A blog is a difficult thing to write for every week, as many bloggers can tell you. Oh, sure, it’s much easier to write when you’re all het up about something and you know you’re going to get a lot of feedback. But sometimes, it feels like you’re writing on a wall that nobody even looks at.
Though I enjoy my own blogging experience here on Crooked Glasses, I have found myself feeling the same way about the blog as of late. Is my writing that uninteresting, that I get maybe a comment a week (if I’m lucky)? Am I not writing about things that others want to read about or know more about? When no readers give feedback on your blog, sometimes you begin to wonder if these proverbial “readers” are even out there, or whether you’re just the falling tree in the forest, with no one around to hear you.
I know that I’m not the only blogger to feel this way. I’ve spoken to several people in real life and online who have similar issues with their own blogs, never sure whether they’re really informing and entertaining, or whether they’re just wasting time, money, and megabytes of storage space. It’s not completely an egotistical need for attention, though I admit there is some truth to that. But for me, it’s more a need for validation: Am I doing something worthwhile, or should I be spending these 6 to 10 blogging hours a week doing something else?
This article, therefore, is written to help other bloggers like me figure out how to inspire reader feedback, as well as to push us all toward writing more for the readers rather than just ourselves.
How can bloggers inspire readers to give feedback?
So, with this concern of reader feedback high on many bloggers’ minds, we wonder how to help others respond to what we write. I began to brainstorm, and realized I needed to answer this question: “What makes ME want to post a comment about something someone’s blogged about?”
Ask thought-provoking questions
Insightful blog posts always get me, right in the cerebral cortex. (That’s one reason I strive to include both philosophy and commentary in my Tuesday on the Soapbox posts…I like being able to give insights if I come up with something that sounds halfway decent.) I like commenting on the insight and thoughts that the blogger has had, especially if it makes me see an issue in a new light–I like letting them know I was touched or moved by their writing.
State an opinion and ask for rebuttals/other perspectives
When someone asks directly for my opinion, I usually give it. (If you couldn’t tell already, I tend to have strong opinions. 😛 ) So, when I see a blog post that has a very strong or well-stated opinion (either aligned with what I believe or not), I tend to respond. There’s no need to be incendiary here; just writing your opinion with evidence to back up why you believe what you believe can be enough to start a (polite) debate or discussion.
Write something so personal/beautiful that others can’t help but reply
When a blogger writes openly and honestly about something in their real-life experience, especially a struggle with illness, family trouble, depression, regret, or anything else troubling, I want to give them words of courage. Also, if the blogger writes about getting better or taking it one day at a time, I want to leave words of encouragement. Either way, I’m clicking that comment button for all it’s worth.
What’s Your Opinion?
What makes you, as a reader, leave comments on a blogger’s writings? [/shameless appeal for comments] 🙂
My “blog” is really just an archive for me to remember my past, since writing by hand takes too long. I still keep a personal journal ’cause you know, there’s some stuff you don’t want the world to know. So, when I discovered that the idea of “blogging” is not really “diaryland.com”ish, but more “news”like, I was surprised and not sure how to take it.
I never read blogs. Ever. If I meet a webmaster online and they have a blog like some feminist page or something, I won’t read it. If they have a blog like mine, where it’s about their life, I WILL read it. However, Crooked Glasses got me reading for simple reasons.
The posts are direct, and each entry is totally random, unique, and interesting. If your blog is a good example of what’s out there, it makes me want to read more. I love all the cool links (like that flash game with the Zen thing going), the origami, which I’ve tried and was so happy with my cup! xD –I loved the page with how to use those clip things…it’s just super entertaining for me. I will almost always end up showing my friends– “Hey, check out this link! Look at this! Read this!”
I make it a point, every now and then during the week, to visit: “Oh, let’s see what weird, random topic is on Crooked Glasses today. That’s always fun to read.”
I will read it a lot more than I will comment due to pure laziness. Usually, there’s so many points in your post I want to touch on, that I’ll forgo it. That’s why what’ll end up happening is I’ll suddenly comment on 5 topics in one day, lol. To catch up. But I can definitely see how you want your reader to communicate. I mean, in a way, you’re doing something for them, so why not give a little back.
In your case, if you have readers, they’re probably just lazy….usually, all us net people are lazy, as I’m sure you know, lol…
I think, if you haven’t already, you should install some detailed, snazzy counters to keep track of the kind of visitors you’re getting so you know whether this is worth your time. There are definitely ways to find out if you’re getting traffic. Also, do you promote your blog? Maybe hook up with some similar blogrolls out there, post at some forums you frequent, reach out to your affiliates. Is your Facebook active? Post it there. Set up a link between WordPress to update your Wall when you post. Also, I recall reading about this in your blog…and while I hate it, I have to say, Twitter really works. I use it for networking purposes only, at TR.com. I actually was reflecting in one of my blogs the other day about how many self-publishing companies and literary agents I’ve met JUST because they “followed” me. I don’t know HOW people find me, but they do, and a lot more often than I find them, lol. So you can do the same thing–integrate Twitter into WordPress and vice versa so that each updates the other.
You have a very, very cool blog with lots of super fun stuff. There’s no way you wouldn’t interest one from every crowd because it’s so diverse.
Lastly, just something to remember/consider…
Those 6-10 hours a week…do you like doing it? If you do, if it’s fun…do it. I run a lot of sites and I’m pretty sure I don’t get all that many visitors–not for all the work I put in. I know a lot of webmasters, including myself, who run shrines and are so tedious and serious about them, and spend hours a day prepping them, designing, adding content, blah blah, always knowing that visitors are few and far between.
I opened a Jin the Wind Tamer shrine in 2007 and it didn’t start getting steady hits till early 2009. Now I get them regularly, but he is not a popular character. Had I made a shrine to a popular person, I’m sure my visitors would be tripled. My point is, it’s only been a year! And you’re not writing about boring stuff, you’re writing about quirky stuff! Let it marinade. xD
Good luck *slaps uber-long comment*
Aww, thank you Tiffany! Uber-long comment of win! 😀 LOL
I do enjoy writing the 6-10 hours a week I dedicate to this, and I’m glad if the diversity of my blog makes it fun to read. That was definitely my intent and purpose for this little site of mine. My real life just wasn’t interesting enough to write about every day, but I had a lot of topics I was interested in writing about and learning about, so….Crooked Glasses became real. But, like all perfectionists, I worry that somehow it’s still not good enough. YAY neurosis. 😛
I’ve debated about making a Twitter for this blog (and maybe one for myself in general, as a micro-blog), but I’m still unsure about it. For one, dialup makes it very hard to update Twitter (sometimes Twitter won’t load at all, for some reason…I’m thinking “WHAT is so huge on this server? It’s just text updates, for God’s sake!”). But maybe if I set up those automatic updates, it might work better. (I’m also horrible at networking with people because of the dialup thing, too, but that aside…)
I think I will add some counters or at least something to show me that people are at least visiting, if not leaving their own thoughts behind. Been thinking about tinkering with the sidebar anyway… 😀
“What makes ME want to post a comment about something someone’s blogged about?” This is a great question to ask ourselves!
When a blogger writes about an experience I can relate to, I comment. When they write about things that they enjoy that I also like, such a book or movie, I comment. And I do so, because I feel like I have found a way to connect with the blogger. Also, if they have written an opinion piece, I may comment to agree or disagree, politely of course. 🙂
I love when a blogger ends their post with lots of questions! This gives me something to think about and often makes it easier to make a comment. I am really trying to make this a habit at my own blog.
I don’t get a lot of comments on my blog, the most comments I’ve ever received is 14. The first year or more of blogging I hardly ever got comments. It was very discouraging at times. The two things that I did that really helped me were: getting a Twitter account and making myself be sociable and comment on other blogs. 🙂
You’re writing good material, so I think that promotion is where you are lacking. It’s something that I have a hard time with too. But those two things I mentioned above, really did help me. 🙂
I wanted to dig into the anatomy of comments in this post, how they’re generated, what best nurtures a good comment thread…and you’ve answered! I seem to do the “relatable experience” and “question at the end” posts best, but I feel I’m getting better at doing opinion pieces that others can respond to.
And I will admit, self-promotion is difficult for me–I always feel like I’m being overly conceited or that I’ll come off as tacky/rude for promoting my site. Plus, not having a whole lot of connection speed really kills my internet habit–I have to prioritize my time on the Internet severely because it rarely connects faster than 50kbps. :/ I’d spend a lot more time networking if I could…though I still have no idea what to do with Twitter. LOL, I feel like an Internet dinosaur! xD