Been blogging long? I have not, unless a little over two years in the blogsphere is considered a long haul. I started at the suggestion of my very creative Niece who started hers on the heels of giving birth to twins. She had much to share with world and still does. Since I'd never done anything so daring as carry and deliver two babies, my first instinct was to nix the idea. Our telephone conversation went like this: Me: "What am I up to today? Not much, we finished painting all the decks, and watching them dry is about all I have planned at the moment, what about you?"
Nicole: "Watching paint dry can't be much fun. You should start a blog, you like to write"
Me: "Me, blog? (looking down at the PBJ I was eating at the time) what on earth would I blog about, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
Soon after I started a blog about sandwiches, not necessarily my passion, but with a little time on my hands, dipping my toe into the world of web based marketing could prove to be a constructive learning experience.
Before long my world became riddled with sandwiches, and I found myself more interested in them than in the marketing aspects of blogging. Then one day I realized I hadn't done much in the way of actually growing membership, optimizing search engines, link building, page ranking, anchored texting and all that jazz.
Everything I read on increasing readership said I should read and follow other peoples blogs, show interest in what they're saying, start a dialogue, leave relevant comments, which will drive them to my blog for same. This made sense to me, and still does, but doesn't make it any less time consuming.
Recently I've noticed a number of comments on my posts that don't make sense. For example, I posed a question to a fellow blogger in my comment to him, but his reply had nothing to do with what I asked. This happens frequently, so my assumption is these folks are using comment software. Am I way off base here? You can tell me, I won't be insulted.
Is it naive of me to expect comments to be written in the blog authors own hand? It's difficult not to be cynical considering the sophisticated tools available. I'm no expert, but I know when someone has really read a post or a comment. Since I have no interest in communicating with a machine, I think a few changes are in order, like focusing on quality over quantity. Call me crazy, you wouldn't be the first. What tricks have you learned about growing your blog? This inquiring mind needs to know.
LOL. I do know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI really don't care if people follow me. I am so honored and humbled when they do, though.
Yeah, it will be two years in August for me and I like to think I earned my followers rather than just having numbers. Seriously, I think I actually have only a handful of people who stop by on a regular basis, but if they like what I'm doing, I'm happy.
I go by the saying build it and they will come:) I just follow blogs I like, comment and leave the choice of following me up to the masses :)
ReplyDeleteSome people do blog to get followers; I've never been "a follower" so I don't understand the concept of following for followings sake ... I blog for me; if people like what they read about my life and want to "follow" my blog for updates of my happy but chaotic life that's fine with me: but I don't solicit followers :-)
ReplyDeleteI do Blog Hops on a regular basis but rarely do I 'follow' - those I do sign on with usually have something on their site that interests me, such as handcrafts ideas or homesteading ideas. I have also been frozen out of a few hops because I don't follow - and that's okay too; if they want to be like that, who needs 'em?
My life is not that interesting, so I am always surprised when I see I have a new follower - and very humbled that they find my life interesting & inspiring; LOL
~Val
I don't know! I have 42 followers, but my average for comments is about 5. I follow quite a few myself, but have some that I comment on more than others, yours being one of them. Attracting more followers to me would mean more rejection by more of them! Make any sense? I don't even know if it does to me!
ReplyDeleteYou are funny...there is this one blogger who comes on mine and others and you can tell she is just there to say something like "Oh how delicious" when you know she only looked at the photos...but its okay, at least she comes over LOL
ReplyDeleteI have been doing it for four years, have two blogs I focus on, and you know my numbers have gone from 10 to 40, back down to 10, then back up to twenty and so on...I just do not care anymore...seriously, I blog for myself, and myself only...
I like apples too.
ReplyDelete...Just kidding! I'm not a good person to answer your readership tips and tricks question though. I keep thinking I'm ready to promote my blogs, but then I remember that I'll actually have to find time to post. This is not easy.
Other than the suggestions you have, though, I would also not discount the potential of creating a presence for your blog on social networking sites.
Commenting software!! I must google this concept - sure would save a lot of fricken time ;-)
ReplyDeleteI personally, like to visit the blog of those who visit mine. It may not be something I do on a daily basis, because at some point I need to sleep - but it is something I enjoy doing. At the end of the day, I believe that once your blog becomes a chore, you need to stop and re evaluate what the hell you are doing it for. Don't we have enough chores to do in our day?
Blogging should be fun...an escape. But basically, yes I do the whole comment on other people's blog. I have found that it works best for me because it's sincere. I visit the blogs I like and comment on what I feel I can contribute to - generally people come back and visit me. I guess that's just how it works :-)
Crazy! Sorry, I had to... I have had my blog for a little over a year. Recently I have had a lot more people start to follow...but honestly I don't know why. I haven't noticed replies like you mentioned, however I do find people commenting on my blog saying nothing. And, saying that nothing as if they are just copying and pasting it in every blog they visit. That makes me crazy. Why comment if you obviously aren't reading...
ReplyDeleteThis blog is what I enjoy about you. Always honest and unashamed. To your point of how you began building your list of followers, it worked on me. Almost as soon as I began you became my first non-family follower. As a result I peeked at yours and have been coming back ever since. Your "quality" was what I liked.
ReplyDeleteI must admit when I began blogging, about a year ago, I had visions of a successful commercial venture built around expressing myself through my blog. I realized quickly that I did not have the desire to write about one thing all the time, which seems to be a prerequisite for commercial success. I also am not enough of a computer geek to know all the things you mention above that increase traffic.
I have come to realize though that there is a value to me in sitting down at my computer, letting my mind roam and formulating my thoughts into some kind of bloggable form. If someone enjoys what I have to say, that is a bonus.
How they can find me among the staggering number of options, I don't know. In the mean time, whether you are aware of it or not, comments such as those you have made on my blog have left me with a smile on my face when I shut down my computer for the night.
OMG... I hope you will all forgive me. I've been pouting all weekend thinking no one has been here to 'read me'.. then today I remembered changing my settings so that I now have to moderate comments, so you were all just sitting there in limbo..LOL.. Shit! I think I may be too old for this ! Thanks for the great input. You all are awesome and will be hearing from me on your blogs very soon. keri
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious. But I do know what you mean. I was just thinking the same thing, and asking myself why I blog--it's for me, to save my thoughts. I don't want people to come over, say "nice" just to follow and get me to follow theirs -- without really reading. I am not about numbers.
ReplyDeleteIs there really blog commenting software? I guess the point is they post and then there is a link to their blog? I love comments and feel honored if someone takes the time to comment on something i have written. I havent learned anything other than i never know if a subject will appeal to people or not. Sometimes i think something is interesting and no one cares or i think well this is annoying and will post thinking no one will care but it hits a nerve and i get a lot of comments. I wonder though how some people can get hundreds of comments on an inane post about nothing and someone will post a heartfelt post and get three. Ive mentioned this before to other people. Im also rambling! Lol
ReplyDeleteWell, I admit that I like Johnny Depp's work, but a watercress sandwich leaves me pretty hungry.
ReplyDeleteVery funny Mike. Very funny. Speaking of sandwiches....... samwich365.com ...
ReplyDeleteon my way to answer your email now.