GT Rider's Blogs

This Member Blogs option is new, and merits some explanation... Here's how we see it fitting in and complementing existing material...

1. We have an extensive range of Categories within the current Forums which cater to Trip Reports and all manner of popular general discussions
2. We've previously had a rudimentary Member Profile area, but that now includes user Photo Albums and much more...
3. What's been missing is the "Personal Diaries" aspect of life here, experiences in living, travelling, doing business - the overall existential aspects.

So, a Blog might well be a place for your intriguing individual view of the world, as a person with a passion for motorcycling, living and travelling in S.E. Asia... if you've got some insights, anecdotes, hilarities and experiences that don't fit the predefined Forum slots - maybe a Blog could be a good way of sharing that with others?

For example;

• As Webmaster, I'd intended to use it from a webmaster perspective, to explain the rationale behind some of the things that we are doing on the site.
• David might choose to share some aspects of map-making and cartography, and outline his plans for new maps and map updates...
• Guy's like Pico have an entertaining writing style and some unique skills and knowledge, without an obvious outlet in our particular community.

Many of us would be interested to read some articles by a friend on the artistic aspects of photography in the context of our S.E. Asian environment... Or learn about the pitfalls of business ventures, or getting a house built... If its instructive, illustrative, amusing and entertaining, perhaps even thought-provoking, its going to add some additional flavour...

You might note that I've tried to articulate some philosophies relating to Content by way of an acceptable content policy? (see menu above) This is where we think the website content ought to be positioned to do the most good for the most people...

The overall aim is promoting motorcycle touring within the region by empowering people with good information. That information does not necessarily have to be 100% motorcycle-specific - it might be language, culture, cuisine, legal or whatever... written by motorcyclist, for motorcyclists... but having relevance to others.

As long as the observations contained with a personal Blog fit clearly within "family rated" parameter goals, there ought not be any issues as far as I can see.

The one thing we don't want to see is any imitation of the trivia that is rampant on some other English-language ex-pat forums...
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Whilst change is an irritant in many cases, its important to note that over the past 3 years we've steadily increased website visitors from 6000 per month to 55,000 last month. That is primarily because we've improved classification of content, re-ordered it and made it more accessible - as well as increasing its volume.

I am very confident that the next round of changes will bring about further growth in use of the GT-Rider.com site by an ever-broader range of people. Expanding our menu and flavour of content will enrich the user experience... Theoretically...
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