Saturday 16 January 2010

I Never Stop Learning, I Hope.

Like most others in the blogging world I'm seldom sure what to blog about next. Plus I've only been blogging since April 2008 so I'm very much a novice. Just for once, and only once I'd like to examine why we, why I blog. What's brought this on, you may ask and I'll tell you why. So bear with me. Its 'thinking aloud' time again, the old 'What's it all about, Alfie' syndrome.
I blog roughly every five days. No set subjects but avoiding being too topical in the main. I now have around sixty followers and receive an average of around twenty five 'hits' per day. Small fry indeed at the side of many. ( My son in law, a world renowned photographer once received over fifteen thousand 'hits' in response to one camera review.) I would never cope but it puts it all in perspective. Plus remember the days when I/we got no responses and had no following.
Questions, always questions. Why do I personally blog? It's an ego trip, a challenge, it fulfills a need. It keeps the old brain alive and keeps me interested in living when I wake up in the morning. Dozens of reasons, of no real consequence.
Now it begins to get interesting. Do I/we want the blog to grow, the 'following' to get larger, and larger, and larger! And if we do, why? Do I/we in fact know what we want? We read other peoples blogs, and comment, positively, if you've any sense; most bloggers respond. And, like Topsy it grows.
'I 'spect I just growed. Don't think nobody never made me.' Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Recently a kind blogger with no blog in mind that day suggested her readers go to my blog. That day I had just short of one hundred visitors. Thank you, Expat Mum. Remember, I have never exceeded thirty previously in one day. Now I appreciate there are learned books and articles teaching how to increase 'hits'. I have read some, find most too difficult and too testing for my feeble, not very technical brain. As a one off experiment, I would love visitors to my site to do something for me. I will name five blogs. Will anyone interested visit the five sites mentioned. I promise you will lose nothing as they are all interesting in their own way. I will ask all the five bloggers to record if their visitors increase and by how many in the week after this blog is published. I'm curious as to how many 'hits' we create when we advertise someone elses 'wares'. You never know, as the saying suggests, 'Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.'
It's a fairly random selection from the blogs that I follow, no favouritism intended! All those on my 'list' are equally valued.
Also if anyone would like to spell out their thoughts, aspirations etc concerning their blogs, they are very welcome. I'm sure such 'soul searching' would interest many fellow bloggers.
Thanks, rest assured next week, or sooner, as they used to say on the television, 'Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.'

Five blogs that would welcome a visit

my wife has agoraphobia

HER ON THE HILL

Kit Courtenay Writes

That British Woman

39 comments:

Robert said...

Hi Ken - I'm really surprised that you don't get more hits! I really enjoy your blog.

Anyhow, your experiment will prove interesting.

Btw - your link to That British Woman doesn't work. Too many http//'s I think.

Best wishes

Anita said...

Good experiment...I'll be checking back to see what the results are.
Now on to your first blog...

Anita said...

Ditto on "That British Woman"

An English Shepherd said...

Well we blog as an on line diary.

Also its nice catching up on all the blogs you follow...

Wizz :-)

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

I imagine the reasons for blogging in the first place are many and varied. I began when I retired - "something to do for me" - and it has grown a little in the ensuing 18 months. Will definitely have a look at the sites you mention Ken but already visit "That British Woman" so the link problem is not a problem for me.

Von said...

Always enjoy your blog Ken,look forward to it even.
I blog for practise, because I enjoy photography and it's another outlet,have contacts from elsewhere who want to know about my birds and animals so that accounts for one blog.Another is for an organisation I belong to, one is a serious information one and another to publicise the food and happenings of the wine area I live in.The last 3 have irregular posts and the other two are just for fun.

Kit Courteney said...

I'm with Robert^^ on that. Your blog is so very readable, I'm genuinely surprised you don't receive more hits.

I'm already a regular of Robert's fantastic blog but I've enjoyed looking at the others I must admit. It's nice to be directed to read something that you might not necessarily choose from the title, say, purely because the person directing is well thought of.

I shall keep my eye out in my stats and report back.

Cathy said...

Hello Ken
Will be interested to see how your tips fare. Linking ot other blogs can be a bit hit and miss affair - sometimes it works and other times people don't follow the links. I think it depends on who drops in that day and if the name of the blog takes their fancy.
Take care
Cathy

Bernard said...

All very true......but never forget..
"Quality before Quantity" as my old Dad used to say.
And my Mother's favourite was...
"Never mind the quality, feel the width".
I say...
"There's many a good tune played on an old Fiddle"
Keep up the good work.
KD

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Thanks. Hopefully I've corrected. Bought an I pod yesterday. With my technical skills will be interesting as I've only recently mastered the light switch.

Cathy said...

Hello again Ken
Forgot to mention that a lot of people read blogs in a reader such as Google or Bloglines so don't actually visit the blog at all.
Therefore you can read the blog without having to click through in your blogger followers section
I know clear as mud - could explain why you have so many followers but fewer 'hits'
Cathy

Kitty said...

Hi Ken - thanks for the 'shout' - I will be sure to report back. I've already had a visitor saying she got the link from your blog. I was going to make the same point as Cathy - lots of people (me included) read blogs in Google Reader, so don't actually visit the blog itself. Thus I won't show up as visitor, even though I am reading. I do this quite a lot now, I must admit.

It's an interesting question to ponder why we blog. My reasons have evolved along with the blog itself. It was first to practise my 'writing'. I then enjoyed the community of blogging and spent hours visiting and commenting on the blogs of others. It all got a bit much, and that is why I now largely read in Google Reader.

The blog is now for my kids for the future - I am in the process of turning the blog into 'Blog Books' so in the future they can read about what we were doing at any given time.

Keep up the good work. x

Gill - That British Woman said...

thanks for the mention, I am surprised also you don't get more people visiting, as your blog is such an interesting read.

Gill in Canada, whose mouth is still swollen, and who luckily doesn't need to use her mouth to blog....LOL

A Heron's View said...

Hello Ken- I enjoy your blog. I too am a very new boy in blogging class. So much so that I don't have a counter and not at all sure whether I want my ego to be massaged or disillusioned. Somethings are better not known :-) Like yourself I never know from week to week what I am going to write about & am always delighted to recieve comments from other bloggers. Yes I will visit your famous five perhaps leaving a calling card too.

Molly Potter said...

I still have not fully understood why I blog....it's still forming - as I only really started the end of Oct.

It always feels an honour if you get a mention in someone else's blog though!

It'll be interesting to see the results of your experiment.

Mr London Street said...

I'm a recent follower of your blog, and like it a lot. I think there are an awful lot of blogs out there that get nowhere near the readership they deserve. It's a constant frustration.

From my perspective I blog mainly because I love writing and I definitely want my blog to grow. I've recently done a Sunday Roast for Eddie Bluelights (which should go up some time in March) which asks exactly those questions i.e. why did you start and what do you love about blogging? and it's thought provoking stuff.

I will check out all five of the bloggers you mentioned.

Nakamuras on Saipan said...

I too am surprised that you don't get more hits-after reading your blog once, I immediately posted your site on mine so people would see it and hopefully go and visit...I love your blog! I think what I love the most is that I can sense your personality and it makes me feel like I have a new friend! I blog to make friends I guess...I'm not very good yet at blogging. Most times I can't think of anything to blog about-so I blog about things like getting Christmas stollen from my mother and fighting over the pieces with my hubby...lol. But honestly, I have really enjoyed the chats I've had with people I've come to know through blogging. I love networking with folks in every corner of the world! Hugs to you "Uncle Grumpy"...going to visit your blog suggestions now!

Nota Bene said...

I thought you must get more hirts...your entries are always a good read...and indeed, it is a sad day when we think we have nothing more to learn...I blog so I don't forget!

Unknown said...

Glad you got so many hits on one day Ken. I'm also still a novice blogger, compared to most out there but I'm just not all that concerned about how many followers I have or loose, or how many comments I get on one post. What's most important to me are the interesting blogs I read, and the wealth of wonderful people in blogland that are so supportive and just plain friendly.

cheshire wife said...

Interesting post but hits don't seem to correlate to comments.

Expat mum said...

Ken - I did have a blog post ready, but it paled in comparison to your post that day so I just had to point people in your direction. I think I deleted that particular draft post as vastly inferior. ;-)

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Comments to follow after a follow up article Saturday

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Robert
Interesting that two site counters don't match up.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Anita
Thanks.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

English Shepherd
Excellent for a young'un.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Anne
i wonder how much is too much and how little is not enough.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Von
I'd never cope with more than one.
My son in law is a top class wedding man. Try the blog/site of
Jeff Ascough

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Kit
Its an interesting world.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Cathy
We never stop learning. Thanks.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Kitty
I never knew all of this. Your blog book is a brilliant idea. Will you let me know how you go on, please.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Gill
Interesting that two counters give different results. Plus the bits about reading blogs without going to the blog itself.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Herons View. Good point! I think after a while we set into a pattern. It also depends on what else is in your life.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Molly
Its interesting how we find a style and pattern I'm just coming up to 200 blogs, a mere novice.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

London Street
Im like you, need visitors but I wonder how we'd go on if we got thousands.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Nakamuras
Kind words. Thanks. I think we find a style and a pattern but it all takes time. One secret is not to let it take over. I blog roughly every five day. Do what suits YOU.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Nota
Do you blog to a pattern. We are all different. I'm non too organised!

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Gaston
What a lovely attitude. But its nice that someone out there sees your work.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

cheshire wife
Good point. If only we knew for certain what 'scores' On second thoughts, not a good idea.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

You are too modest but thanks anyway. Your blogs are always interesting and your lifestyle, I dont know how you find time to blog!