How do you make your stats zing?
After five years of blogging, I have over 8,000 followers. My blog gets at least 400 hits a week, and often over 1,000. I’ve had over 175,000 page views by 159 countries.
People ask about my success. It’s not any one thing. Content? I hope so. Consistent posting? Yes. But I do certain things over and above that.
Here are my top ten blogging rules. Are these time consuming? Yes.
- Be in it to make friends not to market. Connections make me happy, not money.
- Reply to every comment if only to say “thanks” or “my pleasure” because manners matter.
- Keep posts short. Bloggers have way too much to read.
- Try not to do/say anything in anger. Ever. Really hard, this one.
- Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. It’s exhausting.
- Read, reread and edit. Occasional errors are forgivable but if people regularly have to take extra time to figure out your meaning, they’ll stop reading.
- Visit others writing on similar subjects. Leave comments that show you’ve read and care about their words. That’s how you make and keep friends.
- Don’t expect others to be perfect or there for you every day. Life happens.
- If someone new visits and likes, comments or follows your blog, ALWAYS visit their site, look for common ground and follow back. They are your people. This is your community. And it’s social media etiquette. (Blogs empty of content may be spammers, and I don’t follow them.)
- Host and participate in blog hops aka link-ups aka blog parties. I participate in Poetry Friday. When I visit everyone and comment, I learn and grow as a writer. It’s expected for people to visit you back, although not everyone has time every week.
Friendly Fairy Tales 
Thanks for the advice, invaluable to me as a new blogger. It reminds me of an old saying “to have a friend, you have to be one.” I look forward to following your blog in the future.
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It’s been an adventure undertaking blogging. I never thought I’d keep it going for so long after going back to work full-time. It’s so much harder to respond to comments now, but I still enjoy it.
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Yes, I’m enjoying it too. I like making up the story boards to go with my novel. It’s actually kind of fun!
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Having back surgery made me start it, but I’ve kept it going all these years even though my mobility has increased.
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Isn’t this amazing. It’s really helpful. Thanks alot for that piece of information.
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Enjoy your blogging!
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hello brenda, have just started with my blog a few months back will surely take your tips on improving my stats….thanks!!!
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I hope it’s fun, whatever you do. 🙂
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yes it sure is….am having a ball!
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Your reminder that not everyone has time every week is good. I do think reciprocity is key and having blogged almost 8 years, I know there are spaces of my failure to do
so. As you said, life happens.
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Likewise. If I felt guilty, it wouldn’t be fun. I can only do what I can do. And that’s enough for me. Wow. 8 years! Congrats!
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Great tips. I stopped blogging long ago and now just journal, mostly for myself and for my children, but these are good tips. Thx.
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Great advice! I don’t know if I can follow the “don’t get angry” tip. Lol! But, I try! 😉
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It’s the hardest one, I think. 🙂 I am a redhead, after all.
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i so agree with every word, you are a master of this, brenda –
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I’m just hanging in there. Cindy Knoke and you both have me beat. 🙂
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I love this succinct post with easy-to-follow steps! So many of these ‘how to blog’ posts go on a bit, and make it sound like a chore or a full-time job. I want to blog for pleasure, but also want to enjoy the community (an unexpected pleasure) so your advice suits me down to the ground.
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Excellent. 🙂 Your blog has a great vibe.
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Thank you! 😘
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🌻
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