desire to blog from the shadows that ultimately became her undoing. The guessing game as to her identity became almost as important as the blog itself. When we spoke via e-mail, she told me that finally the pursuit of her identity forced her to give up her blog.
” I learned that my identity had been discovered and that small bits of info were leaking out. For my job’s sake, I wanted to shut it down proactively.”
PittGirl also told me she never considered herself a blogger, but a writer and hopes to continue to do so in the future. I hope so as well, though I doubt she will be able to impact as many minds as she did as a blogger. I know she had an impact on this blogger.
Goodbye PittGirl. All of us in the local blogging game will miss you.
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