Okay, call me pathetic... but seriously?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Muppet on May 16, 2009 at 2:30am

9 Followers for only having a blog a couple of weeks is really good!

I'm going to tell you exactly what you already know, but it's the only thing I know works as far as developing-mutual-bloggy relationships - just note on blogs, make your presence known.

If you just keep on truckin' with the writing - I'm betting it'll go up all of a sudden once you've been on awhile. I think people are more hesitant to follow when a blog is new, because a lot of people start blogs, keep up with it for two weeks, then abandon it. That's just my theory - I didn't have very many followers, at all, until I had many posts under my belt. People want to make sure you're looking for a commitment ( like your blog is some boy in a bar).

so just keep leaving notes and writing, and they will come.

Permalink Reply by April Graham on May 16, 2009 at 1:28pm

Thanks for the kind advice. I guess I just got a little anxious. Haha. I've got only got a few posts or so up, and I'm already expecting to have people jumping at the chance to follow me. Oops. You're totally right- it's only been two weeks! Slowly but surely I'll post more, and more regularly and see what happens from there. Patience never has been my strength. Thanks =)

Permalink Reply by Karie on May 21, 2009 at 3:26pm

That really is good for two weeks. I had none for a long time.

Permalink Reply by miss esther on February 13, 2010 at 7:50am

Hi Muppet!
Thanks for the advice and cute analogy~
I'm also new to blogging and this is really helpful.

Permalink Reply by Erini CS on May 16, 2009 at 10:30am

It's just going to take time.

Personally I don't track my followers. I've got Google Analytics on both domains I own, but that's about it. I don't base my blog's worth on that data.

All of my blogs or online journals, and even my personal site, have one purpose: to serve as a creative outlet for me. For Wench, I wanted a different place to write... The Fledgling Adult (still on hiatus) was an experiment that went decently well.

Like Muppet said, just keep focusing on your writing. There really is no other way to get a good readership than providing them with something they want to read (and keep reading). You're early on in this. Don't fret! Just keep at it!

Permalink Reply by Lauren Jade Martin on May 16, 2009 at 11:35am

following other peoples blogs is a good start, leaving comments and asking them to return the networking favor by following you back. make sure your connecting to similar blogs or they won't be interested. :D hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Erini CS on May 16, 2009 at 12:38pm

I think you should be careful asking people to follow you back. I've only added two 20SBers links to my blog in my blogroll equivalent. Neither of them asked me to, nor do I expect them to link me back. They're just two people who I've enjoyed reading so much that I wanted to add them.

When people leave comments on my blog asking me to either check out their blog or to link theirs... I generally either delete the comment or edit out the part asking for me to follow. I treat them sort of like spam, honestly. If I like the person's comments, I'll check out their link. If I like them, I'll add them to my reader, and maybe eventually I'll add them to my links on my blog.

I'm sure there are other bloggers out there who definitely appreciate comments and feedback, but don't want your sole reason for posting just to be to promote your own blog.

Permalink Reply by Je on May 28, 2009 at 6:46pm

I agree. Asking people to follow you is really weak. The best way to get people to follow you is to provide substance to your blog - give them a reason to follow. Blogging just isn't about growing followers. This isn't a popularity game or MySpace. Blogging should be about loving writing, and then the followers will come after.

Permalink Reply by Erisha Foo on May 16, 2009 at 1:28pm

I'd say that having very little followers doesnt mean that you have vy little readers. Some ppl jz don't click the followers button. Plus, since you've said that your blog is jz a couple of weeks old, it needs time. =)

Permalink Reply by April Graham on May 16, 2009 at 1:34pm

Yeah, now I'm catching on to that. Ha. I've never been one to have patience. Immediate results, now, please. ;-). Kidding. But I figured that, because even I've looked at numerous blogs and just left it at that, not clicking anything or leaving a comment. But now I know to just get over it and let it be, and it'll happen on it's own. Haha. Thanks =)

Permalink Reply by cooper on May 16, 2009 at 2:55pm

Rini says it well, followers really don't mean anything, it's readers that you want, and gratuitous link exchange doesn't mean anything either unless you actually love to read all the blogs you exchanged links with. It's also not likely to mean real readers.

I've never understood the fanaticism which seems to have started the last couple years about checking stats. Unless blogging is your job I can't see checking stats all the time, it's fun to do once in awhile to see which strange search terms are leading to your blog or other fun things like that but otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.

Besides if you are only worried about followers on blogger it's likely you aren't paying attention to the thousands of other great blogs on wordpress free or self hosted, typepad and so on.

Have fun with it, write what you want and the readers you get will come at a slower pace, but are more likely to still be there in two years.

Permalink Reply by Ben on May 18, 2009 at 6:35pm

As others have said, I wouldn't really worry about it too much and feel good that you have any followers at all after such a short period of time.

If it makes you feel any better, then I have been adding to my blog (albeit on and off) for nearly 5 years now (shit, is it really that long!?) and have 4 followers according to blogger. :D

I do like to check my stats regularly, simply because I like looking at graphs and it's another way to waste time, but its not why I blog. I would like to think that even the people with a boatload of readers would keep writing even if they weren't there.

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