Coming to grips with what pulls in high traffic
So, I’ve been enjoying my blog for a little over 9 months and it has been fascinating to learn what drives traffic. The reality is that if you want to drive traffic you have to write about things that have a high amount of interest. The thing is, I like to write about things that have a high amount of value. Particularly, I like writing about the things that are lesser known, and quite valuable. I don’t want to write about ringtones or the latest web 2.0 startup.
Truthfully, I think it’s more than just dumbing down topics to a mass audience factor, there is an element of trust and relevance too. I think people can write about high brow topics and still have a high volume of traffic from being a respected authority in the field or from covering a topic that is timely. So, I guess if I want really high traffic numbers I need to figure out how to cover topics that are more timely, yet still complex enough to pique my interest until I develop more industry recognition.
But, for what? Why do I care about higher traffic numbers? I don’t have a bad amount of traffic, I receive 100K+ page views per month with more than 15K+ unique visitors. I have to admit it, I’m addicted to blogging. I love posting something and then waiting for comments. I like checking on my traffic stats regularly. I like being a part of the larger conversation happening online. Not only do I find it personally rewarding, but I also feel like I’m doing some good by sharing what I know. And, somewhere in the back of my mind I’m hoping this investment in time pays out in dollars. I recently did a few projections for serving ads on another blog and I’d like to start serving ads on my site. It would be a nice kick-back that would make the time I’m putting into this feel more justified.
What are your thoughts about why you blog, what pulls in high traffic, do traffic numbers matter, and do you want to make money with your blog?
I came here from the nine rules site and was looking at your Mothers Day Post, but for some reason when I click on the home page of your blog I can’t get back to that post.
Anyhow cool that your mom is an artist, my mother is also a painter, she runs a couple galleries as well so she is more of a business women now but she is a painter at heart.
Yes, I know this is off topic.
I have no answer to the post that is actually posted here. I have no idea why I blog. I don’t get 100 thousand visits a month either. I don’t think I could deal with that. I love the comments and the relationship I have with my readers even the nasty emails I get but I don’t think I could take any more. It is time consuming. I would miss it though.
It is addicting that is all I can say.
From cooper on May 13th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
The primary reason I blog is to connect with like minded people - make contacts in the industry I want to build myself in. I don’t really care about traffic numbers although obviously I wouldn’t serve my primary aim if I didn’t have any traffic.
Therefore I’m not really that interested in Digg. I wouldn’t turn down a front-page diggin, but I’d rather focus my efforts on building quality readers one by one.
I have no inclination to make money through blogging. If I could make proper money I would be interested, but most people barely cover their hosting fees (which isn’t much!) so I’d rather not plaster my site with ugly ads for such nominal sums.
From Aaron :: miLienzo.com on May 14th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Hey cooper, that post you are looking for is an aside in my second column. :) That’s cool that your mom is also a painter. Sounds like you blog because you can’t not, which I understand. It also sounds like you blog for a similar reason as Aaron, which is to connect with people, even one’s that are not like minded.
Aaron, I feel silly for having not covered that I blog to connect with people. I wrote that I blog to make friends in the about module at the top of my third column sidebar, but didn’t include it in this post. I think you are correct about not placing ads on a site if it doesn’t return a proper revenue stream. I’ve run a few numbers and it appears to me like one can make between $2,700 and $3,200 with 500K page views running 3 ad units (assuming you partnered with an ad rep firm that sold between 60-80% of your page view inventory at a $6-8 CPM with a 50% revenue split). Right now I”d make between $500-600, which is almost worth it.
From Justin on May 14th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Welcome to evilbackwards darsh, I had no idea you were seeing that kind of traffic. You’ll be able to start competing with me soon…
From brian on May 16th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Thanks, Brian. Nice to be in good company. :)
From Justin on May 16th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
“What are your thoughts about why you blog?”
I blog because it is cheaper and easier than putting together and maintaining a website which means my time and energy can go to my other interests. I may do a website someday, but so far I haven’t needed to.
“What pulls in high traffic?”
I couldn’t really say…what do you mean by “high traffic”? I think the best thing to get a spike in traffic is a mention on TV or traditional mainstream media.
“Do traffic numbers matter?”
If you’re in it for the money or just to get an ego boost from how high your hit count goes, yes? Otherwise I don’t think they matter.
“Do you want to make money with your blog?”
Not under the current models for revenue generation, no. No way would I clutter up my blog with ads…they make blogs look ugly. If someone liked my writing and wanted to pay for that, I’d be willing to take money for that, but I know that that is a pretty unrealistic idea.
From vdovault on May 31st, 2007 at 8:52 am
I don’t understand why you don’t have ads up already. Be considerate and don’t help blogs inch closer to the digital gloss magazine with one editorial page per five of advertising, but really, it looks to me like you do more than enough work on this site to warrant some ads. I wouldn’t mind them, and finger-wagging towards those who would say otherwise.
Good luck exploring the balance in goals and labor of writing for an audience and doing what you love and is meaningful to you. My knee-jerk advice: consider the value and fun of persuading others for their pleasure or towards a better end, even if the subject isn’t what you like to surf in or ruminate on. Writing for an audience is fun - sort of like a conversation with a stranger. They may not be the person you would most prefer to sit down to dinner with, but they live in this world too. So say something good that people can nod to: you’re talking to the world here.
From Matthew Bowman on July 3rd, 2007 at 1:43 am
Thanks, Matthew. I think I hear you saying that a tasteful use of advertising would be more than acceptable. I like that idea of writing for an audience, which I have an image of in my head, but I’m not sure if it is my actual audience.
From Justin on July 3rd, 2007 at 7:43 am