How Did I Kill My Blog?

Published on April 27, 2005 By Gideon MacLeish In Blogging

I'm wondering how I did it.

At one time, my blog being in the top ten was almost a given. In fact, the only time it fell below was when I was offline due to having no access to the computer.

Now, however, I'm at 14 and falling. Our favorite anti-Catholic blogger is about to leap on top of me. Most of the bloggers above me are worthy, don't get me wrong, but it's pretty embarassing to be on the brink of being passed by Jerry Falwell's retarded stepbrother!

I know some of my articles have been stretching a bit, but I think I'm back after my "slump". Article views and replies would seem to disagree, however.

I'm going to solicit a little constructive criticism (rare for me): How did my blog die SO badly, and how can I get some momentum back?

Comments (Page 1)

BlueDev

on Apr 27, 2005

I can only speak for myself Gideon, so I wouldn't dare to presume this is what others encounter.

It is a matter of being too proficient. In the time I have to read blogs each day most of the folks I regularly try to read have one or two new blogs a day. They probably average out to one a day if you take into account the days they don't post anything. That is manageable. I can read one article a day (from each of the bloggers I regularly read) and comment on the ones I find worth commenting on.

Lately, though, I just can't keep up with your amazing ability. I really do admire your writing, but just don't have the time to read 5+ articles some days. I also understand that you don't publish every day, but I still find myself having a hard time keeping up, and so my readership has declined.

Just my personal experience.

Gideon MacLeish

on Apr 27, 2005

...unfortunately, my time is limited, with library access and all and so all my articles get published in the "push" of the time I'm online.

Maybe that will change once I get internet access at home again (I'm hoping ad banners on the sister site will help with the financial end of that deal), and my articles are a little more "spread out". Until then, I guess I'm gonna hafta play second fiddle to Cooley

BlueDev

on Apr 27, 2005

Yeah, I understand the difficulties of when and where you can post.

Also worth mentioning is that there has been some extreme 'wonkiness' for lack of a better word, in the points that some sites are getting. Things appear to be okay on the surface right now, but rankings have been acting up a bit.

chiprj

on Apr 27, 2005

I think there is something hokey with the points system. But it seems random. I first noticed it when my blog went from top 20ish to 3rd in a span of 3-4 days despite few weekly contributions, let alone daily additions. I was getting tons of page views out of nowhere and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It stayed there for a month and then plummeted. Also during this time frame, I saw a few new bloggers, with no more than a dozen articles at the time, rocket into top positions. It's still going on. There are blogs with little to no new activity (just like mine was at the time of my rise in the rankings) holding high positions. greywar actually posted an article about it a while back and I commented that all my extra traffic/points was very odd, since I hadn't really been doing much at the time to maintain my blog. I was mostly posting articles for the JU fantasy leagues and the occasional rant.

So, to answer your question - I dunno. But, I'm thinking maybe you didn't really kill it.

chiprj

on Apr 27, 2005

Also worth mentioning is that there has been some extreme 'wonkiness' for lack of a better word, in the points that some sites are getting. Things appear to be okay on the surface right now, but rankings have been acting up a bit.

I was writing my comment when you wrote this, but that sums up what I'm thinking...

Ionolast

on Apr 27, 2005

My site was #1 for awhile (though I don't really know why). Then this past Friday, under Blog Navigator, it said Score 0, Articles 0. Now it says Score 475, Articles 16. At least the number of articles is correct now. I sent emails to both Brad and KarmaGirl, but still no replies.

Moderateman

on Apr 27, 2005

wish I knew mine has fallen from the top 10 to the top 15 to off the map somewhere in the 30;'s if you find out will you tell me?

Ionolast

on Apr 27, 2005

You're all just jealous. hahaha jk

Dr Guy

on Apr 27, 2005

wish I knew mine has fallen from the top 10 to the top 15 to off the map somewhere in the 30;'s if you find out will you tell me?

Mine went from 4, down to 19 last I checked. That was when Icon had like 150k points! I gave up trying to figure it out.

Dr Guy

on Apr 27, 2005

You're all just jealous. hahaha jk

hey! if I had that many points, you would be jealous too! I dont begrudge you your day (or week) in the sun. You earned it! But I doubt even Danny can unravel this enigma!

imajinit

on Apr 27, 2005

i'm not sure if you're just referring to your readership, your # of replies, your overall blog rating or all of the above, but I can tell you that I can relate to some extent.

I was once the #2 blogger here on the top ten (for a short period of time), and was in the top ten for a long time. I know why i dropped off... I stopped blogging for a long time.

but lately I've been trying to make a bit of a comeback (no worries about getting back into the top ten), but I barely get any replies to my new stuff. I don't know why that is, and i refuse to write an article whining about it... DOh!!! hehehe... but i'm all about hopping on your thread and whining all i want.

tell you what, you read my blog once in a while, (and comment), and i'll read yours. tit for tat, quid pro quo, you scratch my back and i'll...

well, you get the idear

Ionolast

on Apr 27, 2005

I dont begrudge you your day (or week) in the sun. You earned it!

I did?

Ionolast

on Apr 27, 2005

I dont begrudge you your day (or week) in the sun. You earned it!

I did?

Ionolast

on Apr 27, 2005

That was when Icon had like 150k points

When and where did you see that? The most points I've seen for myself is 2959.

bakerstreet

on Apr 27, 2005

To me the "top blogs" list is meaningless. That shows the activity in the last 30 days. I dunno about anyone else but the main reason I wander on and off that list several times a year is because I have a LIFE.

The other "top users" list is more important to me, because it shows your activity, how much you put into our little "community" here. Instead of your past input being washed out ever 30 days, your contribution adds up there.

So I wouldn't sweat it. I remember being #4 for months on the top blogs a long time ago. Then I slipped to about 16-20 and stayed there for at least a year.

I accept my varying status as a sign that I'm NOT a points whore, and I am proud of the fact. If I wanted to make 10,000 points by the end of the weekend, I'm pretty confident that I could do it. I don't have much interest in the kind of material it takes to do that, though, and I wouldn't feel I had really earned it.

Points whoring is kind of sad, imho. Blogging isn't a contest, I hope. And even if it is, there are bloggers that get featured on national TV that are far enough ahead of us to ever bother worrying with it.

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