This blog is a few months old now and I have made these curious observations. What would you add to the list?
- At times it feels like I am talking (writing) into space, and I’m left to wonder if anyone is listening (reading). How fun it is when the comments come rolling in.
- Blog statistics are a cruel mistress. One day they are abysmal and the next, for no apparent reason, they soar. (Perhaps it is the writing you say?)
- Again, for reasons I can’t explain, I have had dozens of visits from Viet Nam, Malta, Mongolia, and many other far off places.
- I’ve made what I consider friends, even though we have never met.
- It helped me reconnect with people who found me because of my blog.
- More strangers follow and comment on my blog than do friends and family.
- There are a lot of smart people out there with cool things to share, which makes it next to impossible to keep up with reading blog posts.
- Bloggers are a friendly and supportive lot. At least they are in the blog circles I run in . . . maybe that wouldn’t be the case if I were reading/writing blogs on controversial subjects.
- Bloggers make up a GIGANTIC small community.
I’ve learned helpful things from my fellow bloggers, viewed cool images/videos, and laughed out loud more times than I can count.
Thanks for making me laugh, scratch my head, and teaching so much.
Robin Coyle 
Pingback: Blog Stats I Can’t Explain « Robin Coyle
The writing and reading blogging community is very strong. I agree that it is a fabulous place to support and generate ideas. I’ve been blogging for seven months and have had three comments from my family. THREE! I keep hinting, but they don’t get it. Everyone else more than makes up for it though.
And, I’ve stopped trying to work out the stats. They make NO sense. It is nice when someone views something I wrote months ago. Makes it all worthwhile.
Keep up the good work, Robin 🙂
I’ve had about the same number of comments from friends and family. Sigh. You are right though. The wonderful support and insightful comments from everyone else, including YOU, makes up for it.
I have a crazy stat trend going on right now and I am going to blog about it to see if anyone else has experienced the same thing.
Ha, you’re welcome. Families!
I know the feeling of “talking (writing) into space”. Web stats can be cruel but they can also show you get readers not for the latest post, but for older writing. Sometimes they then decide to catch up on what they have been missing.
I love it when someone looks at an older post – especially if it is a post that didn’t generate much traffic when I posted it. There seem to be a pattern to the visits, but I can’t break the “code” to figure out the pattern.
This came up on Let’s Cut the Crap’s blog recently and I commented also about how surprised I was with how lovely and supportive everyone seems to be in the blogging world; partly I think it’s because those are the type of people who comment on other people’s blogs and respond to comments on their own blog, and we choose to follow blogs from people who seem to be nice friendly people. It’s all very different to other online situations though, such as general forums where things seem to escalate into unpleasantness over nothing. I think like you say, it’s partly down to not writing anything too controversial, but then even on apparently non-controversial forums and discussion boards (such as cooking/recipes) people still seem to fall out and argue! There’s a research project there for someone.
I think we all inevitably end up in the position of subscribing to more blogs than we can read. Probably like others, there are some blogs that I always make sure I read, and others I just make sure I dip into now and again.
The other thing I find interesting, which I’ve seen a few people commenting about on their own blogs, is within the stats, the search terms that people have Googled which have brought them to our site. I always find those fascinating.
Oh look, I’ve practically written a whole blog post in this comment now – sorry!
Tee hee! Thanks for doing a “guest blog post” in the comments! I love it. You are right. Blogging would make an excellent research paper . . . blogger habits, timing your post, statistics, what generates “likes” and comments, etc.
I though about saying more about stats in this post. They fascinate me, especially seeing where people are from. Our great big world is a little smaller because of the internet. I’m happy about it because it allowed me to find you!
Aww, thank you! Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could have some WordPress get-together somewhere and all meet each other and hang out. I’m thinking Bora Bora.
Yes! Over cocktails and appetizers! There are so many bloggers I would love to meet . . . including you!
I would add. I just added my best post ever, why isn’t anyone reading it!?! 🙂
Ha ha! So true. I’ve been tempted to repost a blog and say, “why didn’t you people read this one? It is way better than yesterday’s post!”
Yes to all of them. I am only a few months in, but I do love it, and I try to get around to all the blogs I follow – impossible- but there are some favourites of whom I will not miss because I feel a good connection and something from that that is inexplicable. Yours is one.
Well you just made my day! Thanks Kate!
We need to talk
gettingreal@hotmail.ca
This subject has been coming up for the past couple of months. Let’s have a parle.
I just sent you an email.
Nice job, Robin. Everything on your list really resonates. The only thing I would add is how much time blogging takes — at least for this little snail of a writer. It can easily become overwhelming if not kept in balance, like all good things, right?
Whoa. How did I leave that off?!? It takes way more time than I thought it would when my daughter said “you should write a blog Mom!” Finding the scrap of paper with the idea for a post, writing, proofing so you don’t post an idiot typo, reading and commenting on blogs, etc. Not to mention, feeling guilty when so backlogged with blog email notices you have to hit delete or drown.
It’s less pleasant to contemplate all of that in light of all of the other lovely things you came up with on your list But necessary, I think, for survival.
I completely agree with you – time has been a surprise to me too. And as you stay on here for longer, the more interesting epople I seem to find, but I just can’t seem to get around to reading everything, much as I would like to! Particularly the case for fellow bloggers in very different time zones. I might miss them altogether for a while if they regularly post in (what is my) middle of the night.
There is a vortex of blog emails in my in-box at the moment. So many blogs, so little time!
This is a great post, Robin and a great list that I can totally relate to! It’s brilliant to find such witty, friendly and just generally great people through the world of blogging! 🙂
I haven’t had one single snarky comment on my post and have not been compelled to say anything contrary on anyone else’s. As I said, the writing community are great cheerleaders!
Well, just be pleased my brother’s not following you…! 😉
I hear you! I’ve had very similar thoughts in the almost 6 months I’ve been doing this!
Oh good! I’m not alone!