Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: New Focus, Look and Tagline

Interaction is the ultimate goal of this site. To achieve that goal, I must draw traffic. To draw traffic, I must promote the site. Unfortunately, it's hard to promote a site when you can't state its focus and purpose in a confident, persuasive and concise manner.

Compare:

1) "I run this website-- more of a blog actually. Sort of a personal journal, things that catch my interest. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Pictures sometimes. You know?"

2) "The Jonah Chanticleer blog focuses on the constant interplay between Technology, Security and Psychology."

The first description is rambling, lacks distinction and sounds about as tedious as watching your uncle's vacation video footage (i.e. before editing). The second description is specific and informative; it says "We're both busy people. Here's what I'm about. Are you in or out?"

I've just explained the necessity for tightening this blog's focus; I've also explained that focus will be on the themes of Technology, Psychology and Security. I could explain how I arrived at those three themes, but it seems pointless. Too much information. When most folks go to a seafood restaurant and order grilled salmon, they don't want the chef to come out and describe how the fish was prepared-- they just want to enjoy the meal and the atmosphere.

The rest is obvious, I suppose. If the blog has a new focusing theme/purpose, the tagline should reflect that theme/purpose. I liked the quote from Muhammad Ali (truly a fascinating gentleman!), but using that quote for my tagline did nothing to inform people about the theme or content of my blog. The new tagline puts it all out there, even if it is in metaphor.

That brings us to the final change-- the new template. I wanted to signify this change in focus in a highly visual way. I wanted people who'd seen the blog before to do a double take and say, "Whoa! Something's different here." I dreaded giving up Jeffrey Zeldman's fantastic green "Son of Moto" template, but the new color scheme (Douglas Bowman's "Rounders 2") has a wonderful palette for this rooster logo/icon I've been contemplating for months. I think that visual cue will also psychologically reinforce my new focus and purpose as I write and post new entries.