Friday, July 08, 2005

Blog Potion Number 9.5

I tell myself that this blog is just a journal for personal use, and it happens to be online, and sometimes people happen to comment.

But really, it's all about the comments. It's odd how some days you can get many comments, and other days none. You say to yourself - I was extra funny today, what's the problem?

Or you have an off day and write what you think is a lackluster post, and you get nine comments. You try to analyze the topic, the tone - what was it you did right that day? Or were people just in a chatty mood? Day of the week? The weather? Nothing good on TV?

Was the post too long? Too short? Should I create a 'reasons I the reader did not comment' poll? Would non-commenting types really bother to take a poll?

I'm not alone. Many bloggers enjoy feedback. Perhaps I could start a paid subscription service - for X amount every month, I will read your blog daily and post a goodly comment. Hmmn. A while back, I jokingly considered starting a blog printing/binding service, so people could have snazzy hard copies of their blogs. I think many folks would enjoy that - Litany mentioned converting hers to book form the other day, and reminded me. Mebbe it could be one business with multiple services.

Looking at the StatCounter info, I see that my months ago mention of the keywords "showering naked gym" gets hits every day, though (thankfully?) these folks are not commenting. If I want more hits, I suppose I need to talk about getting all soapy, sudsy and wet and scrubbing myself at the gym, surrounded by naked men and their hairy backsides. (that should get me some hits, hoo yeah) Hmn, no thanks.

Perhaps I need to compose a formula which would dictate the use of popular subjects then in the news, establish the optimum post frequency - twice a day would be good, best post length, eye-friendly quantity of line breaks/new paragraphs, links to always high quality web sites, a topical variety of subject matter - say three separate but somehow related subjects, each of which would appeal to different people and encourage different commenter. And pictures - cool pics that tie in and emphasize my exquisitely lucid points and objectives.

What am I trying to run here, FHM?

Screw it, I'll just keep rambling.

8 comments:

  1. Yeah, I keep wondering the logic of comments too.

    Getting someone to organize your blog into a neat little printed package would be great. If I had any money and it wasn't expensive, I might even pay for it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very "layered" post . . . very reflexive . . .

    but there is no trackable logic--that's the fun of it--don't you think it's just all about the reader's mood?

    hmmmm . . . these are the issues we are tackling in lit theory right now too . . .

    ReplyDelete
  3. Trackable logic - not really. But I can try to track why I personally do not comment on a specific post.

    1) I know nothing about the topic, and so don't feel qualified to chime in.

    2) The topic is something I'm familiar with, but tired of hearing about (The Michael Jackson Trial).

    3) The post doesn't 'click' with me in such a way that I feel compelled to add my opinion. (this variable is 50% the post's tone, and 50% my mood)

    4) The post is a closed, internal narrative that doesn't encourage input.

    5) The comment I would make has already been made by a previous commenter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Comments are great.

    Blogging is really the only form of media that allows for near instant feedback.

    It's like if you have a column in the newspaper. The paper may sell a million copies a day...but are people actually reading 'my' column?

    It was a sobering experience to see that almost half of my visitors spend less than 5 seconds on my blog.

    There's nothing quite like writing something, and then hearing from people who actually have taken the time out of their day to read what you've written.

    It's like: "Wow, people actually care about what I have to say!"

    If I find a blog I like, I'll comment even if it's just to say 'good post'. I want to encourage the blogger to keep writing.

    Like this, kinda

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOL- FHM- Hubbys fav mag.


    I happen to like the blogs that are just different- No formula needed...Organized chaos...thats the REALLY good ones.

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mmm... comments!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't like commenting just for the sake of commenting. I feel like doing so is similar to, in conversation, speaking up even when you have nothing valuable to add. I agree with all of the reasons you listed, too.

    Sometimes I feel like commenting turns into a competition of who can be the most clever, and that gets old, too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Especially after Kato has commented. I mean, who can beat The Kato for cleverness?

    ReplyDelete