Day 110: Over-Thinking Blogging
I'm so lucky. Lovely people visit. They read, they comment. Lovely comments. But I am not sure how to convince them to stay. What do I need to do to get more followers? And why do I worry about how many I have in the first place? It seems like the North Americans have blogging down to a business art. Sponsors, ad space, giveaways, stuff to give away. I am guessing that they do two things I don't do: they go out to get all those things by approaching companies, and, they actually blog about fashion. I had rumours back to me this week that people think mine is a fashion blog. That is all to do with pictures and nothing to do with content though. Damn my love of counting! If I couldn't see those little numbers next to those little graphs, all about how many people stopped by, and how many stayed. Oh, and if I couldn't compare it to all the other blogs I see. Then I would be able to blissfully write away with no care in the world. As if I had no audience. But, and this just occurred to me while I thought about the fabulous followers I already have, maybe followers are like friends—it's about quality not quantity. Okay, I'm satisfied again.
List_Addict Irene
And while I am ruminating about the nature and effects and protocol of blogging, I may as well ask this question of all you bloggers and blog visitors out there. Do you think it is wrong, with the light problems of winter approaching, to have a blog that shows a different outfit a day, but to sometimes take a few outfit pictures on one day, when time allows, and use when they weren't actually worn. Am I taking this too literally? Am I over-moralising a subject that doesn't require a moral overlay (except in written content perhaps, or the subject of the photos within reason)? Am I just plain over-thinking it? I think it gets down to the thing people don't see in me when they think that I am over-competitive in games (scrabble mainly)—a desire to do things right, and to the best of my ability, to not cheat. I feel like taking a photo one day and using it another is cheating. What do you think?
The Outfit
Jumper: Op-shopped, Sass and Bide
Skirt: Op-shopped
Shoes: Irregular Choice 'Fresh Cut Grass'
Photographer de Jour: B——
Who wore it better?
And while I am ruminating about the nature and effects and protocol of blogging, I may as well ask this question of all you bloggers and blog visitors out there. Do you think it is wrong, with the light problems of winter approaching, to have a blog that shows a different outfit a day, but to sometimes take a few outfit pictures on one day, when time allows, and use when they weren't actually worn. Am I taking this too literally? Am I over-moralising a subject that doesn't require a moral overlay (except in written content perhaps, or the subject of the photos within reason)? Am I just plain over-thinking it? I think it gets down to the thing people don't see in me when they think that I am over-competitive in games (scrabble mainly)—a desire to do things right, and to the best of my ability, to not cheat. I feel like taking a photo one day and using it another is cheating. What do you think?
Who wore it better?
Life is illusion. The real trick is to look like you are doing the right thing even if behind the scene you madly scrambling to get that effortless thing out there.
ReplyDeleteThe trick is never to let on.
Dxx
The duck on water theory eh? Like it! xxx
DeleteIt's the problem of measurement - it's draws out attention. Because Blogger gives you all these stats, you end up focusing on them. Maybe you should start your own blog measurements on factors that have meaning to you - how much do you like the comments, how helpful have they been, how many new friends have you made - then you might worry less about the visit numbers.
ReplyDeleteAlternatively, you can start reading stuff like this:
http://www.quicksprout.com/2013/04/04/11-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-my-first-blog/
and start going to town on having the biggest blog in the world.
Re the photo on the same day thing - as one of your readers I don't mind, but if you want to look back on this blog when you are old and be able to say "on 21 April 2013 I wore a great mini skirt" and know that you really did wear it on 21 April 2013, then maybe you should stick to one photoshoot a day.
You had to go and set me a challenge didn't you! Just kidding. I am happy with top ten. Just kidding. Twenty. You make a good argument re setting your own bars. Like it. Numbers are so arbitrary after all.
DeleteWell prior to a major health issue this year with my husband I was obsessed about getting my stats up too. I've never done a giveaway or paid big bucks for sponsors so it was taking a long time building up my stats. Then the health scare hit and I realized I don't care one bit about stats. In fact I didn't even care one bit about my blog. It seemed stupid and silly. The only thing that brought me back to it was the wonderful caring comments left by my readers. It was then that I realized that it wasn't about the stats...it was about the connections. Now I have a whole different reason for blogging and honestly it has made the voyage much more enjoyable. I don't worry about what other people are doing, I don't comment on other sites I don't care about hoping to get them to visit me. I do what I want, when I want, because I want. It is more authentic and it is much more me.
ReplyDeleteI explained it all better in this post...http://bisous.typepad.com/bisous/2013/04/gratitude.html.
I don't think there is such a thing as "cheating". Do whatever is right for you. It's your blog after all. Just be yourself. Who cares when you take your photo shots. The idea is you are creating cool outfits. I don't care when they were taken.
BTW...I loved what you wrote so much the other day I've reposted part of it on my blog...
bisous
Suzanne
You're a hundred percent right Suzanne. Most things we worry about are rather absurd in the bigger scheme of things. I do have lots of fun blogging (the phot shoots, the silly clothes, the op/thrift shopping, the writing) and so the rest is really inconsequential. And wow! I think the best thing ever was to be featured on your blog!!! Thanks so much. Xxxx
DeleteI just arrived from Suzanne Carillo's blog, and I had to comment because I've worried about these same things. I started blogging at the beginning of the year, and couldn't help but count followers and number of comments. Then I started thinking how silly it was last month (I'm not a fashionista and I don't buy fashion mags or anything) and keeping up was too time-intensive, so I mentally lightened up. But it is fun, and I still read and blog pretty often. For me, it's just for fun, and I think that's what your readers will appreciate because you have a great sense of humor. I would also appreciate being able to read your replies, but the font hardly shows up on the dark background!
ReplyDeleteNow moving on, I love that sweater/jumper, and I also adore semi-colons and em-dashes!!!
You got me moving on changing that in the comments - thanks for your feedback. I really loved the dark grey at first and couldnt work out how to change the text but now I would rather people could read it. Thanks so much for following and for your lovely comments Val.
DeleteI just thought I would give you Irenes take on all this. Yes I have consulted her and she informed me that her Internet is down at the moment. So on her behalf she states that in reality there is and will only ever be the eternal present moment. Past and Future are only concepts of the mind. Irene herself lives in the present moment and is blissfully happy. Based on this she is not worried at all in what sequence the photo's of her appear chronologically. Now is all there is. Irene also keeps abreast of Statistics but only for amusement purposes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to have a chat to Irene. She comes over all zen like that. You guys would get along really well - you share some quintessential and fundamental core life-beliefs. Now I will have to think you visit for Lollii and Irene only :))))
DeleteWhat a great post. I'm with the majority - who cares what day you wore what (and PS. I never seem to get it together enough to take the pic and post it on the same day). After my first ever bloggers conference I've finally found some perspective on the numbers thing too - have you ever met one of your followers face to face. Someone you didn't know before, that found you via your blog and now feels like your friend. I write for them and me now. xxx
ReplyDelete