Maybe I'll just say something brief. Sometimes I feel so darn tired and in my tiredness, I don't post and in my not posting, I watch my hit count drop again.
Perhaps I shouldn't keep returning to this subject, yet it seems to be the easiest subject to write about off the top of my head without an enormous amount of thought and effort.
The thing is that when I'm not posting to my own blog, it is because I'm distracted by conversations on other blogs and if I was to ask myself the honest question about how much exposure I'm getting, is it really my own personal hit count that contains the accurate answer to that question?
If when I do not post to my own blog, it is because I am visiting and posting elsewhere, than the actual answer to the question of how much exposure I am getting has more to do with the number of hits to the blogs that I am currently conversing on. After all, isn't it possible that when ever I am not posting to my own blog, but instead posting to another blog that has more hits, than in this case, I am getting more actual exposure when my hit numbers are low because I'm conversing elsewhere. Since the people who visit other blogs are often different than the ones who visit my blog and since the people on one blog that I visit are different than on another blog that I visit, perhaps when I visit is when I get more exposure, not when I post on my own blog.
This is a very interesting thought and it brings me back to something that I keep saying, which is that the hit counts on ones blog are not an accurate record of any given person's actual exposure on the web, nor is it an accurate record of what kind of an impact that person is having on the world.
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26 comments:
To a point you have to visit other blogs to get yourself read. I'm reaching the point myself where I can't quite keep up with the blogroll.
Although getting a post (or a blog) with a good title will get good search results.
I remember a post I did with the title of "Super Happy McCain Slogan and Bumper Sticker Post" that seemed to get Google hit visits for months. Of course it was me cheap shotting McCain as per usual in the early days of his default candidacy. But the search terms were usually "McCain Slogans" or something along that line.
Anyway, it's just a matter of standing out and entertaining, and being accurate of course.
Oh, and getting radio exposure helps too.
Patrick,
Thanks for dropping by and for your comment. I have no idea at all how people succeed at posting daily. I just don't have either the time or the energy. If I post that often, I do virtually no visiting of other blogs. Somehow, after posting, I just feel tired and want to get away from the computer.
On the days that I spend my time visiting instead, I don't have the energy to post to my blog. That's just how it is with me and I reached the point at which I could not keep up with my own blog roll some time ago and my blog roll isn't very big. At the moment, there are only 8 blogs on it.
My problem is that I want to read all of the posts on all of the blogs, but that's just not practical. I know that the secret is to only read a few posts from each blog, yet I find the experience of doing so frustrating because I feel like I'm not really getting to know anyone all that well and so the result is more hits, yet limited depth in the contacts. I don't find the experience satisfying, so I'm always pulling back and slowing down again.
I can think of 5 new blogs that I could add to my blog roll including your blog, yet I'm reluctant to expand, because I'm already overwhelmed by the blog roll that I already have. It's truly pathetic how little I can handle.
I've had good results with Google Search Hits to Posts that originated from an Email that someone sent me. Often these Emails have been circulated so well, that people who remember reading them, or have talked to someone about them, do Google Searches looking for these Emails.
My Post on the Premature Baby Fawn was just such an Email and the number of Google Search Hits that I've gotten on this Post has been more than any other Post, which really makes me feel good because the comment section mentions both Abortion and the comparison of animels to humans.
Fat chance I'll ever get any radio exposure. Oh well.
Perhaps I should add that I also add additional words to titles in order to get Google Search Hits, such as using the entire phrase "Northern California Fire" in my titles, whether than just the word fire. These posts got quite a few Search Hits as well.
Well, don't worry about having to read me daily. I've scaled back to producing 3 posts a week, and devoting time to my story and poetry blogs now that the election is over. Plus, if necessary, go short. Or just type stream of consciousness. that's what I did with my post about talking to God. Except I had to research and extract quotes.
My secret is that I quick read or skim the posts, if a comment jumps to mind I drop it. If not, I move on. Rapidly.
I can imagine I'll be busy when the Obama administration gets going though.
I've been having trouble finding my place in the Blogosphere because I'm actually pretty much of a misfit. I'm quite slow in both my reading and my typing and the whole world rushes around me way faster than I could ever begin to keep up with.
When I push myself to read more blogs, read faster or only scan what I read, I do not enjoy the experience and I remember far too little of what I read. I just can't think that fast.
Some of my earlier posts are really good and I hate to bury them beneath a lot of shorter, "stream of consciousness" posts that contain less depth. I have to post lighter stuff once in awhile, such as when I just write about blogging in general, but I try not to have too many such posts in a row just for the sake of increasing my hits, in order for them to read meaningless babel. I want every post to contain at least something that has some level of value.
I think what's really wrong with me lately, though, is that I'm just tired. Since we got our new puppy, it seems that I'm always tired. For some reason, he was all wired last night and kept us up until around 2:30 or 3:00 AM. He usually does sleep through the night, yet if he doesn't get enough exercise and/or eats too late, we have trouble getting him calmed down at the hour that he needs to be going to bed.
Fortunately, he will be getting his last set of shots today, so we will be able to take him for longer walks soon in public places. Up to this point, we've been avoiding that until he could build up his immunity.
Anyway, the fact that I'm slow and can't seem to keep up, even in the job world, is probably why I'm so sympathetic to those who don't make it so well in a Capitalist Society. I don't believe in Socialism, but I'm also not opposed to a little Government involvement in order to look out for those who struggle a little more than those who thrive.
Trust me. The amount of effort exerted is not the full explanation of failure. I know this first hand and will not allow anyone to judge me by calling me lazy. That's simply not so.
ok, well than just read me then and you'll know everything that's really important. :)
Cute Patrick,
Actually, though, my habit has been to sort of pick on certain blogs and practically ignore the others. This feels easier for me, yet it doesn't do much for my hit count.
I also have a tendency to focus on the newer blogs that I've just discovered more than the ones that I had originally placed on my blog roll at the beginning, so be assured that you have been and will be visited, at least until I find someone else to pick on and move on. By then, though, you will be on my blog roll for others to explore.
Before I forget, in relation to my above comment, I was thinking about another post that I did entitled "The Sacrifice/Cost of Efficiency", October's Archive. You might find it interesting.
Hmmm, at http://www.typealyzer.com/index.php?lang=en
your blog is described as:
The logical and analytical type. They are especialy attuned to difficult creative and intellectual challenges and always look for something more complex to dig into. They are great at finding subtle connections between things and imagine far-reaching implications.
They enjoy working with complex things using a lot of concepts and imaginative models of reality. Since they are not very good at seeing and understanding the needs of other people, they might come across as arrogant, impatient and insensitive to people that need some time to understand what they are talking about.
...dunno, what do you think?
The Logical and Analytical Type, huh? Well, that doesn't surprise me and the description fits me quite well, at least what you sited in the first paragraph. The second paragraph does not, though, because I am pretty good with people.
As of today November the 25th I have had 12,672 visitors since October 23, 2006 but I still don't know what that means. Are they all different visitors or are they the same people who keep coming back? Nobody really explains this. I somehow feel too that I am getting more exposure on the web than judging by my sitemeter.
Z-man,
I know, isn't it frustrating? I keep realizing that the hit count numbers don't mean what we think they mean. I get Google Hits on certain pages, yet when I analyze the information in the Hit counter more closely, I realize that most of these hits don't even registrar as any more and 0:00 minutes long. They are basically just glancing at the page, realizing that it is not what they are looking for and then moving on.
And then there are people who hit my blog several times a day and they are counted as several hits, even though often the number 5 or 6 only represents one person.
And the fact that the Details (Domain, Visit Time, Page Views and Visit Length), Referrals, Location and Out Clicks are listed on separate pages is not at all helpful. It makes it harder to analyze the data. I wish that I could view it all at once.
The more hits one gets, the harder it is to analyze the data and there is no way to know how many of the hits have any meaningful significance.
Weren't you the one who once said that hit counters are discouraging. I couldn't agree more. Oh well. What can one do?
Well as I said for the longest time I get about 20 or so new hits each day, once in a while it's less, and the only time it really took off was when people were posting junk at a Hannity blog I started and I had to delete that. Actually though I have seen things I've posted on the web come up while doing searches, it gives you a lift and some are even from forums from long ago. Judging from some recent blogs of his everyone seems to visit Daniel's blog, ok I'm jealous.
Then there's the subject matter. I find when I usually post on a non-political topic people just aren't interested. You'd think work and bad bosses would really take off but it doesn't, people are either satisfied in their jobs or compartmentalize it out of the way but I tend to blog about everything. I too get tired when on the computer too long especially when I have the day off and it's early afternoon and nobody's around I get bored and log off. (Beth, quit your job already, just kidding)
Well, you get twice the number that I do. I wouldn't mind people viewing my hit counter. When it reads 10, 11 or 12 average hits a day, I'm Ok with that, but when the average number drops down to less than 10, I feel embarrassed and that's why I decided to make my hit counter private.
High Hit Blogs are an enormous amount of work and I just don't have the stamina, reading speed, nor time to keep up with something like that. For me, there's just no way!
I cope with the problem by visiting on blogs that get more hits than I do and knowing that my comments are being read.
It's sort of like the Grand Parents thing. You get to see the kids, but you don't have to take them home with you. When I visit and comment on a blog with more hits than myself, I can be read and heard by more people, but I don't have to write all the posts or even read them all and if I get tired of keeping up with the traffic on someone else's blog, I can go away for awhile because it's not my blog.
I 'hit' on your blog more than once a day..it's stored in 'favorites'. Gayle (the Dragon Lady) recommended that when I first started visiting in the blogosphere. Admittedly, mine is a specific case, but I retain 'favorites's based on interest and acceptance...nothing worse than commenting and getting ignored, right? :) And so, once in awhile, I delete and add to my
'repetoire'. IMO, your blog specializes in issues which seem to preclude common ground conclusion or denouement..eg ID vs evolution, pro-life vs pro-choice, etc. Which is common in many, if not most blogs. A bit of a rarity, though, you seem to at least consider counter-argument and avoid the all-too-common resort to fallacious logic. That
is a bit unique, commendable IMO,
and one reason why folks might stop by. There are a number of fine well written interesting blogs which seem to have low 'hit counts' and short comment streams.
So, who knows? :)
BB,
I know you do. I've got your number big time because you are my only Idaho visitor.
I could probably comment on the link you left, but find myself just a little short on time because tomorrow is Thanksgiving.
I really try hard to keep my logic valid and logical. I guess that's because I get so tired of people accusing Christians of lacking Logic and having nothing other than Faith to present in their defense. Unfortunately, many Christians are not aware to what extent there is Logic behind the Christian point of view.
I don't know, perhaps breaking the Myth that Christianity is only based on Faith and nothing else is a big part of my mission on the Web.
Anyway, thanks so much for your complement. I actually discourage rather easily and I need complements like that to keep me going and help me to not quit.
Since you do visit me so often, I feel at times tempted to apologize for not giving you more than I do to read. What can I say, though. I think Blogging can at times be sort of hard, especially when I tend to "specialize in issues which seem to preclude common ground, conclusion or denouement".
Actually, to borrow from the humor style of Patrick, all you have to do is agree with all my conclusions and a conclusion and denouement can be reached with no problem. :)
On a more serious note, usually what is required in order to reach a conclusion on these things is compromise, which is something that so few people are actually willing to do, especially when they feel it is "a matter a principle".
IMO opinion, the best of the blogs, at least in relation to deeper thinking and less venting, are the ones that do not get the hits. Most of the crowd is more into venting than actual constructive dialogue. A lot of high hit blogs are quite informative, yet when the comment section gets too crowded, meaningful dialogue, though sometimes possible, is harder to do. I'm after the more rare, Constructive Dialogue crowd, so if my hit counts are low, so be it.
PS - I probably have a rather high percentage of readers who also leave comments, that could be a complement. I think I'll take it that way anyhow.
"only Idaho visitor"..well, I get that when I visit relatives back in the midwest, too. :) But I did check on bloggers from my relatively unpopulated, uncomputerized area. Some interesting stats as well as maps.
I'll have to look at that link later. I need to get off the computer soon. Take care.
Oophs, I missed a comment from Z again (November 25, 11:49 AM). I'm sorry.
I've found the same thing in relation to non-political topics, yet I keep feeling led to post that way anyway. I wonder at times whether or not some people like the politics because they thrive on conflict, but I'm like you, Z. The subject really tires me after awhile.
Lista and I are also on the same page when it comes to why we blog. I like to think we can influence things so for me blogging is somewhat important and can be very important at times depending on the issue, you get to raise your voice on anything at all and if it makes two people out there think good! Probably alot of people view it as a hobby but I actually get more out of it than a typical day at work honestly. I think people do thrive on conflict and what fires people up more than politics? Only thing with that is I think it's better to be well-rounded and have a knowledge of more non-political subject areas. What matter if you're a political whiz but you're out in the woods one day and get bit by a copperhead and don't know what to do?
Hi Z,
I'm glad in a way that you commented on this Post, because I've been feeling the need to revisit this page and read some of the comments again. I need to post again, but like is so often true, it is a little bit of a struggle again to do so, for in order to do a good post, there are certain things that need to be true; Energy, Motivation, Inspiration and a Peaceful and Clear Frame of Mind. Perhaps that's a good beginning for my next post.
When I begin to get behind in my blogging, it feels as if I need to make entire posts out of my responses to people, instead of just responding in the comment section.
Thriving on conflict is not really such a good thing. It may help some of us blow off a little steam and feel better inside, but it does not help us to actually resolve our differences in any real way. What I really wish I could get people to do is calm down and really talk to each other, whether than just blowing off steam while not really convincing anyone of anything or getting much done politically.
I wonder if I can get another Post done tonight. I'm really going to try.
The point has been made here that the blogs with the higher hits may not be the better ones. I'm repeating myself here but that time I was getting a hundred or more hits a day the quality of my readership went way down. I'm speaking of course of that Hannity blog I started. Towards the end posters were not only being crude and vulgar but irrelevantly crude and vulgar not even addressing the main point of the thread anymore. Now I'm back down to my more humble numbers and even give thought at times to taking my sitemeter away for good, it's too depressing. You throw your heart and soul into a blog and think you're making scintillating points and you go back tomorrow in the morning and maybe ten more people checked it out if that and most of them might be the same ones.
Never understood those that thrive on conflict. One would suppose it is the minimum in communication ..although typically, it is simply shouting right past each other. One reason I don't have a blog. :) From my limited adventures in the blogosphere, we have mostly 'preaching to the choir', which I guess could be satisfying.
Convincing or converting folk of opposite ilk is nearly impossible,
the best to hope for is to make them think, at least a little. :)
BB-Idaho,
Thanks for continually hanging out on my blog. I apologize for being so busy with our new puppy and with Christmas to do much with my blog. I don't expect it to get any better either until at least the second week in January.
Remember I also have to be in just the right non-stressed out mood in order to effectively "Preach to the Choir". :)
Thanks, though, for dropping by.
Hi Z,
I don't know what it is about your comments, but they never do seem to come into my email box. If I wasn't in the habit of checking the moderate comments page of my blog, I would miss your comments, as I have done at times. Please forgive me.
I've written quite a bit on the subjects of blogging. I hope you have read some of my other posts on the subject.
I guess I really should try and visit your blog more since the number of hits seems to matter to you.
Our puppy is absolutely driving me nuts. Among other things, we can't even get him potty trained.
I don't know what it is with him. He only pees on the kitchen floor when we are home. He held it for 4 hours while we were gone and than after we were home for awhile, he couldn't hold it for as little as 10 minutes. Apparently, we are not allowed to ignore him if we are home, which translates into the requirement of spending every second that we are home with him. This is not a reasonable expectation, eventually he is going to have to realize this and quit peeing on the floor.
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