Do
you know what I’m doing wrong?
I’m
not sure what I am doing wrong. I am new
to blogging and I have really enjoyed the challenge of the Blog-a-thon and
writing every day, but no one seems to be reading my blog posts, okay so that’s
not exactly true – my friends are faithful and read it and I am so grateful,
but very few other bloggers have visited me.
Every day I visit blogs and read them and make comments, hoping that I
can support that person. And it’s
amazing and slightly intimidating how well everyone writes and the topics I
really enjoy. Maybe my blog is too out
there. I mean it’s about feelings and
dealings. Maybe I’m not specific enough
or should pick a topic, but I just have got to say – that I’m really not an
expert in any one area, except maybe my
feelings and the stuff I see out there in the world. If you get a chance to read this I would
really appreciate your thoughts and suggestions, because I would like to
continue to do this.
Thanks
:O)
Hi Patti. I'm sorry you're feeling this way. It takes a long time for a blog to really find its place in this big Internet world.
ReplyDeleteI've been blogging for five years and while I get good numbers, I don't get anywhere near what some other people get.
My advice is you have to figure out WHY you are blogging. If you're blogging because you enjoy doing it and you enjoy providing reading material for friends and family - and any strangers that may come by - then the number of visitors and comments should be secondary.
If you're blogging to get many visitors, many hits, many comments, then you need to look at how you are doing this and be realistic about how long it takes to get to that point. Because there are so many blogs, you then need to get out there and make sure people see you, hear you, and want to visit you. And then you have to work. Post, comment, visit, invite, repeat. Again and again. And then, you have to be patient.
I hope that some of this helps. I've visited as many blogs as I can, but many of them aren't about topics I am interested in. I've popped in to see what they are about, but I haven't made return visits because I need to ration the amount of time that I have to spend on these types of things. However, if a blog has something that does interest me, then I'll go back.
I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. So, back to my original question, do you want a few people visiting who truly are interested in what you write, or do you want high numbers?
Take care and good luck!
Marijke,
DeleteThanks so much - I guess I forgot why I am doing this - I love to write and this is a good outlet for me and you're right the numbers shouldn't matter- I just thought that I wasn't doing it right - but I guess the truth I forgot why I was doing it and for who thanks for the wonderfull reminder! Thank you so much
:O)
Patti
It does help readership or traffic to have a topic or theme. It also helps to offer readers the option of subscribing through an RSS feed, so they can read posts via email or on a blog reader; Feedburner is a good one. If you installed social sharing buttons people could use them to share posts they read and like on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Another way to boost readership is to invite people to write guest posts on your blog vice versa (I wrote a whole guide to guest posting on my own blog today if you want more info on that). Write about subjects with universal appeal, even when writing about personal issues. Include links. Use SEO so your posts get picked up in Google searches on those topics. With blogging, writing posts is just the beginning; for better or worse, there's a lot else bloggers need to do to help the world discover them.
ReplyDeleteMichelle R.
Thanks Michelle - I am going to try these things - I'm so new to this I don'tknow what some of these things are, but I know where to find out. Thanks again
Delete:O)
Patti
Hi Patti. First--my compliments to you for starting a blog. I hear so many people say they want to, but they just never get around to it. So, you've accomplished step 1. There are so many blogs floating around in the cyberworld that it takes a long time and something special to become one of the highly visited ones.
ReplyDeleteI've been blogging (www.writergrannysworld.blogspot.com) for three years and my numbers have grown but only at a very slow pace. I've seen increased growth since signing on at twitter and facebook and now during the blogathon. It takes as much time and effort to promote your blog as it does to write it.
Read all you can about the art of blogging. Make a checklist of the things you are doing and those you aren't after reading about this twenty-first century phenomenon.
Be patient, be persistent, be willing to learn more about blogging. Best of luck.
Hey Nancy- thanks for your Kind words - and I do need to learn more about this art - I love writing and I love to have a place to put out there - blogging is heart opening, but Ineed to learn more about it.
DeleteThanks again
:O)
Patti
Patti,
ReplyDeleteI'm subscribed to your blog and get it in my reader. This is the thing that I was worried about with that. All of the people that are subscribed to your blog aren't counted as "views" when they read it in their readers. So add your number of subscribers to your views.
Also, I cross promote my blog on other social media. After I publish a post, I advertise my post on my google+ account, facebook, twitter and linkedin. If I have a picture in the post I also put it on pintrest.
Most of my readership comes from these outside sources. If I write about another group, I send them a link to my blog or if I want to send my readers to another blog I ask the blogger if it's ok and let them look at my blog.
I don't have large numbers of views for my posts either, but over half of my posts have over 20 views so I count that as successful.
Hi Sarah,
DeleteThanks for the information I don't know a lot about blogging yet, but I love doing it - I am going to start using the social media to promote my blog - that is a great suggestion thanks again
:O)
Patti
I've been blogging for over three years now. Until I joined my first challenge, the Blogathon, I had no real readership - just some friends. The other commenters are absolutely correct and had some great advice. You may want to join other challenges - there are some other good ones out there (no Blogathon again until next May) and this will give you added practice and exposure. Unfortunately Blogger doesn't have a good Pinterest share button but you can always create a Facebook page for your blog. You are on Twitter, I see, and that is a good start. I suggest you add a Twitter button gadget from Blogger, and let people know. Visit other blogs as your time permits, and pay attention to what you like about them. Comment intelligently on blog posts that please you (by that I mean don't comment just to comment.) If you like photography, by all means include images. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Patti,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog on Google+ today, and I feel connected to some of the thoughts and feelings you share in your posts.
I think even reaching one person, is making a difference.
Be patient and like others have said, keep your motivation for blogging true.
- Ali