A social media article at Quartz this week categorizes blogging as aspirational labor. Social media researcher and author Brooke Erin Duffy describes ‘aspirational labor’ as “a forward-looking and entrepreneurial enactment of creativity.. seen as something that will provide a return on investment.” Broadly speaking then, we might comfortably frame our work trading lumber under the umbrella of ‘aspirational labor’.

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Influencer Marketing?

The degree to which intermittent posts at Harderblog are “influencers” on a road to personal riches, so far at least, is undetermined. We mostly share questions and topics gauged to hold common interest with our 135 followers to date – valued subscribers who include Mom and Dad, two uncles, and my cousin Dean. According to “influencer marketing” experts, a blogger needs at least 1,000 followers to be considered a “super blogger” or “super influencer”. At this lofty subscriber level, we’re told advertisers come calling. It’s much cheaper for a brand to reach out to a super blogger’s “organic following” than it is to place an ad in a magazine or on TV. The article at Quartz cautions that there are risks in abandoning your blog for a week, or “you see a huge dip in your followers”.  It’s a risk we accept as a part-time blogger, and full-time lumber trader.

Subscribers? Brother Matt, Nephews Cal and Seb, Paul – Quilchena on the Lake (4 Aug 2017)

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Musical Refreshment

Project Funkify continues: