This blog has just completed it’s 2nd full year and I thought it appropriate to share some thoughts.
Those of you that know me from reading here and from Twitter will also know that I’m not in this for the fame or even the fortune. But every blogger wants to know they are being heard.
No matter how small their audience.
We all crave feedback.
I’ve just completed the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog(ger) which is Darren Rowse’s (he of ProBlogger fame) ebook having picked it up to go through the OurChurch.com 31DBBB Project – and I want to publicly thank Paul of OC for his efforts in staging this project.
However, the final day (which was yesterday) co-incided with me thinking about my celebratory 2yr post for the blog and the last days project was all about planning.
What surprised me though was that rather than give me the kick up the backside to do it (and typically I’m an organised planning type of person anyway) for the betterment of this blog – actually turned out to be a much more melancholic thought process along the lines of “should I go on?“.
So I decided on a quick recap to see what have I brought to the world of blogging in the last 2yrs?
- I’ve brought my unique voice.
- I’ve brought a technical view that isn’t always seen in other blogs and this has hampered my blogging. It’s made the ‘niche’ I’m in a very narrow one and I’ve tried – except for the very occasional post to stay away from personal or political or spiritual thoughts. Perhaps that mix would have been better for you?
- Ive brought my willingness to share my knowledge and to continue learn from you.
- And I’m trusting that this allows you to learn as well.
However.
The reality is that in 2yrs most of my posts have averaged zero responses.
- And even when I deliberately try to court controversy (I Am a Criminal) I get very few replies.
- Amazingly, by far and away my most popular post in terms of SEO is my brief spiel about nlite for Windows 7.
- And my most popular for comments (3 Links to Starting on Twitter)was due to the 31DBBB project and this type of post I don’t typically do as I see it as information already easily available.
So for 2yrs I’ve been trying to work this out.
- Trying to understand what folks want?
- Trying to understand what will make folks respond.
- After all, my stats show that you visit here in your 100′s each day.
- The stats further show that I’m getting repeat visitors – which implies I’m saying something you want to read about.
In short – I don’t understand.
And so rather than plan specifically for this blog yesterday’s task leaves me with a weird taste in my mouth.
One that says “give it up Stuart“.
One that says “put it all on your personal blog then no-one will care how infrequent you post“.
So that’s where I’m at.
BUT – I’m extremely thankful for the last 2yrs and extremely blessed to have interacted with some of the folks I have (Lee of Security_FAQs or Greg of TheBetaVersion) and hopefully get to know them a bit.
I’m grateful for the crowd of us that co-write (cough) over at ChurchTechMatters. Even if we don’t write like we should we have formed a community.
I’m extremely blessed and thankful for all the folks on the 31DBBB project – some of whom have been kind enough to comment here or drop me an email or two. There’s over 60 of them but the ones that stand out right now are: Paul at Live Intentionally – Phillip at SynapticLight – Jennifer at JenniferJanes – Jon at BlogOneAnother – Kevin at Campfire Cowboy Ministries – Chris at The Prayer Experiment – Nolan at NolanBobbit – Seiji at The Ignition Point and L.L and Becky and JD and the Coffee Couple and so on.
The reality though is that at this point I just don’t know what’s next for this blog.
For now, I will say this: as and when a subject matter crops up that is right and relevant to the blog I will continue to add them whilst I make my mind up. My Internet Safety Sunday series will continue and my usage of Twitter and commenting on other blogs will also continue.
- Have you any thoughts to add?
- And I mean any at all on the direction of the blog, my writing style (or not), the subject matter, what you like, don’t like, etc?
hey man thanks for the mention.
I know your pain and your frustration.
it must be something to do with the technical aspects of our blogs, but I couldn't elicit enough comment to save my life.
Sure I have lots of comments every now and again.
Yet the posts I try to build for comments that are not of a technical nature backfire.
begging does not help
neither does comment reciprocation
So I have changed my focus, changed it to pageviews and Alexa Ranking. Because I plan to start a personal blog that addresses everything else ans is open, honest and personal – gritty, random.
I'll run it as a one yr experiment.
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Thanks Phillip – I was trying not to write the post to elicit sympathy but more as a "State of the Union" type thing – though I guess it could be seen as a 'woe is me' post.
But you may be right – that it's a techy thing.
I haven't tried begging yet :)
Thank you for the mention, Stuart! I enjoyed interacting with you during 31DBBB too and hope to continue to do so!
I'm sorry you're having trouble finding your niche. I was blessed and fell into one that has "taken" fairly easily. I can say that, for me, "tech" isn't my thing. My brother is the tech person in the family. I've read several of your posts but have had difficulty commenting on them because I didn't have anything worthwhile to say about the topic. I guess I'm more of a relational person than a technical person, which is exactly why I'm writing this comment. :)
I'm glad you've decided not to quit completely. I want to know you're still on the WWW, doing what you do. I'm saying a prayer for you now that God will show you where to go from here.
~Jennifer
Thanks Jennifer – personally I'm not going anywhere but this blog may end up being put on hiatus. I don't want it too but ….
And it's not so much about not finding my niche – I know that, it's tech, but much more about wondering if what I'm saying is helping & having any effect and then a second aspect of have I set my niche too narrow? Because I'm a Church Techy why should I restrict my niche to just tech within church and why not church and / or tech.
That's my thinking – do I expand and include spiritual and other type posts and drop my audience as is or by adding them do I increase it and then do I want that?
Lots of questions and all mine to answer :)
You should definitely carry on Stuart – you write some great stuff here.
All readers are different but I can tell you that I read far more than I ever comment on these days because I am just so busy.
If its any consolation I've found that my posts now only attract a couple of comments whereas a couple of years ago most got 30+ – its just the way things are now, partly because of Twitter I believe.
That doesn't mean my site isn't read or shared with others though – traffic is always increasing – so perhaps you need another metric to guage your level of 'success' with.
Lastly, and most importantly, I would ask whether you enjoy writing here?
If you don't then give up now.
If you do, please perservere.
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Thank you Lee for the encouragement – I do appreciate your time and value the friendship we've started.
One of the reasons I started here was to try and build relationships – apart from a few exceptions that hasn't happened. That would have been, to me, a reasonable measure of success. In that, Greg & I share a similar desire – to build relationships / community.
I don't see how that happens without responses.
And hey – I understand being busy. With three children and all the usual bits and pieces …. but, I do enjoy writing here just not always trying to come up with something new :)