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As bloggers, there’s one thing we have in common.
And it’s not a lack of quality sleep when reading “just one more post” turns into three hours of getting lost in our readers. Though that’s been known to happen, I’m sure.
We always want more, or at least wish for it. Be it more subscribers, more comments, more followers, more pageviews, more interaction, more opportunities.
Don’t you? I mean, I do. I’ll be honest.
Otherwise why do we blog? Certainly there’s something to be said for sharing a part of ourselves with others, and supporting them in return.
But that’s the thing. We want to share with people. Or else this would be called a journal and it would sit on the nightstand.
So an audience helps. A large, engaged audience helps even more.
What happens, then, when a blogger is trying to grow their blog and the time comes to set a goal?
Because I still want to grow and build and reach and stretch myself in new directions. And to do that, I need a goal and then a plan. There has to be a destination in sight before you can map out the route.
But what’s the difference between a goal and a fantasy? What’s reasonable? What’s attainable?
Once a goal is set, what’s the most efficient way to get there? And what happens after that?
Is there ever an end?
I’ve said it many times: I had no idea what blogging entailed when I started this blog three years ago. I had no goals and no plans.
Things have changed, of course.
But still I work in generalities. More is good. Bigger is better. That’s pretty much as concrete as it gets at the moment.
Now to figure out what that means and how to get there.
Maybe one day I’ll figure out what “enough” means.
Tell me: What is YOUR enough when it comes to blogging? Have your blogging goals evolved with time?
I’m Pouring My Heart Out with Shell over at Things I Can’t Say.
I’ll be honest – I don’t know when it’d be ‘enough’. I like where I am now, but who doesn’t want more readers and engagement?
When you have an answer, let me know
In a way it truly does feel like a never-ending cycle. Like a hamster on a wheel. But the fact is, you’re right – who doesn’t want more? Not even so much to compete with others – at least, not for me. It’s to compete with myself and be better than I was before. I’ll be sure to share my secrets…when I finally arrive at them.
I go through stages with my blog. Everyone looks for recognition but I have to stop and think sometimes. I’m now working on improving my photography, so I’ll take a pic of an egg salad sandwich and post it!
That’s an excellent method – focus on one thing at a time!
You know, as much as I love the bigger numbers (in stats, comments, etc.), I’ve been trying to base my “growth” on the number of other bloggers I consider “real friends”. It certainly takes the pressure off of having great numbers all the time.
THAT is a great way to look at it. What really matters.
This is a good question, and I don’t know. I’m (still) trying to set some measurable goals after Blissdom, and I am uncertain about where to go…
I feel the same! And then if/when I set a goal…well, so much of that goal has to do with other people. It’s one thing to say “I’ll post 3 times a week” – it has to do with you, not with what will resonate with others depending upon their mood. You know? So frustrating.
I just recently started up with my food blog, and it really is frustrating some days when I go to my stats page and it tells me “3 page views today”. Alternately, when I pin something at “just” the right time on Pinterest and it goes mini-viral and I get 100 page views in an hour, my heart swells! And while Repins are nice, nothing compares to a good old-fashioned comment. However, I think as a Facebook Society, we’ve gotten so used to just clicking the “Like” button rather than coming up with a compelling comment, that people just don’t seem to think about commenting anymore.
I’ve had a personal blog for just over 10 years now, but I keep that intimate & friends-only, so not having a barrage of page views or comments on that blog doesn’t really bug me–although I still love it when people DO comment, of course.
I don’t think I’ve ever thought to put any numeric goals down, but perhaps I should… I’m thinking about doing a giveaway soon, so maybe I could tie a numeric goal to that.
It can be so frustrating to look at pageviews sometimes – even though I’m at my best #’s yet.
I love the point you make about just clicking “like” – sometimes it can indeed seem easier just to give a quick nod (in whatever internet/social media translation applies) than to leave a thoughtful comment.
Maybe the key there is to generate content which compels people to absolutely say something. I know I’ve seen content like that before and I just *needed* to say something. You know?
I definitely know what you mean. But then the challenge is finding what compels people… I have done a post before where I did an “audience participation” and asked my readers to make suggestions for their favorite bad-for-you dish so that I could re-make it in a healthier fashion… I figured that would spur on some comments, because who DOESN’T have a dish they love even though it’s awful for them? …I got one response. It was really disappointing.
Your post reminds me a lot of this other wonderfully written post I read today http://thegypsymama.com/2012/03/nothing-is-ever-as-easy-as-it-seems-especially-not-that/. You both are so wise in questioning what is enough.
How did I get so blessed as to get to read both of your posts today?
I’ve been at this a while now (a little over 5 years) and I can tell you I still want more.
I’ve never sent any specific goals, just kinda always gone with the flow of the blogosphere. Things are constantly changing, it seems. I do love the engagement. I will say I find it interesting sometimes what people do respond to and what they don’t so much… but that’s a whole ‘nother blog post – ha!
Good point – what’s going to make an impact? Sadly it changes from day to day and reader to reader at times. Talk about frustrating!
I don’t know if there’s ever enough. Even a blog I was just on that literally had over 2,000 comments- I bet that blogger wants more.
You have to decide what you want out of it. And I also think short term goals are good- they help you reach but also see what is possible. So, set a goal for a month from now and then that will help you set a 6 month goal or a year goal.
Blogging often makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel. I never quite feel like I’m at that point of “enough”. Right now? I like where I am. But at the same time, I’m still trying to do more. To grow more. To branch out more.
I’ve been focusing more on the relationships and friendships built instead of the actual numbers. A true reader relationship means more to me than higher page views.
Absolutely. Do you feel that it’s working for you? What are you focusing on?
I don’t even know what “enough” is – because I always would want more.
to me, the key point in what you wrote was people being engaged, that’s what’s important here. Sure, you could be the biggest blog out there, but if your readers are not engaged and interacting with you and your writing, then how do you know you are reaching, impacting or helping (even with laughter) anyone?
I think if you are happy with generalizing and wanting to make it the best blog it can be, then that’s your goal. Don’t set a number, because what does that really matter? When you reach it – you’d be unhappy again by wanting more or if you don’t reach that #, you might feel defeated.
Go with your gut and what makes you happy and what wanted to you start your blog in the first place!
I have changed from seeking followers to seeking comments, to seeking to write. It’s hard to say where this will take me. Or if it will evolve again.
I wish I knew what was enough. I like writing but I don’t give it enough priority to really get a good following or engage well. I’m going to Bloggy Boot Camp in Philly but I don’t even really know what I want out of it. I sort of think at some point I’ll be like “hey, yeah, THIS is what I’m moving toward” and the “THIS” will just be right in front of my face.
Great question. I feel good about my blog right now. I literally couldn’t keep up with anymore (and right now it is very low maintenance), but every once in a while I will read something from some other blogger that says something great they are doing and I will think I should be doing that.
I hope you can figure out what goals work for you.
I struggle with this for sure. I want to write what I want, but I know sometimes that doest = what people want to read. I’ve been trying to grow traffic — not comments or subscribers bc I know in advertising those things don’t mean a whole lot — and focusing on SEO so Google can do the work for me! That way I can spend more time on other’s blogs.
So mine has changed. My goal? To write a beautiful memoir for our family. I love, ADORE that people read it. But I decided to focus on me.
But if you figure out how to get more readers in some easy formula, let me know….
I don’t think anyone has come up with the answer yet.
Blogging is a double edged sword for me. I love it for the writing outlet it gives me, for the beautiful friends its helped me find, for the way I’ve discovered my self a little more. Yet at the same time, it creates such angst for me, when I can’t keep up, when my day has slipped away without me even noticing it because I’ve been so enraptured by other blogs.
I like what Maggie S had to say up there. I’d like to make mine more about the writing. When someone finds an answer, I sure hope they’ll share it with everyone. Big time luck and love on your goals. Which by the way? I think your blog is fabulous.