Tag-Archive for » feed reader «

Jun

You’re Only As Good As Your Current Post

Have you ever noticed the majority of visitors to your blog only comment on your most recent post? Even your loyal readers aren’t digging to find more of your writings.

If they are, they often don’t comment.

Why is that?

Today’s Lesson

As bloggers we’re continually publishing new posts.

As our new posts are pinged, our RSS feed readers/visitors come on over, may leave us a comment, and leave.

Many may not take time to read more than the current post, leaving our older posts buried in our archives collecting dust.

Much of what may actually be our best writings gets forgotten.

When I look at my blog, I’ve written over 300 posts.

The ones that are most popular (based on comments) are listed in my sidebar under “What Others Are Reading”. I also include my recently written posts, related posts and most recently, random posts (lower left sidebar).

I try to make it easy for my readers to find previous posts, however, it’s rare I get a comment on an older post. When I do, it’s often the result of a search engine “find” or an inbound link (to an older post).

With that being said, I’ve come to the realization if our current post doesn’t hold value, we could lose visitors.

What if your most recent post isn’t your best, or even most popular post?

Might a reader show up, and never come back?

I believe sometimes they do.

Today’s Assignment

If you look at your current blog post from the eyes of a visitor, what do they see? Keep in mind, RSS readers are not necessarily coming in on your home page. Often they are only seeing the “post” page.

How easy would it be for them to find older posts of yours if they chose to “dig around” your blog?

Are you seeing this trend too? Visitors comment on your current posts, but your older posts go untouched?

How do you entice your visitors to “dig”?

Photo Credit: Just Taken Pics’ photostream

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Writing Tips Tags: Blogging, digg, feed reader, feed readers, rss reader 41 Comments

Jun

Those Are Fighting Words

Barbara Swafford

Blogging reminds me of each of us, stepping up on our virtual soapbox and telling others what we think/feel.

Some bloggers tell stories of their day, and tie a lesson in life to it.

Others do tons of research and share their findings

A lot of bloggers share from their experiences, and teach their readers.

And then there are others who write to push people’s “buttons” trying to get a reaction.

Often bloggers are a combination of all of the above.

Today’s Lesson

Shortly after I started blogging, I read that controversial posts can bring tons of traffic to your site.

I thought of ways to write a controversial post, and for my Observation Mountain blog, the closest I came was “Should Smokers Pay A Higher Insurance Premium”. It got two differing comments (both from people who didn’t have blogs (or didn’t leave an address) That blog doesn’t get a lot of comments, so it didn’t surprise me.

When I wrote about profanity on this blog, (which wasn’t meant to be controversial). It got the most attention. Not so much in the comment section but other bloggers used it as inspiration for a post of their own. They said if they want to use curse letter words in their blogs, it’s their propagative, it’s “freedom of speech”. I don’t have a problem with what others do. I just don’t use, or allow profanity on my blogs, and don’t read blogs that are laced with it.

Creating controversy isn’t my nature. I want to help people with my words, and make them think. Sometimes I may make one pass around the “pot”, but most of the time it’s only a blip on the radar screen.

Hunter recently wrote a post, 10 Reasons Japan Is Better Than America which when I read it, didn’t think it was THAT controversial, but his comment section exploded with snide remarks.

Months ago Ian Denny wrote a post titled “The Best Bloggers Are Left Handed” . That too, created hostility.

Catherine Lawson is known to be controversial. When she wrote a post titled: “Is StumbleUpon Going Down The Tubes”, one comment said “go die”, and other commenters agreed.

Controversy will almost always get a Digg or Stumble. Traffic will often soar, as well as RSS feed reader counts.

What you have to ask yourself is, are you ready to defend your viewpoint and handle the negative comments?

Today’s Assignment

Have you ever written a controversial post? Did you see your traffic soar?

Would you consider writing a controversial post? Could you handle the negative comments?

Or, do you prefer to blog quietly in your own words, and stay away from conflict?

Photo Credit: ganessas’ photostream

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Increase Traffic, Writing Tips Tags: Blogging, Blogs, digg, feed reader, inspiration 44 Comments

May

Social Meth – One Taste – You’re Hooked

Barbara Swafford

Remember when you first started blogging? An increase of one in your visitor counts or feed readers was exciting.

Then you discovered Digg, StumbleUpon, and Twitter. By a submission of your site to popular social networks, you saw your blog growing by the hundreds.

Today’s Lesson

I remember those days.

Each new unique visitor made my day. It confirmed I was being found. Slowly (and I mean s-l-o-w-l-y) my blog grew.

Within a few months someone Stumbled a post of mine. I thought I was seeing things. My statistics showed hundreds of unique visitors in one day. I had a hard time wrapping my brain around how that could happen. But within a few days, my visitors counts went back down. And again I was counting my unique visitors one by one.

Stumbles and Diggs started happening more frequently. It was like my blog was high on drugs. My stats looked great. My blog was on it’s way.

Or so I thought.

Just when I got used to the “good” numbers, my statistics would fall (but not as far down as before the “spike”).

I no longer was satisfied with a handful of unique visitors. I wanted more.

I wanted my stats to be higher. I had tasted that “social (networking) meth”, and I wanted more Stumbles and/or Diggs.

I thought of ways to get more, but didn’t feel it was ethical, so I went “cold turkey” and realized I must go back to counting uniques one by one.

Occasionally a post will get Stumbled or Dugg, but I’ve learned it’s only a temporary high.

I am now an ex-social networking junkie. I reverted back to why I started blogging.

In this uncertain world, my hope is to leave a small piece of what I’ve learned, on this “medium” called the “world wide web”, and hopefully benefit others for years to come.

Getting hooked on “social meth” is actually a problem for many bloggers. After reading my post on success in blogging, Mojo did a great cartoon titled: RSS: Crystal Meth For Bloggers..

It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of high traffic numbers, but if you take all of those Stumbles and Diggs away, you’re left with your loyal readers.

Aren’t they really who we write for?

Today’s Assignment

Are you addicted to social “meth”? Playing the numbers game?

Are you trying to sustain those high numbers?

Or have you realized your loyal readers are the ones who are truly important?

Photo Credit: babasteve’s photostream