Last week, I started a quick post about the @SubstackInc and @samthielman fiasco. It’s slowly grown into a 2k+ word monster, as I started picking at the current state of the platform in an accelerating downturn.
It’s really interesting how many different creators use it now.
@OliverBarsby @cityjournalism Winning attention in an attention poor world… 😉
@JohnONolan Might do on the childcare front… 😬
I’ll be what’s called a 0.5: meaning half my time will be devoted to City, and the rest to my training and consultancy work, and to @omandhb. It’s going to be exciting — but also challenging as my family negotiate regular childcare issues for the first time.
(3/4)
It’s weird going through the new starter process for a job you’ve been doing most of for a decade… But I’m looking forward to spending more time with the students and with my colleagues. Wish me luck!
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So, for the first time in a long time, I’m going to do…
🚨Some personal news 🚨
My decade of being a visiting lecturer at @cityjournalism is over.
Over that decade I’ve found lecturing to the #interhacktives, MA Newspaper students and others hugely rewarding.
🧵 (1/4)
I’ve loved it. It’s been some of the most satisfying work in the time I’ve been self-employed.
So why give it up?
Well, I’m not. I’m just dropping the “visiting”. From next month I’ll be a lecturer at City, actually taking a gasp job for the first time since 2011.
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Took me a while to adjust to vegan burgers, but I’m really enjoying them now. A fine example from the pub this evening. t.co/EooS7CM8x… 
Summer’s not over while the sunflowers still look this good. t.co/5dnBoiAKc… 
@iroughol Oh, I’ve watched people I used to admire and respect destroy their reputation (in my eyes, at least) by playing the attention farming game.
@iroughol Sadly, it’s all too often the other way around. Dunking on others is a great way to build big reach.
@sofiavictoriad Oh, you’re working for @ShackletonEmily now? Dream team!
Audience folks, SEO types, and small publishers: buckle your safety belts, we’re in for a bumpy ride on search traffic this week. The “helpful content” update is here:
onemanandhisblog.com/2022/08/major-…
(I miss the cutesy animal names for updates)
@Bill_Bowkett Auld Reekie living up to its historic nickname.
So, just so we’re clear, he’s saying Gove is the best minister of his generation for just actually doing his job. Which means very few of the rest of them are.
If you wonder why our national infrastructure is collapsing around us - well, there’s your answer. twitter.com/ShippersUnboun…
(Here ends my brief diversion into politics)
@travelfish To be fair - the update doesn’t hit until next week… screenshot the search, and then repeat it next Friday, and let’s see…
@jimbomorrison Only if my family could be, too.
Big SEO update coming next week: Google is introducing the “helpful content update”. Here’s what you need to know:
My eldest, playing an iPad game: “10pm is about the time a grown-up goes to sleep.” My wife and I: “In our dreams.”
I really, really want more followers to fill the yawning void inside where my soul should be, and so I’ve spent 20 minutes googling generic advice pablum in a desperate bid for social capital.
Here’s what I learnt…
🧵 1/♾
Looks like there’s urgent security updates out for all the major Apple platforms this evening. Updateapaloza ahead.
This is interesting.
on.substack.com/p/threads-pilot
Pro:
(cont)
Cons:
@iroughol @azeem @Ghost @SubstackInc It keeps the pressure on my current platform to keep shipping (and they’ve really been shipping for the last few weeks…)
But I also like it that there are upstarts like @beehiiv snapping at their heels.