I barely knew what a blog was when I first started blogging. I had no concept of what good content was and what may be uh, a little boring. So I stumbled through some awkward posts and tried to find my rhythm. For a while, I thought I had to say something, all the time, which led to some embarrassing fluff.
So in the spirit of sharing the bad with the good, here are a few of my more clueless and cringe-worthy posts, taken from my first year of blogging:
The Idiot: thought-provoking with an excellent plot– 8/20/13 – Not sure why I thought I could analyze a book by Dostoyevsky in 262 words or why I didn’t mention the author in my post title. I wonder if Dostoyevsky would be pleased that I thought he was good at plots?
I’m looking for answers! – 1/27/14 – If you dare click on this one, shield your eyes from some very large type. I think I was looking for attention, not answers!
How to make “Dirt” for 30 hungry lacrosse players – 3/25/14 – I don’t remember thinking I would turn my blog into a recipe how-to, but here it is. Fortunately it was a one and done. The recipe’s a good one though!
I often think about removing these posts, but looking back on them reminds me that for all bloggers, finding your way in the blogging world is a gradual process and it never stops. Your blog is always evolving, so go with that flow, move on from the less popular posts and trust your new ideas!
So the calendar year is rounding its final bend and, being slightly stats obsessed, I see that I will likely finish up only slightly higher than last year, after doubling and tripling my views in prior years. It’s a great feeling to watch your blog grow and it’s only natural to expect it to continue growing by leaps and bounds. Right, bloggers? Know what I mean?
But consider this as you measure the success of your blog. Perhaps you are blogging less frequently, or maybe you have a week or two when you don’t even log into your blog. But when you do, how are your individual posts doing? Are you receiving more likes and comments per post than you did when you started? I bet you are. The interaction – that’s what you measure.
As I approach my fifth year of blogging, I know that it’s not just about views. I have many more blogging friends than I did in the beginning, who graciously like and comment when they visit. Seeing my friends’ smiling profile faces when they do is like hosting a little cyber party at the bottom of my post. The bonus is that I know there’s a party going on at the bottom of all my blogging friends’ posts too and I can’t wait to get over there! How many of you feel that way? Lots, I bet!
Another measure is how integratedyour blog is with other social media. I’ve had a Twitter and Facebook page for the same period of time, but it’s only in the last year that I’ve learned how to connect the three the right way. Posting the same content across social media won’t hurt, but creating original, but related content for each and then sharing it generates interest and enhances your brand.
So when I use my own ruler, I know my blog is doing just fine. And I have no plans to stop. How do you measure your blog’s success?
What is it about summer that makes blog views drop? Is everyone on fabulous vacations, too busy having fun and living a real life to read blogs? Or are they consciously escaping from the internet? I approve of both of those, by the way, because I’m not just a blogger, I’m a person with a life who has to balance my virtual time with reality.
I don’t think these vacationers plan to catch up on my blog! Image: Pixabay
But from a blogger’s view, summer is the time when I hope readers will curl up with their devices and check out all the posts they might have missed. And because I’m a book blogger, I’m hoping they will read my reviews so they can decide which books to put in their beach totes.
My stats page looks a little like this right now. Image: Pixabay
Because I’m a little obsessed with views, I can’t stay away from my stats page. Views, Visitors, Likes and Comments – how can you not want to know? And how can you not be disappointed to see the numbers drop in the summer?
If you can’t stay away from the stats page, hoping your views will soar, set more realistic summertime goals. Don’t just compare to last month, or aim for an unreachable number. Are your views up from last summer? Are you getting more likes and comments than last summer?
The truth is, blog traffic depends on what you put into your blog, all year long. You can’t entirely avoid the summer slump, but you can boost your views by staying active. Don’t be a passive blogger, just posting and hoping someone will find you. Jump in to like, share and comment on blogs and on other social media sites. Twitter and Facebook are two good places to go. You can read a book about how to do it, or you can experiment and see what works for you. You have to feed that blogging machine to keep it happy and keep your views up. And you have to do something else too:
Accept that people have lives outside the internet (that’s a good thing) and that views will sink a little in the summer. Things will pick up in the fall. They always do. Remember, blogging should be fun, even if it’s linked to your professional life. Relax and accept the ups and downs.
Relax – the future is bright! Image: Pixabay
I’ve been writing about my obsession with blogging for a while now. Take a look at some of my earlier posts:
I didn’t believe it when I read that it might take me two weeks to recover from the flu. I was sure that I could beat it after a few days, maybe a week. So during that time, I put all non-essential activities on hold. My head was in a fog. I didn’t feel like reading. I couldn’t tolerate a computer screen or a phone. Social media roared on without me. And to my horror, I developed a disinterest in blogging. My obsessive need to check my stats, reach out and comment sat alone and ignored on a distant shelf.
Bloggers have a funny relationship with their real life and their blog life. We all know that the real life takes priority, but we need the other part too, so our feet are in both worlds. And getting the flu, while temporarily dramatic, is a blip in the routine. People have much bigger problems.
It has taken the full two weeks, but the fever is gone and the fog is lifting. So watch out, because I’m feeling like my old self again. I want to know all your news and tell you mine!
My Facebook feed is a mess and I don’t care anymore! After months of trying to figure out why I wasn’t seeing posts in my Book Club Mom feed from groups I’d joined and pages I’d liked as BCM, I went into settings and clicked a bunch of options, hoping to wrangle my groups and likes back to Book Club Mom.
Image: Pixabay
Well, I rounded up the herd, but now they are grazing in my home page feed, mixed in with all my personal friend and family updates. Pictures of cute kids, fabulous vacations, snaps of gourmet meals, fuzzy animals and the occasional political rant are in a big mish mash with book discussions, publishing announcements, book-worthy news and the occasional album of libraries around the world.
Talk about seeing it all – but I’ve given up and have accepted that these two worlds are now one.
I don’t think I will ever understand Facebook’s settings. Is there anyone out there who does? Let me tell you what has been happening to me:
Like many people, I have a personal Facebook page, but when I started my blog, I created a separate Book Club Mom page. Then I went about “Liking” pages as my new FB blog page. For a while, I would see news from these newly liked pages on my page feed. And I was a happy FB blogger, liking and sharing posts. I liked new pages as they came along, jumped to my blog and then to Twitter and had a great time integrating all three. Life was good.
Recently I noticed that the majority of these pages no longer appear on my page feed. Instead, my feed is dominated by “For Reading Addicts” and “Bookstr” – there is good stuff on these, don’t get me wrong, but where is everyone else?
Today I set out to fix the problem. I went to my Book Club Mom page, scrolled down to the box on the right that said “Liked by this Page” and there was a list of the pages. But strangely, many of them had not been liked and were waiting for me to click the “Like” button to the right. Makes no sense! I clicked and clicked, thinking, “Okay, problem solved” and then suddenly this popped up on my screen:
Feeling wronged, I clicked on the link to let them know and filled out this form:
I’m still blocked, but I got this nice message:
Who knows when I’ll be unblocked or if re-liking all those pages will take care of the problem, but my fingers are crossed!
“You’d better make a back-up.” How many times have you given and received that worthy piece of advice? Backing up important things is always a good idea, but did you ever think about backing up your blog?
Why?
Think about all the time you have invested in your blog. Would you want to lose that? Although WordPress already backs up your blog, lots of unusual things can happen. Think hacking and crashes. I like to be in charge of my files and I feel better when I know I have a backup right here at home.
WordPress has a built-in tool to export and download a backup to your computer, so why not take advantage of this free utility? If you ever switch to a different blog, you can also use this tool to export your content to your new blog.
Here’s how:
Go to your Dashboard, highlight “Tools” and select “Export” from the side menu.
You will be asked to choose between “Export” and “Guided Export”. WordPress charges a fee for the Guided Export, so select the free “Export” and you will see the following screen:
Choose “All content” or customize your backup by selecting the options listed.
Click on “Download Export File” button.
WordPress will email you a link to download a .zip file backup to your computer. Open the email and click Download.
I just made my backup. It only took a minute and I feel a lot better!
What a terrific response about the average life of a blog! Forget 100 days. Our little community of bloggers has been writing, posting and interacting for years! The average life of our group’s blogs is 3.5 years and some of us have been blogging for over 7 years.
Here is what you are saying about:
STARTING YOUR BLOG
“When I started I was so nervous but needn’t have been – it has been and still is a wonderful sharing/learning experience.” – Annika
“My first year was not great. When I connected to the blog community, my blogging really started.” – Lorraine
CONNECTING WITH OTHER BLOGGERS
“It is hard to find new topics, I started because I love book and reading and sometimes I think it’s getting a little stale… but I just carry on. I love it and the community is fantastic!” – Cathy
USING YOUR BLOG AS A CREATIVE OUTLET
“I think I have lasted so long because I love to write. And have a need to create. And I have NOT found a niche. So I don’t feel trapped with one style of creativity. Which is how my little doodles came to be.” – Colleen
“It’s not easy, but I think if you see your blog as an avenue for expressing yourself, helping other writers, and surprising your readers from time to time it can keep on rolling.” – Kevin
UNDERSTANDING YOU ARE NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY
“I try to post photos every day, apart from when I am on holiday. I think if you are just trying to sell something, it’s not the same, it’s not part of your life…… I love it, it is a form of relaxation from a very busy work life, and you get to meet lovely people all doing something different.” – Lynne
“Many bloggers get into thinking they’ll make a ton of money and find out it’s time-consuming work that gets you there. I just do it as my daily writing “practice” and because I’m alone most of my awake time!” – Lisa
NICHES AND OTHER STRATEGIES
“I have no idea what the niche thing is even after 3.5 years but I haven’t given up yet. Hard-headed I guess.” – Jan
“So, wow. I’m guilty of 4 out of 5 of those things. Failure! Failure to find a niche, failure to branch out once you find said niche, failure to build a social media following, and not trying new things. Yikes.” – Sarah
“Hmm… 100 days… I think it took me 100 days just to figure out how to get set up. You’ve summed up the difficulties perfectly. For me, finding the balance between creating content and marketing is the challenge as they’re two completely different areas of expertise.” – Karen
PERSEVERANCE
“I almost gave up a few times due to lack of followers and readership, but I hung in there and tried to reinvent the blog. It’s finally to a place I want it to be.” – Kim
“It does get a little tough to keep it going after a few years, but it’s worth it because of the friendships you end up forming along the way.” – Sheila
MOVING ON (But keeping your feet in when you can)
“I made it over four years, but as you know, I recently backed out. Just couldn’t keep up! Now I read posts when I can, but most days I don’t get the chance. So many other things compete for our time, don’t they? Sigh.” – Carrie
So now that we’ve shut down that stat, meet the following fascinating and enthusiastic bloggers who took the time to answer my survey!
Annika from Annika Perry’s Writing Blog: “Writing has been a passion since childhood although it is only in the past year that I have seriously started to write fiction. My interests include books and I am an avid reader with a book or two constantly on the go. Life without books would seem unbearable.”
Cathy from Between the Lines: “I’ve been writing reviews and blogging about those books I’ve enjoyed for a couple of years now and still find it very satisfying and pleasurable. Apart from anything else, it’s a good way for me to keep track of the books I read and listen to and if it’s helpful and/or enjoyable for others so much the better.”
Charley from Books and Bakes1: “My blog is my little space where I review books, share my experiences of different places I’ve visited and things I’ve seen, show you photos I’ve taken on my trusted and beloved iPhone, as well as sharing delicious cakes and bakes. Basically: a bit of everything that floats my boat.”
Lisa from Bookshelf Fantasies: Bookshelf Fantasies is dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of excellent reading. You’ll find book reviews, a smattering of all sorts of book-related topics, random thoughts on what it means to be a reader, and healthy doses of unbridled fangirl enthusiasm.
Colleen from Chatter Master: “I come from a large family. My past, which includes my ancestry, is always something I like to revisit and relearn from. My present keeps me very busy. My future is something I look forward to and keeps me focused on being as healthy as I can be. What matters most: my children, my greatchildren, my husband, my family, my country, Ireland, biking.”
Stella from Conversational Italian: The Conversational Italian! blog is a complementary site to the Conversational Italian! open Facebook group. The Facebook group is based on the textbook and phrasebook from the Conversational Italian for Travelers series available on Amazon.com and Learn Travel Italian.com. If you like what you see, join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Lynne from Echoes of the Past: “I feel lucky to live in a wonderful part of England call the Fens. “Where we live is just over the boarder of Cambridgeshire and into North Norfolk. The county of Norfolk has more churches than any other county, mostly dating from the 15th Century and there are quite a large amount of ruined remains of churches. So with churches in Cambridgeshire and those of Norfolk I have no end of snaps to take.”
Lenore from Explore Newness: Lenore is simply a gal that loves variety. She loves trying new things, learning new things…..exploring newness! “Sometimes I get in a rut and feel like I’m not experiencing anything new, so I’m excited to have this blog as an outlet to share and hopefully have newness in my life every day! This blog’s purpose is simply for fun! I’m not planning it to be a stressful activity where I feel I HAVE TO post something NEW every day…so I may or may not share everything. You’ll understand, right?”
Rachael from Fiction by Rachael Ritchey: Rachael is a writer and a typical gal who enjoys the finer things in life. You know . . . clean clothes, the dishes washed, polite children, feet that smell like roses. Her favorite color is green, but blue is a close second. There’s a reason she’s a writer, and it’s pretty simple. It’s because when she’s not rehearsed her thoughts and opens her mouth to talk she ends up rambling, but when her fingers do the talking her thoughts have a chance to get in line.
Tracy from From the Laundry Room: Tracy is a writer, reader, marathon walker (that is right…walker…not runner), living room dancer, podcast listener,Jack walker, spinner, theatre goer, political commentator/whiner and Laundry Room Coordinator.
Lisa from Hopewell’s Library of Life: Blogs about lifestyle, memories, social awareness, trends, books, and family.
Jan from J.T. Twissel: J.T. Twissel (Jan) was born in a small town in Massachusetts and raised primarily in Reno Nevada, leaving home at eighteen to see the world. Eventually she more or less settled down, living in Chicago and then in the San Francisco Bay area where she obtained a degree in English from UC Berkeley. She worked as a newsletter editor, a secretary, a process analyst, project manager and technical documentation manager.
Jill from Jill’s Scene: “Here you will find my thoughts about the world, about life, about the things I love: writing, reading, laughing; and travel. There are occasional cameo appearances from the people I love. After all, those other things are nothing without the chance to share them with those who are nearest and dearest to me.”
Karen from Karen in Calabria: Karen inherited her love of Italy and its traditions from her parents. Raised on a wholesome diet that featured plenty of pasta, she learned the meaning of “al dente” before it was in vogue. Karen has studied the Italian language and culture at schools in Rome, Florence, Lucca, Sorrento, Taormina and Reggio Calabria. She teaches the Italian language and culture, translates and writes on Italy and other topics.
Kathy from Katie’s Cottage: Kathy is a tea drinker, book reader and I cycle, however, I don’t read and cycle at the same time. I hike in the mountains whenever I can! I absolutely love mountains! Since I read, this will be a book blog with other reflections. Find a comfy chair, enjoy a hot chocolate or steamy hot tea and read on! “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis
Kim from Kim Gorman – Writing to Heal, Grow and Inspire: Kim Gorman is a college counselor by day, a busy wife and mom, and a writer and blogger in the spaces in between. She is passionate about writing as a modality for healing and personal growth. Kim holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, and currently is at work on her first novel, a romance set in Newport, RI at the tail end of the Roaring Twenties. Her blog is a medley of her passions and interests, a cherished creative outlet.
Lorraine from Laurel-Rain Snow Creations: Laurel-Rain Snow is the pen name for Lorraine Frost Sandone, who was born in California’s Central Valley; she graduated from California State University in Sacramento, with a BA in psychology. Ms. Snow moved to Fresno, CA, in the early seventies, where she then worked in the social work profession for over thirty years, specializing primarily in child welfare cases. She earned her MA in counseling from California State University of Fresno in the seventies. Ms. Snow, now retired from social work, lives in Fresno, CA, and is the mother of four grown children and proud grandmother of seven.
Sarah from Lemon Shark: “Pre-Mum Days: I loved reading, writing, traveling, & watching re-runs of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’m all grown up and stuff with 2 kids but that doesn’t stop me from being immature, goofy, geeky, or watching Buffy. I have a master’s degree in writing. Taught at university and 6-8 grade levels. Been writing since I was 9 years old. I am a writer. That’s all there is to be said on the matter. It’s what I do. It’s who I am.”
Lisa from Life Stories and Beyond: Lisa is the mother of nineteen-year-old triplets and her original model, a married twenty-five-year-old daughter. Lisa and her husband are new empty-nesters and live on a farm. Surprisingly, they still see their four college students on a pretty regular basis and are active parents burning up the road now. A former middle school counselor turned writer, Lisa is also a closet genealogist and preserver of stories, who looks for the humor in life. She hopes that her stories will provide entertainment, as well as information for folks in that situation called life.
Lori from Lori Schaefer: “The world continues to change and we must grow and change to meet its challenges. That’s what I’m exploring, the potential for change, for growth, and for learning new things even at my advanced age. I’m simply not done yet. You’re welcome to join in the journey or merely stand back and watch to see whether I fall on my face or fly.”
Charlotte from Momaste: “Momaste is a place where I share my process of becoming more mindful in a maelstrom of a modern world, while offering encouragement, love, and respect for other moms. I am a mom and I work as a clinical social worker, doing child and family therapy with a very high-risk population. The intersection of my private and professional lives makes life very dynamic. My favorite topics to write about are breast feeding, family, my struggles as a working mom, and moving towards self-acceptance. I also find my way into the occasional poem.”
Anne from Muddling Through My Middle Age: “This blog is about exploring the ways that my life is different now that I have reached the middle years, both the good and the not-so-good. It’s written mostly for my friends and family, and for their friends and family if they wish to share, as well as anyone who is dealing with middle age.”
Jill from Rant and Rave About Books: “As a writer, of course, I love reading. I read anywhere from five to ten books per month. I mostly read young adult and new adult novels that have a romantic or fantasy element to them, but I also like contemporary fiction, crime, suspense, mystery, and horror. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, but now I live in Cape Coral, Florida where it’s always hot and sunny. I like to read by the pool and pretend that it’s still normal to drink hot chocolate when it’s 80 degrees and humid outside.”
Rebecca from Reviews & Revisions: “Make yourself comfortable. Here’s a quick tour of this space. My blog focuses on topics related to reading and writing. I believe there is a close connection between being a better writer and being a better reader, and that’s why I include a page with My Bookshelf. I am always open to recommendations!”
Sheila from Sheila Hurst – Reading, writing, dreaming: I live on a sandbar called Cape Cod. The waves still carry the stories of sea captains and pirates, bootleggers and dreamers. Sometimes I listen. Sometimes my crazy dog listens instead. This site is a reflection of things that inspire me: nature, traveling, books. Mostly, I love anything that will make me look at the world in different ways.
Jeff from Stuff Jeff Reads: “I’m a technical writer and musician, and I love to read. This blog is where I share my thoughts on the stuff that I read. I hope you’ll find it interesting and thought provoking. Enjoy, and keep on reading!”
Success Won’t Wait: A not for profit literacy program based in Wilmington, Delaware. The organization’s mission is to encourage reading, particularly by children, and services Delaware and the surrounding states.
Annie from The Misstery: “Who am I? Annie. 25. Barcelona. 90’s movies, old songs and way too many books. Lover of mysteries, psychological thrillers, historical fiction, contemporary novels and coming-of-age stories. What Do I Love In A Book? Shocking twists, dual perspectives, murders & disappearances, flashbacks, big old mansions, family secrets, unforgettable summers, powerful endings, long lost letters, unreliable narrators, destiny & coincidences, strong friendships, cults, revenge stories, humor & sarcasm.”
George from The Off Key of Life: “I enjoy writing. So this is mostly for me, a way to share my voice with anyone who wants to listen to whatever the flavor of the day might be. So that’s why I’m here. This is my outlet, my way to get rid of the head shaking absurdities I sometimes see or hear. Along the way, there may be some creative writing, stories and surprises. But mostly I’m here to talk out loud and have fun. I hope you do the same.”
Rose from The Rambling Rose: I am the author of Threaten to Undo Us. I am also a contributing writer to Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon. I live in Surrey, BC with my husband and our two youngest who aren’t really children anymore.
Jen, Nicole, Kate and Andrew from The Readers Room: A blog dedicated to all things book related including book reviews and recommendations, fun facts, polls, book lists, challenges, and personal musings about any book-related topic. Jen is the primary poster, with contributions from Nicole, Kate and Andrew. They invite guest reviewers to cover books outside the genres that they typically read (e.g., non-fiction, etc.).
Jeff from The Stub Collection: The concert ticket stub is a piece of music history, and for a while was a work of art. After thinking about ways to organize my ticket stubs, I thought that it would be cool to scan them, post them online, and include my thoughts and memories of the show or artist.
J.C. from The Wolfe’s (Writing) Den: J.C. Wolfe is a biologist, fiction writer, and aspiring novelist of science fantasy and romance. A natural-born American and California resident, J.C. studies Marine Ecology at a university in Brazil while spending free time writing stories and poetry.
Laurie from This Is My Symphony: A teacher and a book blogger and a former book seller. “I read more in our glorious Michigan summers than any other time, as the school year sees me busy teaching high school English (see my classroom blog at Ms. Larson’s Room) and grading papers. I try to instill in “my kids” the joy of reading and the power of writing, but it’s an uphill battle.”
Kevin from What the Hell: Kevin is a self-published novelist of Parts Unknown, Yesterday Road and many other titles. He blogs about books, writing and self-publishing.
Toni, Patty and Mary from Words We Women Write: We used to be richer, younger and thinner. 🙂 We do what we like and we like what we do.
Stephanie from Your Daughter’s Bookshelf: “On this blog, you will find my musings on the books that cross my path, written for the adult with the teen still trapped inside. Also, I hope that you might find recommendations for your own children when they moan “I have nothing to read…”
Looking for the back story? Check out these blogging posts:
Okay bloggers, based on your responses to my earlier post, Blog views and other obsessions – aging out?, it seems as if we are all beating the odds. So to turn the stats around, I’m gathering data:
How long (years and months) have you been blogging?
Leave your answer in the comments section and I’ll report back!
As I turn the corner and aim toward four years of blogging, I’m feeling pretty good. As the saying goes, you’re only as old as you feel, right? There are lots of statistics on human life expectancy, but not as many on blog life expectancy. A little research, however, revealed some shocking results:
The average blog lasts about 100 days.
What?
Yes, that’s what Business 2 Community and Patrick’s Place report. While these articles focus more on money-making blogs (What are those? Someone tell me, please!), the reasons apply to all forms of blogging. Here is why bloggers tap out after only a few months:
Failure to find a niche – survive by creating unique content, something readers can’t find anywhere else. What are you an expert at?
Failure to branch out – once you find your niche, think of ways your content can attract a broader readership. For example, if you write movie reviews, think about what people who like movies also enjoy and add posts that complement your reviews.
Too much marketing – no one likes a hard sell, especially people who read blogs. Make sure your content doesn’t drip with sales pushes.
Failure to build a social media following – linking to Facebook and Twitter isn’t enough. Interact with other bloggers. Ask to share your posts on popular blogs (I’ve never done that, but I have “traded” posts). Join Facebook groups and share your posts that way. (I do this regularly, but check the group rules – some groups don’t allow sharing).
Not trying new things – be innovative. Vary your content. See what works and abandon what doesn’t.
I was shocked to read the 100-day statistic. I know a lot of people in my blogging community have been around a lot longer than 100 days. I guess that makes us really old!
I’ve fallen into a few of these traps. It’s hard to think of ways to branch out with content and through social media. I’ve had some success on Facebook groups, but it’s tricky finding the right groups. I’ve been permanently banned from a Redditt group because I didn’t understand the rules and I don’t think I have the time to expand to Instagram and other platforms.
How long have you been blogging? Are you running out of steam? What strategies do you use to keep your content fresh?
Book Club Mom 
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