One Word In Front of the Other

John Hawkins pecks out “how-to” posts periodically for the new blogger who wants to get those big traffic numbers.

As my hit count approaches 300,000, the only advice I have to give to the new blogger who wants to accrue big numbers is this: give up blogging. If your main goal is to get the big numbers, then you’re fighting a losing battle. With blogging, your main goal should be—as with any endeavor—to love what you’re doing.

I basically fell into to the numbers that I acquired. I discovered blogs in mid 2001, let the reading of them slide a bit for several months in the wake of The Day, and picked up the blog-reading again in late 2002. When I finally got up enough nerve to comment on a couple of them, I found that no one was calling me stupid and I’d even elicit a laugh or two on occasion. On purpose, even.

I found myself wondering how I could get one of these things called ‘blogs.’ From the beginning of that horrible interval of time called puberty, I had used writing to let out the frustrations I was feeling for any given situation. I wrote down my feelings intermittently from ages eleven to thirty, but almost never gave anyone a peak into my moldy old soul. I did it because it calmed me. At least it kept me from going postal; an extremely useful purpose all on its own.

I have taking many classes that required written composition and analysis; I have been required to compose formal missives for military and civilian purposes. In many of those cases, I’ve received accolades on the quality of my writing: utility, flow and originality. Each time I was—and still am—surprised. For me, a compliment on my writing skills is great but, in a sense, it’s like complimenting me on the rate and quality of my breathing; it’s become just something that I do to live. (Perhaps it’s genetic.)

When I started blogging, I had been commenting frequently on a few sites. After a short interval, I worked up the nerve to send a couple of site proprietors, my url and the site was immediately blogrolled and promoted. After that, I gained a few regulars, both assenters and dissenters. From there, it’s been uphill.

Simply put, my advice to new bloggers is to build it. Let them come or not come. Love what you’re doing and take care of it. Wash it, cut it and groom it, like you do with your hair (hopefully). Go back to you old posts and fix your grammar and spelling. (Write the long ones in Word so you can spell- and grammar-check them.) Go back to those old posts and clarify your ideas; or, heck, even delete a post that is a lost cause.

I’ve never sought to get 300k hits. I just write and let the consumer make his/her own decision. And when I look at a missive that I’ve composed and say to myself, “hey, that’s good,” all’s right with the world. For the moment, at least.

Comments

[The Commissar]

No. The ONLY purpose of blogging is to garner as many hits as possible by shamelessly exploiting any fad, theme, gimmick, or pornographic image.

And the only reason to read other people's blogs is to sucker them into reading yours.

Trust me.

[King of Fools]

Wash it, cut it and groom it, like you do with your hair (hopefully).

A most delicious line coming from your fingers.

[JLawson]

Great advice, Juliette! Especially about doing it for the love of it, and not the hits. Heck, I'd have given up long ago if I were dependent on the hits. (I'm averaging 20-30 hits a day, whee! I think I'm still a slimy mollusc in the TTLB ecosystem...)

J.

[Rae]

I think there have to be times when a blogger looks at his or her site meter and thinks, is anyone reading this? It can be challenging no matter what one is doing to do it for the love of the game, not how many points are scored.

Good encouraging words and loved the metaphor.

[Mark]

While I don't need to get big numbers, it would be nice to know that _someone_ is reading what I write. I've been blogging for over 4 years now, and still only have a handful of regulars... but if it weren't for those regulars I would have stopped a long time ago.

It's funny, because I don't even really want huge numbers. It would just be nice to see 2 or 3 comments on a post every once in a while. It's a great feeling when it happens, especially when it happens consistently. But it stinks when it doesn't.

[feste]

Like you I backed to a blog, unlike you I am not a polished writer, just an opinated netizen with a few axes to grind.

In the beginning I obessed over the stats, and like Mark, I was often discouraged that few commented.

Then it struck me that I was creating artificial pressure/expectations not having fun.

I check my raw referral logs weekly when I compress and backup and maintain Site Meter for a presense in the Ecosystem, but I'm not even sure what my visit totals are, and that's just fine with me.

If I want feedback, I'll blather on your bandwidth and trackback where I feel I something to add and visa-versa...it's a win-win.

[Christopher Taylor]

I throw you business every time I can, this is one of my favorite places to check daily. There's not always something here, but each time I visit its like sitting down to a dinner with old friends. Thank you for your efforts, and keep it up!

[Ith]

Whew! I'm glad I was in the assenter column :)

[teal marie]

I was attracted by the bald truth I found here. Hehee.
Kidding aside, it was your fresh, honest, pragmatic style and earthy humor/wry wit. Your writing has flavor and it's delicious! Nummy, even.

[Jim]

Sis, you get the hits because you provide value in your words.

Other writers may be more prolific. But damned few are as profound.

Or as purely entertaining and charming without even trying. In fact, that's really the magic, isn't it.... if you're trying, you're trying too hard.

By the way, greetings up there in the comments,
Feste. It's a pleasure to find you in my referer logs now n' then, amigo. I've found some cool blogs by scanning that log now n' then.

Just keep going, Juliette. Where you take us, we'll follow. It's always a great ride, too.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

[triticale]

Wash it, cut it and groom it, like you do with your hair (hopefully).

I take this to mean that I should trim the ends of my blog when they get split and raggedy, and keep it neatly tied back?

[Paul Jané]

And we'll keep on coming back as long as you continue churning out such excellent writing (well, OK, fine, even if you don't, I'll still come back, heh).

Don't ever stop.

(Sorry that I'm late, but I've been without net access since Thursday, and sorry that the comment isn't more uplifting, but I'm completely plastered.)

[graytooth]

i guess being a blogger is alot like being a local radio personality. I am a new blogger (graytooth.com) and a 10 year former local radio announcer.
You, as a Blogger/radio persona, develope a certain following. Your 'audience' listens to you for a number of reasons....1) they like you and your style/personality
2) they don't like you and your style/personality
3) they're just bored and looking for something to do
4) someone else raves about you and they are checking you out
5) advertising

unlike being a radio announcer, a blogger starts out cold. a blogger creates his/her own 'radio station' and tries to get people to tune in.... as a radioman you are TAKING OVER for someone who used to be in that time slot--on an established station, so you've already got listeners.

i think there's a balance between the desire to blog and the desire to have a blogging audience. just like in radio. you blog because you want to --- but there's a reason you are putting on the world wide web! you want others to see it and comment.

nobody does anything for the pure love of doing it....that's a myth....everyone has an ego and everyone wants attention. but you are right the primary focus of the blogger has be that he/she is doing it because he/she wants to do it no matter what.

it's all about balance and moderation and personality.

I will say this.....fame is an illusion..... let's say you become the greatest blogger of all time with a 4million hits/hour......then what? you still are just posting words on a webpage.... so what.

graytooth

[baldilocks]

I'm not so presumptious as to believe that I know that motivation for every persons' every action, graytooth.

"let's say you become the greatest blogger of all time with a 4million hits/hour......then what? you still are just posting words on a webpage.... so what."

That's right, which is why it's a meaningless goal.