Blogs, good or indifferent

[geoffnelder]

Someone asked about the hit rate for my blog.  I don't know my blog hit rate, because I don't want to. I used to be astonished when say 20 people hit on my website and blog on a day and even weeks after no posts. My stats would show up to 500 and one day 800 hits, but that was because I was out cycling and saw a car parked into a hedge at right angles to it. A couple of lads were in the road scratching their heads. I asked if I could photograph them with the car, and they agreed, looking like chumps. Just after the photo they spotted their mum coming and I've never seen such panic. I cycled like fury. Well, I blogged that photo and the story and it went as viral as any of mine - as I say 800 ish. Someone in Australia saw and asked for it to be used on a poster Canberra uni was doing to celebrate worldwide funny things in normal life - haha. It sold for charity. They sent me a pdf of it but I lost it. So the moral of this story is... Do you drive and have you a handy hedge?

[Artemis Quark]

Funny what strikes people as interesting. It's a variant of people-watching or a TV show like Bloopers (not sure that was the actual name). I guess people like to see other people screw up or do something stupid. Keeps them from doing it themselves?

Do blogs actually work? I mean does anyone benefit (financially) from the ramblings of a stranger? Maybe the stranger if they go 'viral' with something unusual.

JMO and ramblings. 🤓

AQ

[sallyj]

I think blogs bring like-minded people together. My blog has been going several years now and I know many people 'virtually' after we connected through the comments they left.
Whether blogs sell books is another matter. I like to think people benefit from the information on various writing & reading topics on my blog. I benefit from the discipline of having to post something regularly and the interaction with other writers. No real financial benefit though, especially considering how many hours I must have spent writing posts over the years.

If you're interested: https://sally-jenkins.com/blog/

[geoffnelder]

I like your blog. I don't get many comments though several folk regularly mention my blog comments on facebook.

[sallyj]

Thanks, Geoff. I've just taken a look at your site - it looks very professional. I find that a hard thing to do i.e. make myself look more than an amateur, but you've cracked it.

[geoffnelder]

Thanks Sally. The look of my website and blog was dictated by me, but created by a professional website maker. All in Wordpress. I used to do it all myself in original html code. My first website was way back in the early 1990s/
No matter how professional mine might look, you get more engagement so hats off (cycle helmet in my case) to you.

[teenwriterlock]

it really really depends. from a traffic perspective, i used to run a blog that had around 10k daily readers. i ended up closing it but it was very cool seeing how people behaved on it. you really would see a lot of random chance and magic happen just as you did.

[teenwriterlock]

by the way, wanted to add this. people use blogs for different purposes. if you're making a living on it, your hit rate is directly related to how much money you make......if you aren't making a living on it, hit rates really don't matter! it's for fun!

[HPvD]

A blog can be a good way to immerse yourself in your field
Share your journey of discovery, the story behind your writing,
Creating a connection with readers, write about the type(s)
of writing you are interested in, and writers you
are inspired by etc. etc.  

Especially when you have a clear focus on your blog, you can
inspire other readers, and Chances are that you
will attract readers that are inspired by
similar types of writing.

They might even inspire you by giving you inspiring readers
feedback or you can use their feedback
to test new ideas etc. etc.  

For example in a recent blog post I wrote about
Funny Humor texts to put on products like for example
on T-shirts etc. etc. asking you as a reader
for your opinion.

[HPvD]

I just rediscovered this rather old thread,


It's still interesting today, it is interesting to get an idea
about what - you - as a reader find interesting to read.


Spectacular, Newsworthy, Bloopers.....?
When are - you - inclined to Engage for what writing
Comments & Replies on Blogs is concerned....?

On our Twitter besides showing our Photography & Design Skills, we indeed also frequently have things like Spectacular, Newsworthy, and occasional Bloopers, Funny etc. Since you are pretty responsive on our Twitter, Nowadays, I also look at your Comments, Likes & Re tweets from you Following us on Twitter, to get an idea about what Topics you might possibly find interesting topics
to read about on my Blog(s) 

Also in the Side Bar of my Writing Blog you can see a Most Popular Posts-list,
so you can Easily find the Posts you Like the Most.

It would be great to hear (more) from - You - soon. 


 

[Zaria Flores]

A blog can be a good way to immerse yourself in your field
Share your journey of discovery, the story behind your writing,
Creating a connection with readers, write about the type(s)
of writing you are interested in, and writers you
are inspired by etc. etc. 

Especially when you have a clear focus on your blog, you can
inspire other readers, and Chances are that you
will attract readers that are inspired by
similar types of writing.

They might even inspire you by giving you inspiring readers
feedback or you can use their feedback
to test new ideas etc. etc. 

For example in a recent blog post I wrote about
Funny Humor texts to put on products like for example
on T-shirts etc. etc. asking you as a reader
for your opinion.

It's good.