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I’m writing here on a beautiful Saturday morning here at Dos Palmas, Website In A Weekend World Headquarters. And I’m thinking of you, the poor blogger racing around and around the hamster wheel.
You have a lot to learn, and a short time to learn it. (I do too!)
And while we’re learning all the tough stuff, and getting our writing handled, we feel we have to spend great gobs of time out there promoting.
To some extent this is true. We do have to get the word out; we do have to build relationships.
To another extent, maybe not. Maybe we don’t need to continually Promote! Promote! Promote! all the time.
For example, my near-term goal is keeping Website In A Weekend’s 3 month Alexa number under 50k. So I have been figuring out my promotional efforts to be the minimum required to stay around 50k.
It’s working. You can check for yourself.
The current result: my Alexa numbers are holding up really, really well despite taking a couple of months off the commenting circuit – and being virtually invisible on Twitter.
Minimizing promotion
Minimizing promotion let’s me pour a lot of energy into taking care of my League of Extraordinary Blogger clients (because they’re paying for my time), continuing to develop WordPress plugins for you to use for free (’cause I just like doing such things), and continuing to develop products which I hope you like (which are useful to me in any case).
I’m not going to say why I believe my traffic is holding up. At least, not here.
Because it flies smack in the face of “what everyone knows is true.”
If you really want to know why I believe my traffic is holding up (based on Alexa numbers) without my active promotion, go ahead and subscribe to the newsletter using the form below. I’ve already written and scheduled that newsletter; it goes out Tuesday morning June 22, 2010 at 3:51 am Eastern US time.
Back in the saddle soon
I do plan on hitting the commenting circuit very soon, and very hard. Not just for commenting though. I like to see what’s going on, who’s new and brightly shining, and generally keep a finger on the pulse of the community. The commenting is a side effect of that, really.
Finally, if you’re tired of the hamster wheel, just get off it. You don’t have to comment on every single blog. You don’t have to be on Twitter all the time. You don’t even need to post every day (but you should probably still write every day, that practice thing). Take a break. You deserve it!
We’ll all be here when you get back.
Update: Michael Martine explains exactly where I am right now, much less promoting, much more giving. Link courtesy of Justine Smith (Justine’s Media).
Hmmm, I think I’m on your list already, but I’m not taking any chances and will fill out that form as soon as I’m done commenting.
Here’s to getting off the hamster wheel! Our best work in terms of posts and creative business ideas generally come when we’re taking some time away. That’s a darn lucky thing for me, considering how much I like my free time :)
I’m looking forward to seeing you out and about in the community. Reading and commenting on blogs brings is so rewarding to me on top of the traffic increase. I’ve learned a ton, been inspired, and met many interesting characters along the way.
Jean Sarauer´s last post ..What My Father Taught Me About Blogging
I tend to go full on or full off, with not much in between.
This is all very much a performance art in my mind. As with any performance art, that downtime can be used to improve fundamental skills.
In this particular blogging lull, I’ve been working like crazy behind the scenes learning and implementing on the back end. Stuff nobody sees. Or, they see the result, which looks easy, without the sweat in the background. And that’s the way it should be!
Dave Doolin´s last post ..How To Fly To The Moon In Two Easy Steps (and blogging stuff)
Dave, I just subscribed to your newsletter.
I’ve been taking steps lately to spend less time on social media so I have more time to create products. I’m fairly new to Twitter and I’m trying to build a larger list of followers and connect with more people there, so it’s taking some effort.
I also have certain bloggers that I resonate with and want to connect with, so I have special folders in my feed reader for the high-priority folks. (You’re on that list…)
I hope you’re taking most of this Sunday off to enjoy early summer.
John Soares´s last post ..Selling Information Products Weekend Reading 2010-06-18
John, I really like what you’re doing up there around Dunsmuir or Weed or wherever. I’ve lived all over, and your neck of the woods is as nice as it comes.
Thanks again for your time and attention. I may have a few questions for you in the future.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Quest for the perfect post: Empathize, Entertain, Educate!
Ha, That notion of the hamster wheel def. caught my attention. I wrote a post about it a couple months ago. Don’t even know for sure what all I said but anyway thanks for the article. What catches my attention the most is the newsletter of course (signing up now) and the fact even since I don’t post everyday I should still write. I needed that bit of a nudge.
As for my alexa it’s slowly creeping toward 100k and I haven’t been promoting near as much as I use to. Nor commenting but I use to think I had to comment on every blog I visited and realize the importance of not sometimes, especially when I have nothing but a rant on the post. :) So I’m learning.
Peace
Lee
p.s. Happy Fathers Day to all
Lee… these things go in cycles. I built my current traffic with around 6 weeks of obscenely productive commenting. It was draining. No way to keep that pace forever. It was something I built up to and tapered off from. I’ll do another here in a month or two: everywhere you look, there I will be. Hopefully with even better comments (really good comments are quite an art).
Sometimes, though, the length of the comment doesn’t really matter. What matters is seizing the essence in as few words as possible: Never stop writing.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..I unlaunched the **** out of my ebook – Navarro & Dunford done bass ackwards
There’s those 3 words of encouragement that I always need. And from you there starting to sink in and mean a lot. Sincerely.
Also I am quite heavily leaning towards starting a new project or projects I should say.( I know what your thinking out loud), but they are related so will really be as one. Take money to make money tho. Got my first check sent out today from shareasale so I will be reinvesting(hopefully) in more viable stuff. Like blog post engineering or something similar.
Never Stop Writing
Never Stop Writing…
Never Stop………
Lee
Lee´s last post ..Get into the Mind of a Deep Thinker Through His Photos and Storytelling
Lee, hold off until 0.7.2 (Barger) for Blog Post Engineering. It will be worth the wait, and will save you from downloading an update.
I’ll announce 0.7.2 on the list, looks like about a week out from here.
thanks for the heads up!
Lee´s last post ..Get into the Mind of a Deep Thinker Through His Photos and Storytelling
We all have our own agendas and sadly I lost contact with many of my older blogging friends as they set out to conquer the world the only problem with that is when they come back and I’m SUPER rich it will be to late :) I stay available locally 24/7 to the people sites I do but people online I don’t switch up on them they usually cover that part I just watch the wheels go round and round and try to do my best at being the same person I have always been. Plus I learned most bloggers I invested time in weren’t really worth knowing anyway that sounds cold blooded but I found I was the one always linking to them writing about them and now I don’t have to worry about them LOL :)
Happy Summer everyone
Getting off the wheel for me was to realize I was wasting time and getting taking for granted so why bother :) I still link to people and promote people but not because I feel I have to but cause I want :)
Peace
John Sullivan´s last post ..Shirley Osei-Mensah posted a tweet
John, yes, completely true: everyone has an agenda, whether they are willing to admit it or not.
My stated agenda here on Website In A Weekend (stated repeatedly), is to make a fair bit of coin to get me self-funded in software development. The startup funding situation is pretty grim right now. All this marketing and writing I’m doing will pay me back in any case.
How I plan on making that coin? Excellent question… what I really think I’m doing here is helping people tell their own stories.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..How To Fly To The Moon In Two Easy Steps (and blogging stuff)
Wow, this post was effective at converting email signups. Holla. I am definitely intrigued to hear what you have to say about it. As I move forward with my online endeavors, I will need to learn better ways to make the most of my online networking time. I want to read everyone’s stuff and comment and tweet around with people, but the time I can give to that is just limited, plain and simple. Must learn the right balance, because it’s important and satisfying, but it’s not the business itself.
Carlos Velez´s last post ..Computer Crashes & Time to Think Lead to Great Change
Carlos, there’s a bunch of people out there reading along who aren’t being well-served. That is, I believe part of what is holding them back is that a fair bit of the public discussion is totally at odds with their experience, with common sense, or both. I’ll be digging deeper, but as I say, it will be in the newsletter and behind a paywall.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Stay on Typepad or Self-Host? (Mailbag June 13 2010)
On the list already, but echoing Carlos, great call to action ;)
Eleanor Edwards´s last post ..Secrets of happy people, on being in the moment
Eleanor, most ever sign ups in one day, and the day is far from over. That so many have signed up tells me I’m striking a chord no one else has hit.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Get Those Visuals Handled – Blog Better with a Virtual Assistant: Tip #2
Tired hamster?
Ralph´s last post ..How Gardening is like life
Hey, I took a hike last Friday – and not because of anybodies suggestion. Then I reread this really detailed guide to blogging success. I think it is called Blog Post Engineering or something arcane like that. My eyes have glazed over but in spite of that, I have about one third of the week’s posts scheduled. Now I am off to the store to get cream to make peach ice cream for dinner. I’ll be looking for hamsters on the way.
Ralph´s last post ..Sunday Funnies – Reader Question
Of course that should be anybody’s. I really did read BPE.
Ralph´s last post ..50’s Nostalgia – Lessons in friendship from a Hound Dog
Ralph, I’m utterly committed to BPE. Utterly.
You should feel relieved, reassured… and absolutely terrified.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..The Old Dog is Off the Porch and Running – Stand by for Ralph Carlson
SOP around here.
Ralph´s last post ..Are you a health hero or a health victim?
I’ve never been a big commenter… (bah…I know.) But I have totally gotten of the Twitter hamster wheel. I’m restricting that a couple of blasts in the morning & afternoon where I actually do participate in the community, share what I’ve found, and then get the heck off!
And ya know what?! My little hamster wheel produced as much in 3 days last week as I normally do in a full week’s work. Yeah, I did it cause I was moving BUT now I’m sticking to it!
Right on.
Tara! I actually *like* hanging out on twitter… just a little too much actually. So I have to ration myself.
Funny thing about that wheel: once you spin it up, it does tend to run for a while on it’s own. Kind of like those plates, just give ‘em a spin every once in a while.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..SEO Anchor Text SEO Anchor Text SEO Anchor Text SEO Anchor Text
I actually would have to agree. Twitter is my playground. It is my play thing when my house is empty and I want to talk. I actually met one of my best friends on twitter. Several months later we have met in ‘real life’ too but it was a friendship developed via twitter. Maybe I’m just sad but I really enjoy twitter for the conversation. It’s fun and I like fun, a lot :)
Eleanor Edwards´s last post ..Helping your friends and supporting charity too? That’s cool!
I have been hitting similar cycles, my commenting has been almost nil and my posts are suffering. I am resetting this week and getting ready to hit it hard again. And I too am using Blog Post Engineering, it is a fantastic resource.
Justin Matthews´s last post ..Stumble, Stumble, Stumble (upon), Fall!
Blog posts are the last to go for me. The posts are my assets, built one day at time. Right here on Website In A Weekend I have 150 good posts with few comments. I’ve started putting them into rotation. All good stuff, just written before I started promoting.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Exchange