Some of my readers might wonder why I haven’t posted any new pictures on this blog. The reason is that I have moved to the southeast of Norway (Nesodden in Akershus for those who know Norwegian geography) and I haven’t really got back into blogging.
The big question now is what I should do with this blog and I want some input from my readers about it. Since I live in the south I will rarely have the opportunity to photograph scenes from Northern Norway. I will still take pictures from where I live now, but I’m not sure if I should post them here since the blog is called “Photos from Northern Norway”.
One option would be to make a totally new blog and just leave this blog alone. Another option is to change the name of this blog and start posting pictures from the south too, but I’ve heard that Google and the other search engines don’t like namechanges like that and will “give you” less search engine traffic.
A third option is that I just keep posting on this blog as it is and add a note in each post that the photos were taken in the south and not in the north.
I would love to hear if anyone got opinions about this 🙂
Since your url does not have Northern in it, I would just go with a name change.
Regardless of which direction you take, I will continue to follow your work. If you decide to create a new blog, post a message here about it so we can find you. 🙂
I hope the move went well.
Just change the name and don’t worry about Google. It would be simpler for everybody, I think. In any event, I’ve missed your photos, no matter which part of Norway they’re from!
Yeah, change the name to Photos from Norway: A Photo Blog, but keep the URL the same http://blog.thomaslaupstad.com/
Good luck!
–Steve
Thomas-
I will miss the photos from Northern Norway, but I agree with the others- I would keep the same blog, maybe rename it “Photos from Norway”, and go from there. I’m looking forward to seeing shots from your new area.
Tom
Don’t worry! Just keep it as it is! It could have been something like XXXDCTR^+%… It would not matter. What you took the picture of, was what you had found where you were. I appreciate the barn house pictures most!
Good luck from Ali, Istanbul.
Hi Thomas… I wondered where you were?!
Please keep taking photos and posting them. You don’t have to change the URL of the site, and changing the name shouldn’t have a great impact on incoming traffic.
Looking forward to your 2009 calendar too!
mp/m
Yes, I would say keep your domain the same, and just change the actual name that shows up. I have missed your landscape photos as well!
Hello my friend. I was waiting for a new update on this blog.. I really love your work! As people said, you don’t have to change the site URL. Just put an image on the header saying Photos from Norway and you should avoid problems with Google. I hope you can post a new photo soon.
thanks
Victor Pencak
Show us the south of Norway 🙂
Stepan, Novosibirsk
Everyone else has proposed what I propose. But maybe just a little adaption: Why not just strike a line through Norhtern just to show that there is a small development.
But knowing Norwegian geography, you’ll be hard stuck finding geography as photogenic as the one where you come from.
I vote for keeping the blog url the same but change the title on the blog page to Photos from Norway. You could then tag each post with the location.
Keep the address. I think that removing one word from title isn’t so big change, even for google.
I like Geir’s idea! I think that’s really cool!
I vote with all the rest and say just change the title not get a new blog. Beauty is everywhere, and a talented photographer can find it north, south, east or west. Right? Can’t wait to see what you post next. I have you in my Entrecard faves, so you know I’ll be back! 😉
What they said! As long as you keep taking photos.
I also think Geir’s idea is the one to follow. Looking forward to your pictures of Southern Norway.
Keep the blog the same, and just post pictures from where you are. As others have stated your URL doesn’t have Northern Norway in the title…don’t give this blog up! You’ve worked hard to build it. No reason to start over.
Thanks for all the kind and helpful information 🙂
I will probably just remove the northern part. Hope Google wont slaugther the search engine traffic as most of my incoming links have the word northern in it.
Geir is correct that it will be hard to find as good landscape here (it is really flat) as in the north, but I will try my best.
There’s no reason to change your url, but if you’re worried about Google, you could also add an undertext in your headline.
Hey! we’ve got some lovely landscapes here in the South! OK, so its flatter. But there’s daylight even in December and January. So there.
🙂
I vote for changing the name. Love your work. Keep the site.
Yes, what they said. Keep the URL, keep adding pictures from wherever you are.
Thomas, you work is awesome no matter where you shoot pictures…I have posted an award for you over on my blog..
Rick
I have just discovered your blog and some of your pictures are really interesting. It would be a shame to just close the blog so I would say you should just continue posting pictures on the same blog and change the title to just “Norway”. Over time Google will adjust the ratings and you should be back on top. I know this because I have had similar problems with my blog which I only started after having the main photography site for more than 4 years.
Good to see you back!
I wouldn’t start a new blog – a simple name change will suffice – your URL will stay the same. Don’t worry about google – whatever you loose you will gain back in no time at all.
Good luck!
Even if you are worried about the loss of search engine traffic, that set-back will only be temporary. If the name affects the search engine traffic, it will in the long term be more important to have a name that reflects the contents of the blog. Also, the followers of your blog have already added the current URL to theirs favorites and RRS-feed-readers, so it might not be good to create a new blog..
Whatever you do – don’t stop posting your pictures; they are really great, and I’m sure you will be able to catch the beauty of the south just as good as the north 🙂
I’m looking forward to see photos from the southern part of Norway. You’re such a great photographer, so I’m convinced that you’re going to post great photos from the south as well.
And this is my suggestion about the name of the blog:
Change the name to “Photos from Northern and Southern Norway: A photo blog”. This way you may keep your google-visitors searching for “northern”.
It’s your blog, not Google’s. Ask what you want to do for yourself and go with that. You could even go with Thomas Lauptstad Photography.
Please keep the blog. 🙂 Just rename the title to Photos from Norway or from Southern Norway. Or Northern and Southern.
I’m eager to see what Southern Norway looks like! 🙂
Norway has stunning landscapes. I have no idea where in Norway you currently live and what it is like there, but I’d wouldn’t mind learning. Plus urban Norway looks great, lot better than Finland.