I was inspired by my blogging buddy Otter Thomas over at Life of a New Dad to write about blogging.
There are a gazillion articles out there on how to increase your blog traffic, and they all say pretty much the same thing: write consistently, create informative and engaging content, visit other blogs and leave lots of comments, submit your blog to all the social media sites, etc. All good advice.
It also helps if you’ve been blogging for a while and have gained some respect in the blogging community, maintaining a fairly high number of blog buddies and perhaps contributing to sites other than your own.
This month it will be four years since I started chronicling the escapades of my son and his sisters, and my traffic usually hovers just under 30 readers a day, with nine or ten comments per post tops. Not exactly stellar numbers. In terms of traffic, my site is on a back street somewhere in Bluewater, New Mexico just off of old Route 66. When I started I had this idea that when I hit the “post” button for the very first time, the next day I’d be overwhelmed with readers busting down the virtual gates clamoring for more, and that all I’d have to do would be to stick up a few ads and the checks would start rolling in. Fame and fortune in no time! Yeah.
Those who cling to every word I’ve committed to cyberspace might recall that I have whined about this before. And in the cyber-universe, whining is not allowed.
So none of that.
Instead, I wish to announce that I have achieved peace with my stature. I have finally realized that the traffic that my blog produces is entirely appropriate for the type of blog I produce.
Let’s take it point by point:
Great Content
My site’s content is what it is. It isn’t about garnering wealth, political punditry, great parenting advice, giveaways, lists or sweeping social change. My blog is about Michael, and the goofy things he does. Actually, the blog is about how his dad (that would be me) responds to the goofy things he and his sisters do, and how his very level-headed mom gently and patiently helps keep dad from steering off into the weeds.
Is this useful, informative content? Probably not. But in terms of chronicling our adventures as a family and my personal experience as a father and husband, it’s spot on. Since this is in many ways a family scrap book, my intent must be to capture slices of life for posterity. The content meets that goal.
Consistent Writing
I go through stretches of time where I have so much to write about I can’t possibly get it all down in print in just a week or two. And there are completely dry stretches as well, when nothing much happens. And there are times, like pretty much the entire latter half of 2009, when one thing or another so thoroughly knocked me off my literary pins that it became all I could do to drag my butt to the keyboard and bang out anything at all. I tried writing a blog post a day, and I’ve tried letting several weeks lapse between posts. Doesn’t seem to make too much difference. But again, I’m not compelled to write about things that don’t happen – nor am I compelled to write about things that aren’t for public discourse.
Lots of Comments
I love leaving comments on my friend’s sites. But lately I’ve had some trouble doing that while I’m at work, which is (oddly enough) when I actually have a minute or two to read. But the internet security our company provides just plain old won’t let me put up comments on some sites.
Time is limited, too. I’m not sure how you do it, but some of you out there have the time and talent to visit scores of sites and leave intelligent and clever comments on all of them. When I’m at home, I’m lucky if I can get enough time to answer two emails, let alone thoroughly read a blog post and then provide a cogent comment. I’m hopeful that over time that will change, as situations and schedules usually do.
Social Media
Meh. I’ve submitted my site to at least twenty different blog promotion sites and gotten zip out of them. My traffic comes from Twitter, Google and direct visits (this is fun: Google “jackanape gentlemen fisticuffs” and see what I mean), and that’s pretty much it. So I wouldn’t say Reddit or Technorati or Stumble are tremendously effective tools for sites such as mine.
The fact is, I’m happy for the people that visit my site. I know them and put a high value on their comments. While I welcome all comments from any actual valid reader (as opposed to, for example, the “readers” whose comments consist of phrases like “I disagree with your point” or “I heard this on the news” on a post about Michael waking us up too early because of a bad dream he had), I will not be attempting to craft my site into something that will attract more readers just for the sake of it.
My peeps are visiting me with every new post, and I get comments from them.
All that to say, I’m okay with the way things are.
So maybe I don’t have high traffic.
But I do have quality traffic.
I LOVE your blog, Tom! It is well written, humorous, and informative! When you go a week or so without writing I wonder what the heck is wrong! Keep writing, my soul always needs a good chuckle!
(MD) Glad you’re here! And… you can always call if you’re wondering!
Nicely put and BTW, I still clamor for each and every new post.
(MD) Clamor? Really? Wow, wouldn’t have guessed anyone would have clamored for posts here. Pined perhaps. Maybe even longed. I might even imagine anticipate. Clamor is big stuff!
Darn, I was all set to whine about the lack of traffic on my blog and then I read your post and, well, you tell me there’s no whining in bloggland. Seriously, I love reading your blog and your adventures with Michael and your family. There are times you make me laugh, or cry, or just feel better about my own life. Thanks. I look forward to reading each and every new post, even if I don’t comment all the time. It’s that time thing you talked about and the fact I cannot be on the Internet at work.
(MD) Yeah, it’s that time thing. Stinks that there’s never enough of it.
Good old MOM can attest to the fact you don’t have time for emails!! But you get an A Plus for realizing just what the whole point of your blog is. Wish I had written more stuff about life with three boys… The sudden heat here is making me wistful or wishful, one of the two.
Keep up the good work, your brother and I count on you.
(MD) I will keep it going, just bear with me during the dry spells.
You could always try linkbaiting articles
j/k, our blogs are what our blogs are. I prefer reading blogs like yours that are real and have stories I can either relate to or figure out what to expect as my son grows. The ones that get killer traffic number but that are nothing but a digital billboard are boring and usually have no life. My numbers hover right around yours in terms of daily traffic and that is just fine by me too.
(MD) Thanks, that’s heartening to know. I’d rather have some life here than go all commercial. That and I’d either have to keep up with a gazillion comment responses or ignore people, which I refuse to do.
I second WeaselMomma’s “clamor” comment.. There are times when I have considered calling you to ask where the heck the new post is?? I’m glad for any post you write. If you don’t get much traffic, it makes me feel a little more special, because I know of a groovy blog that a bunch of people don’t know about
(MD) Thanks, buddy. I’m glad I can provide the groovy factor. I should probably call; I think it’s my turn, isn’t it?
Yea! I’m quality traffic. I am still coming to terms with my readership – but then I say, who am I writing for anyway? Me, so it’s all right.
(MD) Exactly! You just keep on writing, and we’ll keep on visiting.
Sorry I just got to reading this since we talked about it last week. This whole thing sounds just like me from commenting to traffic to content. I guess I just need to chill out and be happy with what I have. We do have a pretty good group that supports each others efforts. That is more than a lot of people can say in blogging or in life in general.
(MD) What I was getting at is that you do have great content, and you write consistently and write well. It’s just that in so many cases, that doesn’t seem to make a bit of difference when it comes to traffic, and it’s really easy to become disappointed and wonder if it’s worth it. Just remember WHY you’re writing, and you’ll remember that it is worth it. Gaining traffic can be done, but you may end up sacrificing the things that are really important. Just keep plugging away, buddy.
I love your blog. I am in total agreement about the massive amounts of time it takes to comment on other people’s blogs, and time is something I just don’t have much of these days (like so many others!). I wish that there was a way to let a blogger know that I’ve been there when I don’t have time to comment, because I keep up with so many in my reader, but unless they’re savvy with their sitemeter (or other traffic tracker) to know which IP address is mine, they don’t know I’ve stopped in. It’s tough!
The other thing I love that you said is how this blog is really for your family mainly. Mine is too, though the numbers (or lack thereof) get to me now and then. I keep reminding myself (as you do) that my goal (to record family stuff) is met, period.
(MD) I had a site meter for a while but it became just another tool for making me feel like I wasn’t measuring up. I decided to nix it when I made the decision that I wasn’t going to worry about numbers. Even though I still do, just a little.