Blogging-That time of the month
It’s that time of the month in the Parent Blogging world. That time of the month when the blog rankings are published. That time of the month when a gaggle of bloggers start stressing and straining about where they might land on this index or that index. That time of the month when bloggers start doubting themselves as bloggers, writers, human beings. That time of the month when they consider jacking it all in and taking up Fishing Blogging.
This makes me so sad. Do you know why this makes me sad? Because no one should measure their worth, value and talent based on a table. No one should be trying to orchestrate their blogging to influence rankings or improve their status. Now this is easy to say, especially from a blogger who has been around for nearly two years now. However, I have been in that very place that so many bloggers are today and I’d like to share a few nuggets that I have learned along the way which now make me a much happier blogger.
- Being signed up for an index may seem like a necessary means to an end and yes, it does help you to gain exposure and a wider audience potentially. However, with the ever changing face of blogging these days, the more inclusive blogging community, Linky’s, weekly challenges, blogging carnivals, blog hops and memes, it’s becoming much easier to gain your own foothold without having to be on any particular ranking system. Yes, it takes effort to gain an audience, build a following, generate comments and accumulate followers but do not EVER feel that you have to register for an index in order to accomplish these things.
- Determine your USP (unique selling point) and also what your end goal is. Be completely honest with yourself. If your ultimate goal is to make it as high up the “big” rankings as you can, have PR’s filling your inbox with requests & invitations, be bombarded with deliveries of the latest, greatest baby/toddler/tech items which you have to test, review and report on, then yes, by all means, torture yourself every month. I would say that there is a small percentage of bloggers for whom this is their goal. And that’s fine. The blogging world takes all kinds. But if that is your goal, do your studying, do your research, make your blog into an SEO-friendly, all-singing-all-dancing wonder of a thing and prepare yourself mentally for the monthly worry about where you’ll be. You’ll have to give up a LOT of personal time to make this happen and network and bust your bum to give 100+% to your blog but it can happen. Hopefully your family, other half and sanity will not be left in the dust in the process.
- Every PR agency out there has a different way of searching for and utilising bloggers. Yes, they look occasionally at rankings and indecies to have a launch pad into the blogging world. Yes, they are interested in bloggers who have decent traffic, influence and engagement. I have spoken to PR’s about the blogging world (yes, I’ve been asked to train PR’s) and assured them that it’s not always the best method to continually pitch to the top 20 bloggers on given rankings. Getting to know bloggers, finding a fit that works for the product/client/brand is the key. If you have a keen interest in working with PR’s, brands and having opportunities to attend events and launches, take your own creative genius and approach them yourself. There’s nothing wrong with a little self-promotion. PR’s are usually happy to field questions and suggestions and are often pleased to find that they can work WITH bloggers on a campaign. There’s nothing wrong with taking matters into your own hands and making it happen for yourself if this is the path you choose.
- Stats and numbers have value and importance but should not send you into a tailspin. They represent the state of play on your blog. They do not communicate the loveliness of you as an individual, the creativitiy of you as a writer or the worth of you as a person. Google Analytics is probably the most widely used vehicle for measuring traffic and stats on your blog and if PR’s/Brands ask for anything, this will provide you with the necessary numbers to give them. I have GA set up on my blog and yes, it gives me a monthly (even daily) report of everything under the sun with regard to my blog. I DO NOT look at my GA stats unless I am asked something specifically about them. They’re interesting to look at and they provide a pretty graph that has a lot of peaks and valleys but they do not bring me happiness so I do not look at them. Do not waste your time pouring over these reports and lines and pie-charts. They will cause you to dip into that place that no one needs to go into. Classify GA or other stats reports as a Necessary Evil that help you fill in the blanks when asked. Otherwise, ignore them.
- If these monthly rankings cause you to drop into the pits of despair, consider SERIOUSLY taking yourself off of them. Go back to WHY DO YOU BLOG? If it’s to gain fame and fortune, then suck it up and lay yourself out there for the flaying and don’t whinge about it. It will be a tough road to hoe but if that’s your path then you’ll have to make some sacrifices to get there. If your reason for blogging is for you, your family, a bit of a part-time job/hobby, then don’t worry about the rankings. Take yourself off, breathe easier, release the tension in your shoulders and enjoy the blogging. It’s a lovely place to be when you’re not worried about winning a popularity contest. And it’s a lot nicer to sit back and watch all the bitching and moaning and know you’re far happier and better off each month.
There’s some rather wordy advice from a blogger who’s “been there, done that, bought the t-shirt”. I am not registered for THAT BIG index that everyone else is talking about right now but I do happen to be registered with Wikio. I am not concerned about where I fall on rankings because I’m more concerned about my reputation as a blogger and a writer. I want to be liked and well-thought of. Numbers on a chart don’t give you that sort of feedback in my humble opinion. I hope those of you who have been so upset by the publishing of certain rankings this month will consider my advice for the future and hopefully be happier for it.
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Absolutely BRILLIANTLY put Karin *cheers* x
SAHMlovingit-
Thank you lovely! I’m so sad seeing people getting so distressed over this! I hope some of what I have said hits home and people step back…
Karin
Great pep talk for someone like me just starting out. Thanks x
Frankie-
Glad to hear that. All the upset is unfortunate and unnecessary. Decide WHY DO I BLOG and it will guide you!
Karin
Now that is sound advice I imagined something like this earlier
Numbers were important to me last year when I was desperatly trying to break into the community, I found it tough and as the numbers grew I learnt to compare that number with my blog, my commenting and my links. I realise NOW that numbers aren’t so important after all. My goal is to get better and better and no number will help me achieve that, only me and hard work
Great post Karin
Mari-
Thanks for the inspiration…hate to see people so tied up in the mess. I was like that as well and it’s only with distance you can look back and see how silly it all was. And I suppose easy to say when you’ve been through it but I hope some people can learn from it a bit and not take it all so seriously. There are other ways to make it happen than being ranked!
Karin
Hi Karin
What a great post!
What I’ve always said about ranks and stats including the Tots100 is that they’re optional. It’s human nature to be pleased when your blog rises in a ranking, and downcast when it falls. But if that takes away the fun of blogging for you, then don’t get involved. Absolutely, above all else, blogging should be something you enjoy.
Of course, the the Tots100 is probably the largest directory of active UK parent blogs today, and I do certainly think that there are lots of advantages to being involved, today and in the coming months, as we have some exciting new initiatives planned for our bloggers.
Since we launched 18 months ago with just 200 blogs, we have always said people can withdraw at any time. We have had around 25 blogs withdraw because being part of the index wasn’t right for them, but we also have had 1,600 blogs sign up during that time, so it is something that lots of people do find fun and interesting.
Thanks for the post – great discussion!
What a brilliant comprehensive post, something we all needed to read. I have only skimmed it as I am making dinner but I will have another proper read later. Thank you Karin
x
such an interesting post, thank you. As someone who is fairly new to family blogging I have evaluated over this past month why I blog. I am happy now that what I see on my blog now, will be what I am happy to look back on. I want each post to mean something to us as a family. I was tempted to remove my 1020 ranking from my blog but it tickles me so much that I have left it on! I find the easiest way to work out why I blog is to explain to someone who knows nothing about blogs. Hx
Totally agree – blogging’s about content and fun isn’t it?
Thanks for saying this so well.
Sally,
Thanks. Well done to the Tots for becoming so popular. It’s just too bad that there was a lot of upset this month and a bit of unnecessary stress over blog rankings in general. But it takes a while for people to realise why they blog and it’s nice for the rankings to provide them with opportunities to blog and receive things as well. I just wish more people would focus less on the “getting” and more on the process. I became too wrapped up in the competition myself and it’s far healthier for me to not do it.
Karin
Mummy and the Beastie-
Thanks…I hope you’ll find some useful tips in it!
Karin
Helen-
I know a lot of bloggers were quite distressed this month but I guess when there’s an influx of a lot of new blogs, somehow that will have a ripple effect. I don’t necessarily understand how people can go from 300-something to 1100-something but then again, I’ve never truly understood how all these numbers work out! Part of why it’s best that I’m not in them!
Good luck with your path madame! Sounds like you’ve figured out “WHY” which is brilliant!
Karin
Ellen-
Thank you. I felt it needed saying. It seems unfortunate that there’s so much focus on NUMBERS!
Karin
Thanks for this really interesting post Karin, it’s really informative to a newbie starting out. Your blog is very influential for someone like me and I really enjoy reading it.
Katie x
This is a really important piece of advice, any blogger who wants to be included on a list should read it. I also find it quite a shame how people get so obsessed with where they appear on a ranking or list. Blogging has turned into a very competitive past time which takes all the fun away. I would much rather read a good, interesting blog, look at good photographs and learn about a blogger’s life than read blogs that fall in the top 10 of lists. If the blogs I enjoy the most don’t come near the top 100, 200 or whatever, it really doesn’t matter. To get a blog out there in the first place is an achievement in itself and they all deserve recognition. I follow such a lot of blogs, some just to be supportive, but a lot I follow because I enjoy what they write. I would never judge a blog on it’s rank, that really isn’t what blogging is about.
Ranks and lists are very encouraging but can also be a bitter pill to swallow if you find your blog going down. My blog goes up and down from month to month, but I don’t advertise or do PR reviews on it. It’s my personal space for me to share my corner of my world.
CJ xx
Great post. I personally dont enter myself for any competitions and rarely do linky’s etc. (Some of that is lazy blogging I have to admit.)
Interestingly, one time when I seemed to have shop up on one list, there was no difference in the visits to my blog or comment numbers at all.
If you really want to get your blog known, you have to participate – which means reading other blogs and commenting.
Expat Mum-
Karin
Excellent advice. I think that blogging needs to be more about community building rather than community “tearing down” which the rankings seem to do. It’s become a bit of a free for all, actually. And I do agree that understanding how one goes up or goes down is a bit of a puzzlement at best! Thanks for your input…much appreciated!
A great post Karin. Amen to all you say. Many times in the last few days I have left comments on numerous posts saying all the same things. This month seemed to go exceptionally crazy!
Mich x
Michelle-
Thank you…it’s a shame that lots of things in life settle into competition. I think a certain amount of competition is healthy but when it turns into a panic at the beginning of each month, it’s not right. But there you go…the sensible ones of us will just have to hold our head high!
Karin