Call it Spring Cleaning, call it a long-overdue update, or call it a much needed refresh. Whatever the verbiage, BoiseCoffee.org has undergone some big cosmetic changes over the past few weeks. As you can see, I’ve been putting some work into making the website feel cleaner, less cluttered, and overall a better reading/browsing experience. I’m really excited for how the site looks, and I hope that as it continues to evolve it will make it easier to listen and read the things I create.
But, actually, this update goes a bit deeper and has been in process for much longer than a few weeks. Over the past year or so BoiseCoffee.org has been changing, largely because I’ve been changing. I’ve taken a bit of a step back from the straightforward coffee reviews, and have nearly stopped my impromptu coffee shop reviews altogether. Some of that is on purpose; reviewing coffee well takes time and effort. It also necessitates truth – reviews that aren’t real and honest are just advertising, after all. If I’m honest with myself, however, the real reason I haven’t been reviewing coffee as much is because I haven’t been writing as much. I’d like to change that, and plan on bringing bigger and better textual content back to the site.
I love writing, but it honestly takes a good chunk of time to put a piece together that I’m comfortable posting and sharing. I’ve never wanted BoiseCoffee.org to turn into a site based around listicles, memes, or other “vapor” content. I want to make stuff that has value and that’s fun to read. I want to write things that are meaningful in their own way.
In case you haven’t noticed, my big focus lately has been on my podcast. I’ve put some serious hours into this sucker, and I’m really proud of how it’s been developing. I’ve gotten to interview a couple stellar individuals who are doing amazing things in the coffee industry. I’ve talked about everything from the history of coffee to the debate between fair trade and direct trade coffee. As an avid podcast listener, I love striving to create something that I would want to listen to, and that I think other people who love coffee will enjoy.
Recently something really cool happened in regards to my podcast – I got my first advertiser! I’ve never made monetizing the blog a focus, and I have no intention of turning the podcast into a cash machine. On the other hand, I think that sponsorships and well-done advertisements add to the air of legitimacy for any podcast and can even be enjoyable if they’re relevant and well-placed. Also, it was a huge encouragement to me that I’m on the right track. So, I’m proud to announce that the next episode of The Boise Coffee Podcast will be brought to you by Audible.com. Speaking of Audible, I think that I’ll try my hand at a quick plug.
If you like books, you’ll love Audible. With over 180,000 audiobooks to choose from, Audible is truly the best way to download and listen to audiobooks anywhere, and on any device. I’ve been using Audible for several years and have fond memories of listening to It by Stephen King while doing yard work, and most recently Red Rising by Pierce Brown during long flights and layovers. So, check it out: you can get a free 30-day trial of Audible, plus a free audiobook of your choice if you use my promo link here. The great thing is that even if you decide to leave Audible, you’ll still get to keep your book. There’s no contract and no funny business. Try Audible today and support my podcast while you’re at it.
Moving forward, I’d really love to get some coffee-specific advertisers on board. That’s actually something I could use your help with – if you know of any small to mid-sized local coffee shops/roasters/suppliers that are looking to expand their audience, could you send them my way? You can even shoot me an email to let me know or use the form below to send me a message. I’d love to support other companies with my content, and this is an easy way to start building those relationships.
The last thing I’d like to bring up that’s new at Boise Coffee is the online store. Previously, I had a half-assed Amazon Affiliate store linked in with the blog. I never updated it, and it quickly fell into disrepair. The new store is completely revamped and is centered around specialty coffee themed gear. The products reflect my new vision for the website and podcast: they’re clean, simple, and have humor (albeit pun-centered, but hey, who doesn’t like a good chuckle??) mixed in for good measure. The items are a bit pricey – something I’m well aware of – but they’re completely original and custom made-to-order. If you’d like to see something added (like hats, hoodies, or tank tops) hit me up and let me know.
Before I sign off, if you haven’t left my podcast a review on iTunes yet, I’d really appreciate it if you did. Reviews help me know what people like to hear, and what I can improve on.
Thanks for reading, listening, and supporting Boise Coffee. Brew on, my friends.
Colin
“The Coffee Guy”
Continue reading Update, Renew, Refresh
