Lord Nazh posted recently on a matter which Pommygranate had previously posted on.
Visitors.
They both have a case and I see it as a question of:
1. a "zero sum game";
2. you have to walk before you can run.
Everyone wants to be read and appreciated. Everyone wants 200+ uniques a day. Many want entry into the unofficial "club" of established bloggers, especially the political males, a club with gentle ribbing and repartee. Some of the guys want this "real bad" and only frequent big boy blogs.
No one wants to be stuck down in the 50 or so uniques, almost begging for someone to visit. But it takes time and one must have a product to start with and blog consistently. You can't fail to blog for a month and then e-mail someone to nominate you for the Dale 100.
There are those, not many, who couldn't care less about stats - as long as their blogfriends visit, they're happy but these are a minority. Into this scenario came Blogpower last December and BP carried a clear obligation - visit others as you would have them visit you.
Now, before going any further, yes I'm aware:
1. it's the holidays and many are away;
2. it's hot and people are at the beach and outdoors;
3. people are tired after a gruelling working year.
Nevertheless, yesterday, I did a trawl through every Blogpower blog and the result was grim. Leaving aside those who have posted that they're away, there were 5 who were hardly blogging at all anyway, about 7 who regularly visit others but a whopping 22 who clearly do not visit others [at least they don't appear on MyBlogLog or in the comments] and this is contrary to the agreement.
Yet I then go to Dale/Eugenides/Dillow/Worstall/Croydonian/Dizzy and many of these 22 are out in force. And some of these 22 are the most vocal in the sphere about rights and wrongs.
I'm sorry but this is just unfair to fellow members. Let's look at this scenario:
Let's say I run a blog called Daily Comment. On Tuesdays I have up to 80 visitors but on the weekend it can drop to 35 or 40. These 40 are all good people and close blogfriends, plus a few google hits and referrals.
I join Blogpower. Instantly the regular 7 start visiting, sometimes twice a day and what's more - they're commenting intelligently [generally] on what I said. Oh gosh. Yippee.
Now twenty or thirty other BPers start to trickle in and my next Tuesday shows over 100 uniques. Avidly I visit others and slowly my Tuesdays and even Wednesdays stay over 100.
Nice theory but as Lord Nazh says, the reality is different. No more than 4 or 5 are visiting him from BP but I know he is visiting dozens. This isn't a zero sum game. It's a minus. This negates the whole purpose of Blogpower and I say firmly that it calls into question its whole existence as an organization.
Let's wait for the silly season to finish and then let's scrutinize this problem very carefully and send some e-mails to certain members.
36 comments:
If people are using readers (like Bloglines, Google Reader, etc.) then it's possible they could be reading every post yet never showing up - given the number of blogs involved I think that's quite likely.
As for comments - It's something I'm trying to work on, but leaving a comment purely for the sake of it always seems a bit pointless. Personally, I'd rather have one intelligent comment than 10 along the lines of 'nice post'.
Matt's right, the RSS feed is a very attractive way of keeping up with the latest BP posts, and I'm actively looking into adding the blogpower blogs to the others I take via RSS, which won't help from the point of view of stats.
I also share his view on comments, both for those I get and those I leave: I'll stay quiet if I don't have something intelligent/constructive/witty to add. At least, that's the theory... This is where Bloglog comes in, for me - I can literally show my face, and don't necessarily have to say anything.
If I can't think of an interesting comment I don't leave one either, but I do check to see if the blog person has mybloglog so that they know I have been by.
Maybe we should ask the blogpower members to join mybloglog. This doesn't help those using feeders only. Usually I click through to most of the blogs on my feeder. I read every summary on Pageflakes, which I love but don't always click through.
A dilemna, I know.
jmb
1. I would rather have ten comments like "nice post" than 1 intelligent comment. So there.
2. Almost no one from BP leaves comments by me little blog... Welshcakes does...
3. I find it hard to read and comment on some of the blogs on BP. I dont know where I fit in the 7 v. 22 - but I do visit many BP Blogs and comment where they interest me. I don't do political comment often.
I was away yesterday. Try an avearge over a week.
Finally, there are some BP Blogs where you have to fill in a form before commenting . I cant be arsed.
I do try and visit at least thirty blogs a day.
But I am methodical about it, I don't deny.
First on the list, put simply are those who's comments I've just answered. The fact that they have left a comment strongly suggests that they probably did a post themselves recently. People don't log in just to comment elsewhere.
Then I go and read bloggers I know post regularly and engage in discussion. The ones who always reply, should you leave a comment.
Then I look down the blogroll and think which ones I've not read for a few days and rotate them. If I know the blogger has said they're on holiday, I'll leave it.
And lastly, I'll check the avatars I don't recognise on bloglog, and if I have free time after that, I'll check out a blog or two I've not read before, but like the comments I've seen them leave elsewhere.
I can honestly say, that if anyone visits me and I don't return the favour, or don't return it enough, then please let me know and I will amend that.
I use a similar method to Crushed.
Some fair points raised here, especially about commenting for the sake of commenting (don't bother) and the problem of readers.
As a way to get around the Reader issue, jmb has a good suggestion. Let's ask everyone to sign up to MyBlogLog (it's free and takes ten seconds). At least that way we will know who has visited our sites.
We also need to accept that there are certain blogs that we will have no interest in. However, there are 50 odd blogs in BP - surely there are 15-20 that everyone will want to visit at least twice a week?
But failing all this, if you can't be bothered to read the blogs here, then why stay?
"But failing all this, if you can't be bothered to read the blogs here, then why stay?"
Ultimately that was my question pommy.
I don't use RSS readers for the fact that no one knows if they are actually read if everyone uses them :)
Comments: Comment if you want, it's not really that important. The main thing is having your friend come by and visit, conversation is simply a bonus.
I am starting to use a reader, but I do like to visit blogs individually. The reality is that if you have a subscribe option ironically more people will be reading your blog, but you will not know whether they have or not. As for comments, it is nice to get comments, but knowing people are reading is more important. If people are anything like me, getting around 10 blogs a day is about enough, along with maintaining my own blog, my marriage, my relationship with my kids, work, doing the dishes.......
...then it's possible they could be reading every post yet never showing up...
Exactly - so it's a great zero for the small blogger.
I'm actively looking into adding the blogpower blogs to the others I take via RSS, which won't help from the point of view of stats.
No it won't and if everyone does it, then stats, which are the arbiter of a blog's size slump woefully and the whole point of Blogpower is negated.
PEOPLE NEED STATS.
RSS is selfish because it doesn't help the blogger you're reading. It's reminiscent of the argument about pirate copies and licensed copies.
Pommy, as usual, you have ignored what I wrote previously. I have been asking for some time for BP to use MyBlogLog - I've run three posts on it.
Personally, it's an excellent way to see who's visited and as far as I'm concerned, someone who read the post through RSS hasn't read it.
I think we all like using feeds because it saves checking constantly for bloggers who don't post every day. But we BP memebers could agree that we would always click through on blogpower members. I usually click through because I want to read the comments.
Sorry about the newbie comment on mybloglog, your posts on same must have been before my time.
I would like to be able to show more of the mybloglog member visitors, only 10 at the moment, but don't know how to get 30 as some of you have showing. Any help would be appreciated and remember that the old lady has to have it really spelled out for her.
OK Mutley, I will leave a comment for sure next time.
jmb
James
I did actually read your post and subsequently added MyBlogLog to my blog.
I won't bother pursuing this debate any further though.
OK, I'll stick my opinion in.
I will take an RSS subscriber over a physical visitor any day - as long as I get some of both. RSS visitors are repeat visitors who have a chance to see all my postings not just those that happen to be there when they come.
RSS is in my stats - for e.g., unique visitors. I can break it out, but I don't normally.
Even now the "visit everyone every day" system cannot stick - it is impractical.
For me, I am subscribed to all the feeds, and read those in summary. Imho it is not selfish - it is efficient.
In terms of the numbers, I'm not sure where I fit in. I have read all the blogs via RSS, and visited a lot, commented on a number, and written articles responding to several.
In terms of value - I would place these 4 actions as something like 1:1:20:100 relatively for people responding to me.
I'd suggest that if it is just about traffic, it is much more effective to get out there and promote a blog (directories, search engines, blogs in your niche) rather than having a go at a couple of dozen people for not visitng for the sake of it every day.
>Lord Nazh: The main thing is having your friend come by and visit, conversation is simply a bonus.
That is the wrong way round imho. I'd prefer a conversation once a week, than a silent read daily - every time.
So what to do. I have one suggestion - let's be more flexible. Darren Rouse suggested a points system for self-discipline - can we use something like that as a guideline? See the link on my name - it is on Problogger.
If we are going to have a totally legalistic enforcement, then I for one will have to drop out - which I will regret.
Let me add a rider - being a touch provocative.
If people just want stats on their blogs, then tell me and I'll set up an "open all bookmarks" folder in Firefox - and then you will have your stats.
You will have no idea whether I read anything, but you will have your stats.
Hell, if you like I can set up a "reload every 90 minutes" on all the blogs - and you will have lots of stats.
I say it is about conversation. Moreover, it is about genuine conversation, not name checking. It is about helping each other build audiences outside the network as well as inside - and the links that boost us all in searches. It is about helping my readers discover YOUR blog and vice versa through the sidebar. That is why I value articles responding to mine so highly.
It is also about diversity and accepting that people are different. It is NOT about making people feel guilty - that way lies the demise of Blogpower.
My take.
Oh - and the link on my name on this post points to a Blogpower opml file that you can pull into your RSS reader. It is nearly complete.
Above, I like Crushed by Ingsoc's comments.
Since when have we had a legalistic format? But there is a clear part of the Blogpower ethos which requires us to visit.
You've just devoted two comments, Matt, explaining how it's done and thank you kindly.
So what's the Sergeant Major biz?
hmmm....I will be honest there are some blogpower blogs I have only read once; did'nt really enjoy and left it at that.
I am sure there must be other bp'ers like me. I have limited time to blog so probably look at about 10-15 a day and try to leave a few comments. I guess this means I get through the whole of blogpower blog either every week/month; depending on how much I like the blog. What is wrong with this?
re commenting I think people should comment more; even one comment can spark a debate for others to join on a blog and improves the blog for both the readers and owner.
Finally, I am all in favour of limiting the membership at any one time to make it more accessible; too many blogs and not enough time to read them. But that is just my two pennies.
..."visit everyone every day"...
No one is suggesting this.
...It is NOT about making people feel guilty - that way lies the demise of Blogpower...
It's good then that Blogpower doesn't do this but simply asks people to remember what BP was about in the first place.
...I say it is about conversation. Moreover, it is about genuine conversation, not name checking. It is about helping each other build audiences outside the network as well as inside - and the links that boost us all in searches. It is about helping my readers discover YOUR blog and vice versa through the sidebar. That is why I value articles responding to mine so highly...
Precisely what is contained in the BP ethos. So we're clearly at one on this.
...I get through the whole of blogpower blog either every week/month; depending on how much I like the blog. What is wrong with this?...
Nothing at all, CUS. This is basically what I do although as an admin, I should go through all.
The trouble is that these 22 were not visiting AT ALL. That was all it was. The people making comments here are clearly those who visit.
JMB has made explicit something I perhaps should have: the RSS feed I use as a way of keeping track of who has posted something new - the little stars on the blogrolling roll only seem to work for Wordpress blogs, now, for some reason - If I see a new post is up, then I tend to click on the URL to get the full effect, rather than the monochrome rendering provided by Thunderbird.
So yes, naturally, I would tend to choose the adjective efficient, rather than selfish ;)
Ian, dear friend, I didn't understand a word of that and I wonder if Welshcakes and others did.
A vague awareness that there is a thing called RSS which emanates somehow from my blog and draws people's attention to new posts.
OK - got that.
I also suspect there's some kind of reader thingy which does this for you all. Where to get one I don't know. Is it downloadable software?
There's some other thing like OPAL or whatever that Matt seems to be involved in. He also seems to have his RSS as visits. All of this is Chinese at the moment but I'm sure someone can explain.
Now I always understood that uniques were the measure of a blog's popularity but perhaps this is no longer so. I know Technorati runs on links.
So what exactly is the measure these days?
I use Bloglines to monitor BP blogs too. If I see something that interests me, I'll click through and may leave a comment as appropriate.
However, I read far more every day than just BP blogs and although I appreciate adding to the visit stats - I need to manage my time if I am to try to keep up with the volume of thoughts being expressed.
But even on this interesting line of discussion which should mean something to everyone-that is who reads your blog and from that why do you bother - has only attracted comments from a small number of BP. I've had my say as well...and Ive come back to read what everyone else has said..
Fair comment, James, I don't feel blessed with the gift of clear communication tonight... The quick answer is that Tom Paine has already done all the hard work, and that his pageflakes masterpiece makes use of the RSS feed that does indeed emanate from (nearly) all blogs. That page is an excellent example of a reader with the feeds already set up. By using this page, we can all keep up with the new posts on each member blog.
However, some of us have to be awkward... I'll try and do a standalone post some time soon that goes into some of the options, although I'm no expert myself. It's fairly straightforward.
I just use Google Reader - it's free, easy, simple, and because it is run by Google [like Blogger] I can be logged into my email and blogger accounts at the same time. Also, if you use iGoogle [like me] you can see if people have posted as soon as you open your browser.
I click through if the post interests me, so that I can see it in its original form, but means I don't spend ages loading blogs checking to see if they have posted - if they have, I know about it! Since I have started using RSS, it has saved me literally hours of searching, and enabled me to visit and read far more blogs than I would otherwise have had any chance of doing. RSS really is quite essential to the modern blogger!
this conversation has belatedly made me update the blogpower links on my site!
blogrolling.com has a ping form
It will update EVERYONE's feed to tell the people that use the blogroll that you have updated (I don't use Wordpress, yet you can easily see when I update).
The tone of this discussion is a little depressing. Since there is no way that you can enforce the requirement to visit and support other bloggers, we just have to make it as easy as possible for people to do so. I not from myBloglog that there are some people who visit regularly and some who visit hardly ever and there must be others who read using a reader and some who don't ever visit. I can honestly say that I don't visit all Blogpower blogs, but I try to get around 5-10 daily, 10-20 weekly and others I read using a reader. It is inevitable with a group like this that there will be natural selection in peoples taste in blogs. I would feel bad if people were visiting because they felt that they had to. I think that we all have to relax a little and enjoy.
All voluntary organisations have a wide variety of participation. We should be glad that we have such a great group of blogs, a vibrant community and some real virtual friendships. Let us not violate that by putting people under pressure. We are all busy.
As an aside I looked at the MyBlogLog panel and I had visited 7 of the 10 blogs in the last two days, one blog is by invitation, the other is not one I visit too often and the other is just back from holiday. Based upon my own experience, I think I am probably somewhat typical.
I would not say "depressing" - just frank discussion, no holds barred. We are opening up the issues and discussing them. Can't see the problem.
So many things to comment on:
Lord Nazh - yes, blogrolling does that and it's a way to go maybe.
Ian - RSS needs explaining and thanks for the offer to do that.
OK, there are feeds coming from each blog in the Pageflakes. Every time one of those blogs posts, it pings something on other people's sites?
How does that blogger know? A reader? Which reader? Where do you get one? Does it install in your sidebar? Or is it an e-mail to you, telling you someone's posted? Or does one physically go into Pageflakes to see?
Yes, Tom's work is no doubt good except that there's quite a few who don't understand what it's about.
It's all very well for our super-techies to swiftly sweep over this but again - we others just don't understand it and no one's explaining it to us.
TD said something here I understand - Google Reader. OK, I have a Google account. How do I access Google Reader and where do I put it? [No rude comments].
Other matters:
I've been e-mailed by members who don't want to come out into the cut and thrust of open debate and they are not happy about the tone of the comments saying that we don't need to visit each other.
A reminder of the original manifesto from the first post:
1] adopt the motto: ‘do unto other blogs as you would have them do unto you’;
2] be broadminded and accept that others in the scheme are going to have views opposed to ours. So what?;
3] include at least ten posts in a week, no matter how small;
4] actively try to get round to each blogger on our own roll at least once in two days and comment at least three times in the week;
5] promote our blogfriends with either banners, buttons or the occasional link;
6] join in their little promo things e.g. normpoll, tomlist, voluntary-code-free-zone, chicken yoghurt’s book and so on;
7] comment on other’s comments on your own blog whenever you can;
8] link – if it’s in your power to blogroll someone who’s blogrolled you, try to do it. If you can link to a member in a post, do it.
No problems except for 3] and 4].
Ten posts appears too many for some and this was posited as an idea, not as a prescription. No one's too fussed about this one.
The other one - visiting - is what I was referring to. Now, it's fair to use RSS and zero in only if someone posts. That's fair. Guy posts nothing new - well, why visit? It acts as a spur to the blogger to post.
I know enough about RSS that when I post, wham - six or seven come straight in. It's only fair that I need something similar so that if Colin posts, wham - I know to go over there.
That much is clear. Now, the $64 000 question - does this RSS reading give a "visit" to the blogger whose post I'm RSS reading?
This seems fundamental to me. If it does register with the read person - well, OK. waht are we worrying about?
But if the read person gets no advantage from it, then this is not what BP is. BP is about visiting.
clearly the debate so far has been between techies who assume one thing and non-techies who assume the other. Hence the strong words and terseness on both sides and I do mean both.
So what's required now is RSS explained, in terms of stats and not just some referral to a tech book somewhere online.
It seems that's where we are, ladies and gentlemen.
These are comments at my site on the same post. Thought it better to put them over here.
"[zero sum blogging] not just a bp issue"
15 Comments - Show Original Post Collapse comments
ScotsToryB said...
James,
O(n)T. been there, T-shirted. a couple of relatives are as you stated. I regularly visited, called, remembered birthdays, Christmas etc. When I stopped they all got verily(yea!) upset. Asked why they never reciprocated they all said they had not been invited.
My position? You're family. You do not need an invite. Currently it remains a stand-off (comment as you see fit or not, I'm a big boy and can take criticism).
My conclusion is that we think differently about 'understood values' and, sadly, they do not think.
OT. I found this site:
http://sioe.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/press-release-for-immediate-release/
and think it is worthy of a wider audience so am shamelessly spreading it in the msb (main stream bloggers).
STB.
ps Hope that raises the relevant stats!
05 August 2007 17:40
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Longrider said...
I'm one of those who couldn't give two hoots about being one of the "listed" 100 or whatever. I get regular visitors and some intelligent comment. Fortunately, most of the comment is of high quality and discussions are intelligent and well thought out; so I am grateful to those who do drop by and have their say.
I get precious little time at the end of a working day, so I cannot guarantee visiting others. I use Bloglines to see who has updated and check them out if I have the time - I will try to comment if I have something worthwhile to add to the discussion.
05 August 2007 18:04
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jmb said...
My comment is at DTB
05 August 2007 20:08
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ThunderDragon said...
I read every blogpower blog post through my RSS reader. That may well mean that I don't turn up on MyBlogLog etc, but I assure that I am reading!
The only problem with using an RSS reader is that it can make me less likely to comment!
05 August 2007 21:50
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Welshcakes Limoncello said...
Well, I do my best - I really do. If I don't always comment, that may be because the blogger has written on something I know nothing about.
05 August 2007 22:45
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Lord Nazh© said...
Got a post I think you'll like James :) Read my latest next time you stop in.
And I left my comment on DTB also.
06 August 2007 02:14
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Lord Trafalgar Rock Pigeon said...
STB - good point about the family there.
Longrider - Bloglines is relevant and certainly helps but the smaller blogger actually needs to rack up a visit from you.
TD - comment below.
Welshcakes [and let's name names here] - you are one of the Super Seven, the others being JMB, Crushed, Colin, Lady MacLeod, Liz TD and Lord Nazh.
I visit less and it's not good.
People, this is the comment I left over at DTB:
" ...then it's possible they could be reading every post yet never showing up...
Exactly - so it's a great zero for the small blogger.
I'm actively looking into adding the blogpower blogs to the others I take via RSS, which won't help from the point of view of stats.
No it won't and if everyone does it, then stats, which are the arbiter of a blog's size slump woefully and the whole point of Blogpower is negated.
PEOPLE NEED STATS.
RSS is selfish because it doesn't help the blogger you're reading. It's reminiscent of the argument about pirate copies and licensed copies.
Pommy, as usual, you have ignored what I wrote previously. I have been asking for some time for BP to use MyBlogLog - I've run three posts on it.
Personally, it's an excellent way to see who's visited and as far as I'm concerned, someone who read the post through RSS hasn't read it.
5:03 AM, August 06, 2007 "
06 August 2007 06:10
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UBERMOUTH said...
I would join blog power if I got a special hat and a title of course.
06 August 2007 12:37
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Lord Trafalgar Rock Pigeon said...
Ghost Writer?
06 August 2007 14:19
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MJW said...
Part of my ego thinks it would be nice to be a premier league blogger, the rest of me is happy just to use my personal blog as a sounding board. I have no idea what the stats are for my blogs, but then I spend a large chunk of my working life analysing the website performance of a well known music broadcaster and various rivals, so it would be a bit too much like work.
Besides my best blogging (in my own opinion of course) is the niche interest stuff I do on rugby league and I've never really taken the time to promote it although it would probably be easier than promoting a personal blog.
06 August 2007 15:00
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UBERMOUTH said...
Some of my readers call me Sybil. People take unbrage at a girl with a big mouth and a sharp tongue.............but isn't that British humour at it's best.Not to mention " I am God!" which seems to get the nimby's upset.
Do you believe that I exist now James?
06 August 2007 17:01
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UBERMOUTH said...
Why do I always see STD when I see STB? :)
06 August 2007 17:02
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Longrider said...
"Bloglines is relevant and certainly helps but the smaller blogger actually needs to rack up a visit from you."
I'm here, aren't I? ;)
I don't have a problem with RSS, but then, I've set mine to partial feeds following wholesale theft by a splog last year...
06 August 2007 18:19
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lady macleod said...
you are right. you are right. you are right.
06 August 2007 21:01
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Lord Trafalgar Rock Pigeon said...
Laze and Gem,
I'm transferring all your comments over to the BP version of this post and closing off comments here. The idea is to put the discussion now in one place.
07 August 2007 11:09
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I have wakened only to comment here - my blog sleeps on.
I too find the article and comments depressing but not surprising. I think BP is suffering as many organisations do as they grow in age and size. Differences become magnified and the risk of splitting apart increases.
James shows this when he states "... the reality is different. No more than 4 or 5 are visiting him[LN]from BP but I know he is visitnmg dozens. ..... This negates the whole purpose of Blogpower and I say firmly that it calls into question its whole existence as an organization."
That LN visits dozens of blogs but only 4 or 5 visit him is simply life. We all do what we can. Expecting all BPers to visit all (or most) BP blogs is untenable.
When I was active in BP I visited regularly no more than 20 blogs of about 40: the other 20 didn't interest me enough. Did I get an equivalent return? No. Some days I had only 7 visitors and on good days 20 but BP visits were always less than half the total. Did I want more BP visits? Yes. Did I have a problem with getting so few BP visits? No, because my blog obviously wasn't atractive enough to get more BP return visits. That's life.
LN had more visitors than I because his blog was more attractive to readers. That's life.
BP is a community but it can never be be a community of equals - nor should it ever strive to be.
In general, people will visit and return if they like a blog enough and if they have the time. BP is not a community if there is a demand, or even the expectation, that members visit others regularly. All who display the BP blogroll are supporting BP even if they visit no BP blogs.
BP should hope and wish that members visit othe BP blogs but should never expect.
I'm going back to sleep now and I hope when next I waken that BP has found the ability to chill out.
>That much is clear. Now, the $64 000 question - does this RSS reading give a "visit" to the blogger whose post I'm RSS reading?
I get - using the WP plugin Slimstat-Ex - RSS stats and Blog visitors stats in different tabs.
I also get RSS visitor stats via Feedburner - and I display the raw number on the blog.
Matt W
Thanks Gone but not forgotten Callum. I too think that people should chill out a little and enjoy what we have before we alienate people. The reality is that we have three times as many people in Blogpower as when we started, so that chances of being visited are significantly higher. If you look at James, he has had the reward of all those hours of going and visiting blogs. There was a long period when he was the only person who seemed to visit my blog. I appreciate that and can certainly see where he is coming from. Would I recommend that everybody follow James's blog reading strategy? No way. Each to his own and please everybody enjoy what we have in Blogpower.
Colin: we have probably double the people in BP since I got here and my chances of being visited have steadily went down.
Since my readership (according to feedburner) is also down then I can only conclude that my visits are indeed down, not higher (even significantly higher).
The main point I don't understand is why are we in BP if it's not to visit and help each other out? You can simply get the BP RSS without ever joining, or you could have visited all the blogs without joining, what's the real point in actually joining?
I agree with Colin that we do need to chill out and relax. BP is an excellent vehicle for encouraging the smaller blogger. On that we are all agreed.
But i also believe Nazh and James have a valid point. This is James' baby after all and he outlined the rules (guidelines). When i signed up to join BP, i noted point (4) which states,
4] actively try to get round to each blogger on our own roll at least once in two days and comment at least three times in the week;
I don't think it's fair to join someone's club, benefit from the increased traffic and dialogue and then say, oh well, i havent the time to visit other BP bloggers.
To those who don't get around the blogs, id say there's no need to enforce rules or increase regulations, but just contribute a bit. Be part of the community.
If you don't like the community, you can always leave it.
"BP is an excellent vehicle for encouraging the smaller blogger. On that we are all agreed."
On that we aren't all agreed Pommy :) This would be a true statement IF we weren't discussing the fact that people in BP don't actually visit those small bloggers to encourage them. (note Calum Carr as an example of someone who was very small and entered BP only to get minimal hits/comments from BP)
I'm running JMB's comment as a separate post because there are diagrams in it which don't show up here in comments.
The danger is in splitting the thread into two places but I suggest that general comments continue here and specific comments on JMB's explanation go to her post.
LN
I don't have a problem with getting so few visitors from BP. BP gave me a shop window by getting my blog listed on 30 or so blogrolls. It was then up to me to produce a blog which people wanted to revisit. I didn't achieve this. That's down to me.
Don't get me wrong: I wanted more visitors but my product wasn't attractive enough
We shouldn't expect BPers to visit blogs they don't enjoy but we should expect them to advertise BP blogs by showing the BP blogroll.
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