{"id":1031,"date":"2011-12-22T14:29:30","date_gmt":"2011-12-22T14:29:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.phillconnell.com\/blog\/?p=1031"},"modified":"2017-01-12T04:06:46","modified_gmt":"2017-01-12T04:06:46","slug":"what-works-a-bloggers-navel-gazing-conclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.phillconnell.com\/blog\/what-works-a-bloggers-navel-gazing-conclusion\/","title":{"rendered":"What Works? A Blogger’s Navel-Gazing Conclusion<\/b>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blog Review 2011<\/h2>\n

As the year draws to a close, I thought I’d have a look at my analytics over the last 12 months to work out what people liked to read in 2011. \u00a0It’s easily possible to spend too long thinking about stuff like this but a broad-brush gander at analytics stats can’t do any harm, can it?<\/p>\n

What Did I Find?<\/h2>\n

Well, I’ve read a few blogs about blogging, especially when I was new to this lark and I had a few haughty-taughty ideas about actually treating the whole experience seriously. That was before I adopted my current policy, which I’ll tell you about in a minute.<\/p>\n

Anyway, the blogs about blogging taught me that reviews are popular on blogs. This is because people decide that they might want to buy something, then they look over their shoulder at work to establish that the boss isn’t looking, then they fire up google and type “(Thing They Want To Buy) Reviews<\/strong><\/em>“, or “Thing They Want To Buy<\/strong><\/em>” on its own. Then they scour the search results for:
\n(a)<\/strong> the costs of the Thing They Want To Buy and
\n(b)<\/strong> reviews of the Thing They Want To Buy.<\/p>\n

I do it myself, to reassure myself that the Thing I want To Buy isn’t actually an overpriced piece of useless tat. Although I do it in my lunch break or at home, of course \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

My own findings back this up. \u00a0The little pie chart below sums up what people have been looking at over the last 12 months. \u00a0In fact, two particular reviews of bike gear scored about half of all the review hits, to be honest.<\/p>\n

\"Phill's<\/a>

Analytics Findings 2011<\/p><\/div>\n

So, if you’re thinking of taking blogging seriously, think about building a review site. But, bear in mind that lots of people have gone before you, and might be putting a lot more time in than you can. \u00a0But it’s a good way to gain new visitors: then all you have to do is give them reasons to come back, and possibly milk the affiliate & ad networks for all the income you can!<\/p>\n

What’s My Blog Writing Policy?<\/h2>\n

I\u00a0said\u00a0I’d tell you about this,\u00a0didn’t\u00a0I? \u00a0To quote Mr. Krabbs (ask your kids<\/em>), I like money. \u00a0But, to stop quoting Mr. Krabbs, I don’t like money so much that I’ll put it above engaging and having fun. \u00a0What I love most about blogging is the act of writing, the photography that I enjoy before the writing ideas come to me, the riding of bikes which inspires most of my ramblings (and reviews<\/em>) and I love<\/span><\/strong><\/em> the engagement of the circle of friends that blogging, social media and cycling has brought me.<\/p>\n

When I’m ready to stop having fun, I’ll go to work. \u00a0The value of blogging, to me, isn’t the income, and that’s a bloody good job. \u00a0Income-earning blogs are springing up all over the place, and most of them show a marked reduction in the quality of writing, in favour of remarketing other people’s ideas. \u00a0If I ever write a book (and I wish I would, one day<\/em>) then I’m going to be quite uncomfortable about hawking around the internets, I think.<\/p>\n

So balls to your analytics. It’s interesting and it helps get new visitors, but you’ll come back to my blog again if you find the writing or the pictures interesting. \u00a0If you don’t, you won’t come back. \u00a0Simple.<\/p>\n

Finally For 2011<\/h2>\n

Enjoy your Christmas break (or your chosen seasonal feast linked to your chosen deity, pagan festival or coincidental time of winter happiness<\/em>), enjoy riding your bike if you’ve got one, and enjoy this wonderfully engaging world that the internets have brought into our lives.<\/p>\n

See you in 2012<\/strong> \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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