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Blogging Advice

Blogging Advice

From Robert Stacy McCain, on the eve of the 7 millionth visit to The Other McCain:

One of the common complaints of newbie bloggers is that it’s impossible for them to break through into the top ranks of the blogosphere, because Big Bloggers hog up all the traffic. But notice that two of our top referrers — Conservatives4Palin and Legal Insurrrectiondidn’t even exist when I started blogging full-time in March 2008.

Thus we see that the blogosphere is a work-in-progress and new contributions are always welcome, but (a) newbies must persist through the “zero hour” discouragement when traffic is low, and (b) successful start-up blogs are those that actually contribute something new to the discussion, whatever that “something new” may be. Also, if what you’re doing isn’t working as well as you’d hoped, try doing something different.

Here’s my advice, which consists entirely of what to AVOID:

Have fun.

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Comments

Hi, Professor. I started blogging in 2004 and while I never had great numbers, I did enjoy a moment or two in the sun (especially when the NY Post quoted me). But like many of us, I don’t do it for the numbers, or – in my case -for the readers. I started writing right after I had a heart transplant because it allowed me an outlet that I badly needed. I’ve take a short break recently (for personal reasons), but when I write again, I won’t care if I have 5 readersw, 1,000 readers or even zero readers. As long as I can articulate what I believe and perhaps motivate one person to see the darkness of liberalism, I’ll be a happy man.

Wow! Brilliant advice Professor! I liked all those links too. They describe my occasional moods perfectly. In fact, on reading this post I feel you have been reading my mind (if not my blog).

It is indeed so very hard when beginning to blog,and very frustrating to write what one considers an insightful piece, only to realize that about 20 people read it, and those include one’s parents, brothers, sisters and best friends. And the neighbours. However, if one is lucky one suddenly receives a mini-Instalanche from a certain Professor Jacobson and then it’s all hands on deck. 😀

When I quit trying to break into semi-serious blogging and went back to just captioning silly pictures, I felt an immense sense of relief.

MaggotAtBroadAndWall | July 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm

It seems to me that the key to driving big blog traffic, and attracting unhinged commentary, begins with a post about the president, the media, a hamburger, and Dijon.

But you’re the expert — I don’t even have a blog.

I’ve been blogging for six years. The blog I’m on started out as a group blog, but the other authors have all moved on for the most part. My traffic is miniscule. I don’t have any ads, or even a tip jar, so I’m just doing it as a sort of oddball hobby.

Of course I waste my time looking at Sitemeter stats than I should, but I recommend the Feedjit map widget for low volume bloggers like myself. It show you visits by geography and which posts they read. The spread of your readers locations is more interesting than a bar graph bouncing up and down.

It also reenforces that no matter how small your voice may be, it still has reach. Plus you’ll get oddities you can puzzle over — for example I have a regular reader from Mecca. I have no idea if they come for my reposted Stratfor articles, or the Hot Stratfor Babes, but they’re a regular visitor. I like to think I’m dripping doubt into the heart of Islam, even if it only a single drop every week or so.

The Professor’s “Have fun” is the best advice of all when it comes to blogging.

[…] far as Professor Jacobson goes, when he has a post entitled “Blogging Advice“, my ears perk up. There’s probably not a more thoughtful and insightful blogger out […]

ConserveLiberty | July 3, 2011 at 9:23 pm

Professor: I wouldn’t call it grouchy. Prickly, maybe.

Congrats on the 500th (+ at least one)!

[…] orHit the freaking tip jar.You saw No. 2 coming, right?UPDATE: Linked at POH Diaries and by Professor Jacobson at Legal Insurrection — thanks!/**/ Category: Blogging, How to Get a Million Hits on Your BlogComments […]

Alan Kellogg | July 5, 2011 at 3:36 am

I started blogging in 2001, and today I’m lucky to get more than 10 hits in a day. Because I’ve been inconsistent in blogging, and most recently the jerks at GoDaddy ripped off my old domain.

It’s not enough to blog, you have to give your readers a reason for dropping by and reading your stuff

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