I made a decision today. It’s mostly based around the time aspect, and more importantly, around how I feel about it.
For a few years, I’ve been a member, and taken part in some lovely blogging groups which have blog stats. I didn’t really care where I sat in the stats, as the blog just does it’s own thing and Google is very good to me these days.
My blog went down (out of action) for a few days recently and although I’ve only dropped about 100 places in one ranking, the others are likely to tank in the next few weeks. Yes, I know by next month, I’d be back where I was, but when I spotted the drop, I instantly began planning a couple of competitions etc to temporarily up the blog reader number.
Then I stopped myself.
To be part of a couple of the groups, I felt myself giving in to not posting many of the types of things that I would really like to, as it means that the blog was going down a more specific route than I really wanted it to, and becoming more niche than I’d like. My blog isn’t a business, it’s a hobby, and I felt myself losing that.
Yes, I’ll lose offers from PRs that use the blog ranking places, but that’s not all bad either. Anyone who knows the blog can work out it’s level as an SEO value, and it should drop some of the spam enquiries, that some days, actually fill the blog e-mail address up so much that I can spend ages just wading through them all.
I plan to pop on my Google page rank, play with the blog and do some posts around the business that I have unexpectedly had returned after being rented out to someone for the last 12 years. It’s going to be a busy time, and to keep up with it all, I can’t be distracted by where I sit in ranking stats.
I feel slightly liberated today without blog badges reporting my stats back to the ranking websites. Yes, I know I will be bottom of the rankings pile by next month with no stats reporting back, but I will have my blog back the way I used to feel. There will undoubtedly be days I will regret removing them, but I don’t want to feel I can’t post things as it won’t fit into my niche.
I commend you, I really do. I think I might be quite near to this point, I’m not sure they gain me anything to be honest apart from being annoyed when I fall. Bizarrely for the past two months I’ve blogged less and had less comments but have risen in the ranks. I don’t get it.
Good for you.
I don’t get it either. The rankings never seem to reflect the amount of visitors I get.
Funnily enough, I was just chatting about blog stats earlier. I still don’t understand how they work – the month I wrote loads, had loads of visitors and all the rest of it, I fell about 300 places. I’ve given up trying to understand how it works. People come, or they don’t come. I haven’t had a chance to sit down and read blogs in *ages* and tonight I’m having a lovely time reading through some of the favourites in my bookmarks list. And you’re in there, stats or not.
I’m not missing looking for the stats at the moment and not feeling pressurised to blog, so that’s all good. It’s good when we get time to sit and catch up with people. I wish I had more time to do that really. Thanks for the comment, you’re on my list too 🙂
x
It’s amazing how quickly the numbers creep up on you I’ve scaled back my blogging too and am blogging for fun again it’s definitely liberating
It certainly feels instantly like a pressure I didn’t know was there has lifted. Who knew that could creep up without being aware of it. Not me.
Good luck with your business hon. I always read your blog regardless of rankings. I don’t look at rankings to see who to read.
It’s quite exciting, but also hard work at the moment for the man. I’m coasting until it’s ready to use and planning to keep control of it and not rent it all out this time. Surprising change, but it’s here, so needs must.
Hey, for me you were never in my favourites for your rankings! It’s your content that draws me in again and again. I’m very much looking forward to some business related posts from you.
Aww, thanks, you’re lovely. x
A brave move and one I admire, popped over when this passed my twitter timeline out of interest, mainly because my Klout just fell and it worried me that I was bothered by it! Our business means my blog can’t come first, infact it comes after the family and the business, so why am I stressing that a stat has fallen cos the other parts of my life are taking priority? Best of luck in all you are doing,
Yup, that’s exactly how I am feeling about it. I took off Klout many months ago for the same reason and I much prefer Kred as it isn’t a daily stat sort of thing. Thanks x
I made the same decision very early on. I write for me, not for ratings or reviews. That’s all meaningless in the long term anyway. But I enjoy reading blogs and writing my blog. That’s what it’s about xxx
Time to enjoy again. I didn’t realise stats had crept up on me over time. I got used to being in a good place, so when it fell, even though it wasn’t due to an actual fall in readers, I realised that I have learned to care more than I should.
It’s hard, isn’t it? But in the end we all just have to do what works for us. Good luck with the business.
Thanks Jax, it’s a strange time for us for sure. The building is in a sorry mess, so it’s the man who is more stressed fixing it all just now.
I couldn’t agree more. I found myself commenting like a wild thing on any blog post I could find time to read so I could try and promote my blog and in the end I was just stressing myself out and not enjoying the blog as a hobby! Best of luck with your business 🙂 Kerry x
Thanks Kerry. It does feel different. A bit like a bit of pressure I didn’t even know was there has lifted. x
Good on you, you should run your blog in a way that makes you happy! 🙂 I’m at the other end, trying to find ways to grow our readership and would be interested in finding out more about these blog groups – would you mind sharing some information? They may not be right for me/the site, and I may not want the pressure, but I’m interested in finding out more about my options at this stage. Thanks, and happy blogging! 🙂
Hi Kerry, DM, or message me an e-mail address.
Will do now, thanks! x