Today is the 80th day of the year. This is my 65th post this year and #1300 for blog. There have only been xxxx views, and 137 comments (excludes myself). 43 of the comments from the #1 (the best) Commenter in the Blogosphere (Fuji), and 12 with Dion who he and I have traded about that many times this year and whose cards I am showing tonight.
This pyramid of Braves were all needs from my want lists. Thank you Dion.
Back to the question at the forefront. Is this happening all around us? Or is it that I am just too boring? Many bloggers write for themselves. I am not one of those, heck most of the time I am just showing the cards that I get in or find a super deal on which is really what my blog is all about (not so much the writing). So, because I do need the views and comments I have to ask myself whether or not the 10 hours (sometimes double) each week I spend on preparing the cards for the blog is worth it? If I took January out of the equation, the numbers are really really really horrible. Yeah, it has me in the dumps. I held my first contest of the year this month. I usually have several throughout the year basically to reward followers. This contest had 4..... 4 comments from 34 views. Heck, the results post which showed zero cards had 37 views and 2 comments. I guess what I am saying is I take my joy from reading the comments, and it's just not been there (Mark this excludes you... I hope you're doing well). This summer will mark my 6th anniversary, not long I know, but I am considering saying goodbye on that date.
I'll finish up the last two Jacksonville card show posts tomorrow and Saturday.
Have a great weekend!
I'm just getting back into blogging again after a while.. I had to step away from everything for a while.. Even coming to my desktop computer gave me anxiety, so I wouldn't go into the computer room..
ReplyDeleteI have tons of life stuff going on so reading and commenting on posts is way down. I have also seen a few posts from people taking a break or shutting it down which makes me sad but if you look at my posting frequency I am not doing much better. I am hoping the start of the baseball season pumps me up and the community as well.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I have always really liked those Bazooka relics, nice card.
John, I enjoy the posts and probably read all but may not comment as much as I'm reading. and some of your Tuesday posts I've looked and went straight to email in stead of the comments, on a personal basis for my blog I started to document and keep track of my autographs and concerts etc... so as it's nice to get comments that isn't why I started as noted above comment I have also seen some end or state will not active so... your probably getting caught in a little of it all and some may have gone to out outlets like twitter......
ReplyDeleteLooks like you hit a home run with the Bazooka Blasts card.
DeleteMy life has been insanely busy since summer and I perpetually feel that I'm not giving everything in my life enough time and that goes for commenting on blogs. Nothing personal. It's just where I'm at.
ReplyDeleteGreg, just take care of you and your family. I also know that you super really love March madness/spring training, hehehe.
DeleteIt's kind of funny that you brought this up today, because I had a paragraph about this very thing at the beginning of my post from today, I ended up deleting that paragraph though, as it was a bit more confrontational.
ReplyDeleteRest assured, it's not just you, I think that not counting the "big 3", views and comments are down for pretty much everyone else. I'd like to think that I'm a fairly decent commenter, not anywhere near Fuji of course, but I have been trying to leave even more in an attempt to take up everyone else's slack.
I don't blame people for not commenting if they're are busy with work and family, but I see certain bloggers on Twitter all day (not naming any names), and I can't help but wonder why they don't spend some of that time commenting on the posts of their fellow bloggers - it may be just my opinion, but supporting other bloggers should be more important than Twittering.
Like you, I don't blog for myself, I do it for the interaction. I work alone for the most part, and I don't go out and socialize much (if ever), so for the most part, blogging is my only real opportunity to interact with others - and when comments aren't coming in, it becomes a lot more difficult to want to blog.
Yeah, that is/was my point. I'm kind of home bound myself (taking care of my uncle 24/7, and before that was caring for my mom). I get 1 half day each month where I pay someone to be with my uncle while I drive 2+ hours each way to a card show.
DeleteCongrats on post #1300, John! I hope you stick around for at least 1300 more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gav!
DeleteHi John! I'm still reading your blog. I've just got back into blogging and collecting regularly again after a hiatus for a few years. A new work schedule makes commenting during the day hard, so I typically read posts from the train to and from work. While that is a fun way to commute, there is often a lack of signal underground, making commenting hard. Would hate to see you leave! Thanks for this post--I'll definitely make a more concerted effort to comment and support my fellow bloggers.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to get you back in the realm. I hadn't had to look for "Dodgers in the background" in a long time.
DeleteStill reading, too, but just more sporadically. Spring and fall are my busy seasons and the hobby takes a back seat.
ReplyDeleteNot good enough! You need to fire everyone else, and put an "OUT OF ORDER" sign on your door, lol. I'm kidding you know.
DeleteHello! I posted today for the first time in five weeks. I've been using my phone for everything pretty much and blog reading there just doesn't work. I do use Twitter on my phone but that's about it. I've dropped by a couple times to catch up on reading and leave a few comments for you. I think life is just busy for so many. BTW, the Bazooka Blasts is a great card! I miss the Bazooka line.
ReplyDeleteYes, I noticed how you read multiple posts at a time and you do comment on each of them and it is appreciated.
DeleteThe blogs are in a weird space right now. I've never had a ton of comments, but my page views are down on my past few posts for sure. I'm still reading though!
ReplyDeleteMaybe they were all from Russian hackers anyway and that traffic is trailing off due to Google Plus shutting down soon. Who knows.
We've also had a couple people bow out due to health issues, sadly.
Eh, I don't mind the Russian hackers, I paid them anyways, lol. I just glad that damn shoe lady is gone.
DeleteI try to read as much as possible, but don't comment unless I have something to say. I figure reading the article contributes to the view total and that's good enough. Perhaps I should comment more, but I would think "thanks for the post" would get too repetitive.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on post 1300 though. Hope you hang around for more.
Thanks! I get that (your point). I read way too many blogs to comment on all of them too. I do try to balance it. I count the views too, just hard to know how many of those are bots.
DeleteStill reading, and always do! Though admittedly commenting has been a bit inconsistent for me. Much of my blog reading lately has been relegated to select chunks of time in the wee morning -- not exactly my most lucid moments.
ReplyDeleteLucid.....What's Lucid? JK. If I catch myself reading blogs in the wee hours, I tend to get lost in them.
DeleteTwitter is king and maybe you can do some promoting of your blog posts there while interacting with other like minded folks - it seems like the 'cool kids' who had card blogs years ago have migrated to Twitter.
ReplyDeleteIt is easier to spit something out on Twitter instantaneously - than craft a blog post that may take an average of an hour at a time.
In my opinion, there are literally three or four card blogs that get any sort of dedicated traffic and or comments - it's personally depressing, but the rest of the card blogosphere are sort of left hanging, regardless of anything else.
This blog is my only "social" outlet unless you count e-mail oh yeah the telephone (I use it for talking, I don't even like texting that much). Don't want anything to do with that world.
DeleteSo many hobby blogs to read, so little time.
ReplyDeleteSo many sets to inventory and organize, so little time.
So many wantlists to write, so little time.
So many of my own blog articles to write, so little time.
So many other life things (family, work, sleep, eating, etc.), so little time.
I've been blogging slightly over a year myself and I'm sure my comments/views are way lower than yours, especially since I don't post nearly as often as you do. But I do know that there is definitely a number of people out there who do read the blog and I'm thankful for them. So I will keep plugging away as time permits and I hope you do too. Congrats on #1300!
Thanks!
DeleteHey bud, sorry to hear blogging has you in the dumps. I totally understand where you're coming from. We put a lot of effort into writing and it's nice to know that there are people out there who are reading it. I think that's a pretty natural feeling.
ReplyDeleteBased on the number of comments... I'd say you have a solid following. After my mom passed away, I took a few weeks away from the blogosphere to take care of family business. And even now, I'm still selective on which posts I comment (although I try to read as many as I can). I figure I won't be back to 100% reading and commenting until after her service in April.
As for those cards... I absolutely love Bazooka memorabilia cards. That Sheffield is sweet!
Mark, you just take care of you right now. You have always been there for everyone of us out here.
DeleteI noticed my read counts were down unless it was a loot post or one of the bat-arounds. Maybe we are losing ground to Twits, but I've never been one of the "cool kids", so I haven't made the leap. I feel like it's just catering to the short attention spans.
ReplyDeleteUs readers are out here, so keep the faith!
Yeah, I don't tweet, snap, face, or insta nothing. This blog is as close to social media as I get, lol.
DeleteI don't think so...I just feel like everyone in the world is sort of busy right now and it can be reflected in the blogs sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBut I always enjoy seeing your new pickups and your shadow shots.
Good thing I still have a ton loaded.
DeleteI have never gotten much commentary on my blog. This year I have 112 comments on 80 posts, which includes a lot of spam.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually going to take a look at your wantlists again soon to see if i have enough for another trade.
I am good even with 1 card trades. should be easy to find something, lmk.
DeleteI still read most of the blogs I have been reading for ages and the few newer ones I started subscribing to. I tend to read more than actually comment. Sometimes I comment on almost any blog I read, other times I just do the reading. I feel like I should really just concentrate on posting on my blog and not so much my daily reading of blogs. My "bare minimum" posting quota is one post per month.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing, couldn't possibly comment on everyone that I read. I try to balance it out though. I'm to the point that I'm afraid to follow anymore blogs (I want too), because I can't read all of the ones I already follow. I do try though.
Delete