Don’t let the smile fool you. All has not been well re: blogging around here. (Also, random sidenote: I miss warm weather.)
I’m kind of in a blogging funk over here – so of course I feel the need to blog about it.
I love my blog and the community it has built so much, but I’d be lying if the numbers and stats didn’t matter. And lately I’ve plateaued out. I’m not getting very many follows on Twitter or Facebook, and my daily page views are pretty low. And I’m kind of at a loss over what to do about it. More link-ups? More commenting on blogs (by me)? Actually exploring my camera and/or Photoshop, leading to hopefully better photos? More variety?
Maybe a little bit of all those things.
I wasn’t even going to brooch the subject, partly because I felt like I was admitting that my blog is a failure. Which of course isn’t true, because I shouldn’t measure success on how many blog hits I get. Success is that wonderful amazing sense of satisfaction when I schedule a blog post I truly love or when I have an idea that comes to fruition. I do a happy dance when a reader leaves a comment or repins an image from my blog. But at some point, growth has to factor in for something. And I need to give mine a boost. Or three boosts, to be specific.
- Every WEDNESDAY, I’ll be hosting a link-up party! Show me what you’re wearing, what you’re crafting or just what you’re blogging about!
- I’ll be blogging on the WEEKENDS in a new series called “Ask Catherine”. You can ask me ANYTHING – about fashion, pet ownership, relationships and life, and I will answer them. Sometimes I’ve just really wanted to ask my favorite bloggers questions, but they might not have a good platform for those. This is your chance – EMAIL ME already! I’m really excited to see where this goes. And seriously – ask me anything. (All question-askers will be kept anonymous – at least to my readers.)
- And under the “It’s About Time” tab – I’m offering up my blog for SPONSORS! Fellow bloggers, Etsy owners and other businesses will have the chance come March to buy ad space on my blog for $5 – for the whole month. I’ll have more information coming tomorrow about this – I’m looking forward to working with YOU!
I love my blog – but more than that, I love my readers. If you all have any feedback, criticism or topics, you know what to do.
It’s fine to be in a funk. But it’s not ok to do nothing about it. Here’s hoping I get out of mine.
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I have been seriously contemplating a link up as well. I just wanted to figure out my spin on it. or even pick a day that others aren’t doing a link up or whatever. I will be here for you linky party
I also find that I don’t maybe comment enough. Or I do a comment dash. Comment once on a blog and then never come back. I follow a ton religiously but if they have 100s of comments already I usually don’t bother.
Do a link-up too!! I will totally come to that party.
You’re too fabulous to be in a funk. I hope that these new things will help you get out of it! Next week I was thinking of posting some tips for blog growth on my blog that I’ve learned, so maybe some of those things will help? I don’t think there is any magic trick to it. I try to comment on my favorite blogs every day and I try to comment on the blogs that have left me comments the day before every day and that usually helps to generate loyal readers but also continues the cycle for comments. Have you considered sponsoring other blogs? As long as you pick the right one (i.e. one that will actually do something for you), that’s usually a surefire way to see more growth. Love you BBF!
Thank you for sharing this, BBF. I am super excited to be one of your sponsors and keep working on my blog growth.
Sounds cool! I actually did the same exact thing about a month ago. I have a bi-weekly link up party (a new one starting next week actually) that has been fun for me though I have yet to have anyone link up to it (don’t be discouraged if this happens to you. I know it is hard to start up) and I actually have a series on Fridays called Dear Frannie Fridays. I have only had one person submit an idea for it yet, but sometimes I just take questions that are asked of me in real life or FAQs that have been asked of me in the past. I feel you. The stats are hard to get stuck up on. If you want to read how I felt when I felt this same way, you can read my post here: http://franniepantz.blogspot.com/2013/01/an-explanation-of-whats-to-come.html
LOVED that post. Thanks for linking to it – it’s good to know someone else has felt the same way.
Don’t give up. We all have those funks, and recently, I’ve been going through one of those too. It’s not something to get hung up on. Think back to why you started blogging in the first place. I had to remind myself of why I am actually doing this. And when I started a constant reminder of why I take pictures of myself and post them online, things all seemed to fall in place. You blog for YOU, not for thousands of hits and tons of followers, you blog for your personal journey and your growth. You have talent and a wonderful smile. Don’t let fewer hits/followers/tweets get to you. The good thing too is, you have consistent followers (like me) who keep coming back day after day!
Smile! You’re doing great!
Clare
Understated Classics
Thanks Clare! I’m still surprised that people come back to my blog. Sometimes I’m too critical of myself, so it’s great to hear that I’m doing ok.
love this! so cute
I love your blog!!! I don’t have one myself so I don’t know about blog funk but I do know about reading blogs. I love your real take on life. You are normal…..and I don’t mean in an abnormal way. Alot of blogs focus on way too expensive clothing, going to far away places, stick thin people who are always smiling. I can watch tv for that! You have a real focus on real people and I love that. Keep it up….we do read it !!!
Awww, Diana, you just made my night. I totally understand what you mean and am so glad you think so. Normal is what I’m going for!
I’m so happy to have discovered your blog, it’s wonderful!!! I absolutely love it! I think great things are in your blogging future.
Thank you so much, Shannon!
I love your blog too! I love the insight into your life/world and your fashion tips. I hink you take the new and interesting trends and make them wearable.
I try not to get too down on myself for blog stats, but it can be hard. I can write until my fingers go numb, and then pfft. The numbers or lack of comments make it feel so much like no one cares.
If I compare myself to writers who have hoppin’ blogs I feel like a failure. But if I blog for the pleasure, or with the idea in mind that it is something nice for people to find if they go looking for me (or for books like mine) then I have succeeded. Google Adsense may not call it a success, but I do.
I think making comparison is a dangerous trap to fall in to – and I’m totally guilty of going there. But you’re right – I blog for myself and how happy it makes me. Thank you so much for reading my blog, and THANK YOU for being a sponsor!
I am having similar issues with my blog, so I totally understand. But I LOVE your blog, and you really inspire me! I love the way you put things together, and I really appreciate that you wear things that mere mortals can afford (e.g. no $2,000 shoes and $800 dresses). It probably helps that we basically seem to shop at all the same stores! I hope mixing things up helps you bust out of the funk.
Aww you are so sweet to say that about my blog!! I’m excited to try new things – and don’t worry, no $2000 shoes anytime soon!