How were you successful in your blogging this week?
Many don't like to think of blogging in terms of something one wants to be "successful" at. "I'm just doing this for fun," you might say. I've actually heard others say, "I don't care if I get comments." I'm astounded when I hear that. I think, "Why are you writing, then, if you don't want to be read?"
Whether you're blogging for fun, or you're blogging for money, it's hard for me to believe it doesn't matter whether or not you get comments, or whether or not your're being read. If you don't care to be read, why are you writing? Don't go online then! Write what you have to say in a little paper diary with a lock and key, and stick the diary in your drawer at home! If however, you do come online, then you may as well admit you want to be read, and furthermore you like those comments (so you know somebody is listening, and you have an engaged community)! There is certainly nothing wrong with that...
So now I have a question for you. How were you "successful" in your blogging this week? What did you do to be successful and to draw readers in? Please tell us of some of your successes.
Did you write good content so that your readers would want to come back? I'm not saying you wrote good content for the sole purpose of having readers come back. I know you would have written good content anyway. But did you "make an effort to write good content" in your posts this week?
Perhaps you added more pictures to your blogs (either graphics or photos). Perhaps you tried to explain things to others. Perhaps you took the time to comment in other's blogs more.
Some of the things I did were to write good content (write about interesting subjects), to be more open and honest in my posts -- give more of myself, think about what my readers wanted to hear about and write about that, and comment in more blogs. I think I was successful.
How were you successful in blogging this week?
Thursday, March 4, 2010
How were you successful in your blogging this week
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I have just returned recently to Blogger after a long lay off beause of computer problems.
ReplyDeleteI like to place photos on my blog and write about bits and bobs from my day to day life here in the English Lakes.
I have been round quite a few Blogers journals recently to pay them a visit, and to catch up with them again. I'm surprised to find that some have stopped writing. I suppose my absence created the same disappointment I felt at experiencing that.I was glad that some have carried on keeping in touch which I hope will in turn draw those back who left us when AOL pulled the plug on us all.
Keep up the good work Krissy. Honesty and vulnerability always come through from your journal etries to be read as a caring sensitive writer.
You will do for me.
Much love
Jeanie xxx
I don't know why I keep blogging seriously. I just keep blogging away, comments or no comments. Force of habit I guess. I know expressing my political views drove away some visitors but I can't help that. By being silent I feel I become part of the problem. And I do like having a record of things so I can look back in my archives and find special recipes or dates. I like reading about my friends like Jeanie who happily is back to blogging. And I like to show my photos. I guess what you read is what you get, take me or leave me, LOL.
ReplyDeleteKrissy, I for one always cringe at the quest for comments as a sign of success. In the years I have been journaling as a caregiver I have known too many good people who gave up sharing valuable information because they got hung up in the competition for comments. I also can also understand those who use blogs as a social network. Sometimes that line is hard to walk.
ReplyDeleteCaregivingly Yours, Patrick
@Jeanie I'm so glad you returned to Blogger after having computer problems. And I know it was hard seeing a lot gone when you came back, since "AOL pulled the plug on us all." I agree with you, I'm hoping that we keep writing, and in turn those who see us doing so, will begin writing again also. I think a lot of what happened to us by AOL was never properly addressed, even after it happened, and we (many of us) are still grieving. It has been over a year -- perhaps we should address it now -- I mean how we were hurt, or may still be hurt. And how we feel so separated from one another, and sometimes don't even know one another's URLs (blog addresses).
ReplyDeleteI want to take this time to say to everyone who used to blog on AOL, that if you have not added your blog(s) to our blog directory, please go do so! Just click here to get to the jland blog directory. From Jland To Blogger
Thanks for adding! We'll find more of our friends this way!
And thanks, Jeanie, for the wonderful things you said to me about being a writer!
krissy knox :)
@Julie -- Please don't call your writing a force of habit! It's a beautiful contribution, rich with the truth and lots of hope. Perhaps I wasn't too clear in my post, I did say writing good content was the most important thing. There is a saying amongst probloggers (those who blog for a living), and that is "Content Is King." And that of course means there is nothing more important than good content! And yours is fantastic. Good content gets you readers, and if it does not, so what, the most important thing is you are true to yourself. Julie, what you say is very important.
ReplyDeleteI am fearing that some people are misunderstanding what I wrote somewhat when I hurriedly wrote this post. I wasn't suggesting people write different content, something other than what they believe in. There are so many things one can do to change and better one's writing, however. It could be something as simple as checking for spelling errors, or making paragraphs shorter if one tends to run on and on. It could also be splitting posts up into single subjects and not putting too much information in one post, as the net in saturated with a lot of posts right now, and the average person only stayed 30 - 45 seconds on each site. Also, it could be something as simple as asking someone a question at the end of a post, something that would get your readers interested in participating. Don't assume that your reader always knows what to say, sometimes give them a question or something to ponder, so they can add something in your comment section. It doesn't even have to mean that you want more comments. It could just mean that they want to comment, be part of your community, but don't know what to say, and you are giving them a way to participate if they can't think of anything to say. I hope that makes sense, Julie.
And yes, that's a good attitude, be true to yourself, write what you believe you should write! If you didn't you would be part of the problem. And remember, a lot do love your writing, that's why you are in my sidebar!
krissy knox :)
Hey! Former Jlanders (former AOL bloggers) ~ Please add your blog(s)
to our Directory: From Jland To Blogger From Jland To Blogger
follow me on twitter:
http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
I took a lot of time to comment on others blogs. I have started posting three times a week minimum. It's nice to have a life again AND I'd like to improve content.
ReplyDelete@patrick -- I also cringe, as you do, if a blogger thinks that the amount of comments that he gets is the only sign of his success. Especially if his writing does not reflect what he really believes, but he is writing the post anyway, to get lots of comments. The number of such a blogger's comments wouldn't reflect his success, but instead reflect his ability to deceive others. This blogger's writing would be dishonest, and he would lack integrity. But would his readers be so easily fooled for long? I believe the truth would catch up to him, and he would lose his readers, most likely sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteBloggers must have great integrity. While there is definitely nothing wrong with writing to be read (all writers do that!), and nothing wrong with desiring comments, there is something wrong when you write dishonestly to get comments.
A blogger who merely writes for comments, disregarding everything else and all others, will not only hurt his blogging success, but will more importantly hurt other bloggers. Such bloggers fall into many traps, and deceive themselves, believing they are not hurting other bloggers, or come to the place where they don't even care if they are. Their only goal is to get more comments than everyone else.
Eventually these bloggers come to do something even worse than writing dishonest blog posts. They actually hurt other bloggers they deem to be in their way -- when it comes to "collecting" the most comments. To destroy their "competition," they may take one or several tactics. These bloggers may attempt to destroy their competitions' reputations, thus getting rid of the competition, so they will get more comments than them. I have seen quite a few bloggers do this, fiercely at times -- gossiping and spreading lies about their fellow bloggers around the net. I've seen bloggers that were so demonized by other bloggers. Nasty emails, with outright lies, were passed around the internet about them, started by one of these bloggers who desired more comments. I've also seen things posted by bloggers about fellow bloggers, whom they considered their competition. These blog posts were unflattering to say the least, and contained many ugly and untrue statements.
There are other ways those who are competing improperly to get comments "operate." Some plagerize, thinking it will get them a better post that readers will enjoy and comment on. I've seen bloggers copy ideas from other bloggers (for example, a weekly feature), so closely, that you would wonder why the copying blogger couldn't come up with his own idea! Sure, we don't exclusively own blogging ideas on the net, but can't some bloggers come up with some of their own ideas on occassion? Why do they have to copy a popular feature of another blogger just because it gets a lot of comments? Surely they can think of an original idea of their own!
In the blogging world, I've seen a lot of jealousy, a lot of back biting, and a lot of hurt.
Okay, Patrick, now that this comment has gotten long, but I haven't finished it yet, I am going to go ahead and submit what i have, do to space (word) limitations, and then finish the comment in the next COMBOX.
krissy :)
@patrick
ReplyDeletehere's the rest of your answer, from me, to your comment:
What does this mean, then? Should we stop trying to write well, to do our best, even to stop desiring comments? No! Blogging is extremely rewarding, and with it we help ourselves and help others. We should do the best job we can to help others. Writing is so rewarding! I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Yes, there are negative aspects that go along with blogging. When bloggers without integrity try to hurt us, what do we do? Let things roll off our backs! Sometimes you'll have to take action, but often things will straighten themselves out because readers will know who has integrity and who doesn't! If you need to talk to a trusted friend that's ok, but don't spend too much time on it, because you don't want the one who is trying discourage you and take you away from blogging, to have that much power over you.
Just work hard instead, and don't let anyone eat up your energy! As long as you know you are doing your best, and writing and working with integrity, things will be fine. The problem lies with the blogger who is doing the misdoings, not with you, so don't pay them any mind, and eventually the blogging community and their readers will see them for who they are, and see you for who you are!
Just remember -- if you are a good writer, you will get read. And you'll probably get comments too. Probably. And you just may get attacked for doing such a good job! It's all part of the deal.
What does that man? It means you should keep blogging. Keep writing. Keep doing your best. Make your Mama proud! Make your readers proud! Make yourself proud. To your own self be true. But don't be afraid to want comments. If you are getting them legitimately, there's nothing wrong with that! Realize you have integrity and keep your head held high! And keep on blogging! :)
Does that mean it won't hurt at times? No, it just might. So develope yourself a tough skin! Because sometimes blogging gets hard. But then everything worthwhile is hard at times...
thanks for your comment, Patrick
krissy knox :)
Hey! Former Jlanders (former AOL bloggers) ~ Please add your blog(s)
to our Directory: From Jland To Blogger From Jland To Blogger
follow me on twitter:
http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
I actually had to make my blog private, but I have some great readers that have stuck with me...
ReplyDelete