[why we blog] perhaps we’re getting closer
Questions to bloggers
1] If you could have a guaranteed 100 readers a day, from all walks of life, who read, internalize and constructively comment on your posts, would you prefer that to 700 occasional readers who are attracted by a tag word here and there, e.g. Britney spears, Lolita and so on? Truly?
2] When you go into your sitemeter, you have no choice – it goes straight to your stats summary. Where do you go next?
a] Location;
b] Entry page summary;
c] Country share;
d] Weekly visitors;
e] Other?
3] Are you more concerned with unique visitors or with hits?
4] Do you expand your traffic through:
a] Noting a comment on a post and following the link back, then if you like the blog, you blogroll it [my sole method];
b] RSS feeds [which I don’t understand];
c] E-mailing people;
d] Trackbacks [which I don’t understand and maybe are impossible with Blogger, I think];
e] Some other method?
5] Where do you see your blog going?
a] Becoming as famous as Michelle Malkin;
b] Gaining and holding a small core of loyal readers;
c] Making money, man. Yep that’s what each hour of effort we expend must do – make money!
d] Being part of a ‘club’ of good bloggers who read each other and comment;
e] Other.
1] If you could have a guaranteed 100 readers a day, from all walks of life, who read, internalize and constructively comment on your posts, would you prefer that to 700 occasional readers who are attracted by a tag word here and there, e.g. Britney spears, Lolita and so on? Truly?
2] When you go into your sitemeter, you have no choice – it goes straight to your stats summary. Where do you go next?
a] Location;
b] Entry page summary;
c] Country share;
d] Weekly visitors;
e] Other?
3] Are you more concerned with unique visitors or with hits?
4] Do you expand your traffic through:
a] Noting a comment on a post and following the link back, then if you like the blog, you blogroll it [my sole method];
b] RSS feeds [which I don’t understand];
c] E-mailing people;
d] Trackbacks [which I don’t understand and maybe are impossible with Blogger, I think];
e] Some other method?
5] Where do you see your blog going?
a] Becoming as famous as Michelle Malkin;
b] Gaining and holding a small core of loyal readers;
c] Making money, man. Yep that’s what each hour of effort we expend must do – make money!
d] Being part of a ‘club’ of good bloggers who read each other and comment;
e] Other.
posted by James Higham @ 16:24
5 Comments
5 Comments:
1. That's honestly a difficult question to answer, simply because I don't know much about the majority of my visitors; the proportion who comment on my posts is pretty small, and I have no idea whether they take anything constructive from it or not. I get good feedback, but I also get criticised.
I think it's not an either/or. I have a number of people who visit my site on a regular basis, and a number who are referred by a specific post, or Google search term, and never (for the most part) come back. I guess I would answer it this way; on the odd day where I have been mentioned by Guido, Iain Dale, or what have you, my traffic has jumped. Am I happy at that? Yes. Do I believe that constitutes a mark of approval or a seal of quality? No.
That wasn't much of an answer, was it? Will try harder from here on in.
2. I go to referrals. I think that tells me more about my visitors - what are they reading, who is linking to me, why did they come?
3. I look at unique visitors, but again that's just me.
4. I try to blogroll regular visitors (as long as I like their blogs) but beyond being an active commenter on blog posts that interest me, and appending my URL to comments on sites like Comment is Free that don't automatically include it, I don't actively try to expand my traffic. It's slowly trending up anyway.
5. If they ever photoshop my head onto the body of a bikini model, as they did with Michelle Malkin, I'd be delighted. But I'd say mainly (b) and (d).
And additionally, (e) - slowly but surely expand, like a puffball fungus, and try and support the Scottish blogging community so that somebody in this goddamn country's media takes some notice of some of the excellent Scottish blogs out there. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have only ever seen one reference to a specific blog in any of Scotland's newspapers or websites. Ever.
Two things spring to mind: a) I am rather averse to too much self-referential talk about "bloggin'". But also b)that you can't help thinking about the "purpose" of it. So, I like your questions, see if I can answer them.
1) Definitely the 100. Though I am quite pleased that I have perhaps 60-70 average visitors a day. Although I have mulled that even this is still too much since I am still trying to find my feet and I can sense some pressure to "perform" already (i.e. give the audience what it might want at the cost of my own experimentation).
2) Other. To see if my favourite visitors are on. Dunno why. But I find that reassuring somehow.
3) I think unique visitors. Although I find it just as interesting to see which articles get the most traffic.
4) See answer to question 1. When I feel more confident about my writing I will start actively seeking out ways of increasing my traffic.
5) At the moment b). Although that can make you adverse to change. So perhaps long-term I'd be aiming for d). Athough that again has its own danger of becoming too cliquey.
At the end of the day what I get out of bloggin' is the sheer scope of ideas that are prevalent. I try to scan anything from the political left to the political right to the deliberately obsure and keep an open mind.
Finally, a compliment on your site. Apart from a good lay-out you have a very clear writing style which makes it easy to read :)
Do you mind if I perhaps generalise my answers as I can't see your quesions as I type this.
I like to attract a broader readership from different backgrounds, I enjoy reading about different topical issues, just as you do, though I do have a political focus.
I find blogging liberating and totally absorbing, I love finding like-minded interesting people, such as yourself, I regret I don't have the time to read all your posts in depth, or follow all the links from your recommended reads.
I am fastidious about reciprocating comments, otherwise you will lose your readership. Sometimes it may get overlooked if I am really rushed off my feet, but the intention is always there.
I like looking at the stats counter too, would like to understand it better. I am always appreciative of my returning visitors, my cyber friends, like yourself.
My real dilemma is shortage of time. I do spend too much time blogging and am studying at the moment, I have 450 hours reading and find it impossible to concentrate on this if I am checking for comments to respond to. Also, I have to work as much as I can. That life balance is very difficult with blogging.
I like your new festive banner, btw. Where will you be for Christmas?
Mr E, Yellow Duck and Elle, thanks for this contribution. I'm working my way through the answers and we may have the basis here of what blogging is about.
James
1. Like Mr Eugenides- this is hard but I think I'd answer like him about the posts I write and what I hope people get out of them
2. I look at referrals largely because I like the idea that people come to my website read an article have their interest piqued and go off to something else I've mentioned- I imagine it shows I've effected them in some way- I suppose in reality it just shows that they want something else to read.
3. I look at unique visitors- I think because its first- occasionally I like to look at the length between hits that people have made.
4. I come on sites like yours and comment and like Mr Eugenides I commetn on blogs where you can't leave your url and leave mine- if I'm stumbling round on stumble upon and come across a blog directory I'll add myself to it in an absent minded way- but that's it mainly.
5. Definitely b and d. I hope b becuase that would show I'm doing something right. D I think makes things funner- I love going back to blogs I know and reading them because I get a personality and I find one of the most fun bits about blogging now the fact that I'm not an anonymous lurker but actually have my own personality that people can come and see. The most rewarding moments I've had in my short career so far are when people I know blog comment on my blog and continue a conversation with me. Its a kind of networking I suppose by interests. (I must stop now you've got me to say one of my least favourite words- networking)
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