Tuesday 4 October 2016

Don't get lost in Blogland

Hello. Virginia asked a question a few posts back, so I'll answer it now. She is thinking of starting a blog and asks how do people find me. Well Virginia, it is a bit of a mystery isn't it, when I started no one knew me, and now I get 6,000 page views a day. Where do they all come from? I never expected this when I started my online diary.

I'll start by asking you a question, how did you find me? There's a clue in your answer. I started looking at other people's blogs, and if I felt I could add anything to the topic I left a comment. That then left my footprint (link) which other people could click on to have a nosy about me on my blog. They in turn left me a comment and put me on their sidebar reading list. It's like a snowball getting bigger and bigger and gathering momentum as you roll it down a hill. The more you read other peoples blogs and leave comments the more you get back.

Blog hopping from one to the next is normal, everyone does it. I do it, I see a post title on someone's side bar which catches my eye I think, I'll go and have a look at that. I might make a comment, or I might not. If you click on any of the followers little pictures it will take you to their profile so you can see if they have a blog or not. When you follow a blog your picture will appear on their sidebar.

It used to be that some bloggers asked for an exchange in links, you read mine and I'll read yours. They don't do that so much now. Those that asked were usually those who were starting a blog as a business and wanted to increase their page views, thus enabling them to get sponsorship.

Some bloggers do make a lot of money, but they spend a lot of time promoting their blog on other social networking sites. They need people to follow them and ask them to sign up, it makes the numbers look good. Someone could sign up to follow and never read the blog again, or on the other hand a blog can be open for anyone to read without them having to join anything.

Of course, you could ask all your friends and family to read your blog if you start one. I did at first, and they did read, but now most of them don't bother. My sister and my best friend very rarely read unless I tell them of a post they might be interested in.

If you do start one, Virginia, do it for you. Don't write for an audience because that is a different style of writing. I would much rather read a chatty, humorous blog than one from someone who has spent time writing a word perfect, grammatically correct, with perfect punctuation, article. I think it''s easy to tell the difference. I can read a magazine or newspaper if I want to read an article.

Are you going to give it a go, let me know and I'll have a read.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

19 comments:

  1. "If you do start one, Virginia, do it for you. " YES, YES, YES!! Thank you for adding that. It is exactly why I blog. Also, thanks for your fantastic blog, Ilona. Fondly, Jackie and Annie from across the pond.

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  2. Try it, Virginia but I will echo Ilona's comment - just write what you want to write. I write about my day, my home and my hobbies plus anything else that inspires me. If I can't think of anything to write, I don't. No point in thinking you ought to post something. Best of luck.
    xx

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  3. I am with you Ilona, it shouldn't be done just for an audience or what you think people might want to hear, I had a dilemma a short while ago I nearly ditched mine to start another as I was getting some bitchy emails, but then I thought, my blog, my diary, if they don't like it don't read it, we are on a money saving and we will always be thrifty and frugal, if you want proper grammar , and want a blog to look like a glossy magazine, mine is not the one.xx

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  4. Good tips.

    A blog should be written as you speak, yes, I try to b grammatically correct, have good punctuation and spelling on mine but that's just because I am like that in real life. Never try to be something you're not for the sake of a good post, say it like it is and people will either love you for it or hate you for it, but at least it's you and that's the main thing.

    People blog for all different reasons I post because to me my blog is our diary of what we have been up to and when, so we can remember in years to come (if it doesn't all vanish like my sidebar did that is!!) others do it to make money.

    Blogland is still a wonderfully friendly place to be a part of.

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  5. The best piece of advice is "If you do start one, Virginia, do it for you."

    I, for the most part, keep track of my finished crafting projects in my blog. With a few recipes here and there or if I need to get something off my chest. As for writing style, I'm talking to friends. I do run my ramblings through a grammar checker cause...well, it usually needs it. LOL I don't, however, always take the computer's advice!

    I write when I feel like it, so I don't have the number of followers that Ilona does and that's okay. Writing everyday would become work for me. I gave that four letter word up several years ago!

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  6. Here, here! Start a blog for yourself!

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  7. Hi Ilona, I agree with you entirely. I only discovered blogging when I watched the film Julie and Julie (I know, I'm a late developer) but when I saw all the blogs out there I was in little piggy heaven. My own blog is only 18 months old because I finally decided I wanted to write my family stories down for my kids. Then "Cheerful Living" (sorry can't remember her name) explained how she had her blog made into a book for her family and I thought "bingo", let's give it a shot. I don't get many views and I really don't mind because it is for my family but Sonya Ann at A Mom Money and More mentioned one of my posts and I got a lot more traffic. It really does snowball (the hardest thing for me is to get my pictures in the right way up though!!!) But for your friend I would say go for it - it will be a treasure chest of memories for you and your family. Good luck. Anna

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  8. Yes, I found you through bloghopping and you have similar interests to me...crafts, dogs, walking, gardening and frugal food! More importantly, you don't take yourself too seriously and have a nice chatty style, plus you sound like a very kind person...I think you would be a very good friend, someone nice to know and honest, too!

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  9. Interesting post...

    Truth be told, I cannot remember how I came across your blog...was it a link off someone else's site? maybe, but don't know.

    I may also have been searching for something, and seen the Blog Title/Summary on the google search page...

    I do think that folks like you (and others) put a huge amount of work into regular posts. I have appreciated yours (and a few others). Sometimes I learn something, sometimes I just enjoy.

    If someone is starting a blog, I would just suggest to somewhat limit how much advertising you put on it, as all those adds seem to take a long time to load (maybe it is just my computer?), and there are a couple of blogs I don't go to anymore, as my computer keeps freezing on them.

    Also, if just starting a blog, if you can do the comment section bits like on this blog is good. There are a couple of blogs which have changed their provider (I think), and now to comment on those blogs, you have to sign in to something like facebook or twitter. I don't belong to any of those, nor do I wish to, so...no more commenting on them for me.

    I don't always comment, but it is very nice to have the option, and it (being able to comment) sort of makes me feel a part of that blogger's "blog community"...

    Just a few thoughts above if they are of interest to any starting blogs..

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  10. http://picturepedigree.blogspot.com/ Here is my current blog. I gave up on my other one about my everyday life as no one seemed to read it at all.

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  11. Just for the record, I found your blog on the Aussie website blackstump.com.au in the - you should excuse the term - "bizzaro" section. It's not what it sounds like, and I'm glad they listed yours. R/Tim

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  12. how i found your blog was i first saw you im sure,ages ago,on Superscrimpers.later on i saw you on GMB.i found everything you said very interesting so i tracked you down online and found your blog.first time id ever read one and still the only one ive ever read!not to sound stalker-ish but i am also from Rugby so our paths could have crossed when you were to and fro to Rugby Cement.how weird is that lol!anyway you are a true inspiration and never afraid to be different so keep up the good work x

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  13. I like that your blog doesn't have adverts. It is just you and "what you see the s hat you get". When you say that you like something, it is because you really do, and not bcause someone is paying you to do so. I like that it is authentic. X

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  14. I started to blog six years ago and for a long while my only readers were my parents and my mum in law. I've got a readership now of several hundred a day but would still keep going even if everyone else disappeared. It's been really good for letting the family know how I'm doing. xx

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  15. Yes it is odd how people find you. Some people search on google for particular subjects too - I get quite a lot from people searching 'frugal' or 'frugal living'.
    Jane

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  16. Thanks Ilona for the ideas. I've kept a paper journal for a long time, daily happenings, thoughts, feelings and what is going on around me -with kitties and people;a blog would be a new way to do this. I like the idea that it's an online record of a 60 somethings life. Virginia, also known as Jenny to many people :)

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  17. I have a chicken blog which I have been keeping for about five years now and I found you on the "Down the lane" forum which has a lot of chicken threads but also covers other things. including, frugality. I first found your posts on Joanna and her 40's house and then started looking more in depth and ended up bookmarking you and following every day.

    I keep my blog just for me, it's a great record to look back on things, but found that it's also great for family and friends to keep in touch with what I am up too. Over the years I have picked up quite a few friends (other chicken keepers) who stay in touch by e-mail and some who I have met up with.

    I agree that it is best to just chat as you would in an e-mail or a conversation so that it is natural.I also find that it satisfies my urge to writ something and it's good to have the photos as a record to look back on.

    I would say to anyone who wants to start a blog, to give it a go. There is a lot of satisfaction to be got from it. My blog is much a part of my life as my chickens are. I don't have a huge following but I do have my loyal regulars and the comments give a really great feeling of connecting with like minded people.

    Sorry if that turned into a bit of a ramble. I find the comments on Ilona's blog to be a great meeting place for like minded people.

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  18. Excellent advice! I am a new blogger and this post was very helpful for me as well. I am not interested in making money - I simply want to connect and share. I don't really have a "niche" - rather I tend to post kind of randomly. I love to blog hop and have found so many wonderful blogs by reading others! Seeing new comments on my blog and new followers is like opening a present!

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  19. Found you through another British blogger who shall remain nameless. I stopped reading her blog as I git tired of her better than everyone else attitude. Anyways...at least I found you ;).

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