Courage is

January 5, 2009 by BloggerNewbie  


“Monday Motivation!”

“Courage is grace under pressure…”

~ Ernest Hemingway

I had heard this quote before but had never really given it much thought.

It was not until I actually witnessed courage and  grace first hand that I knew what courage really was.

I can honestly say that I didn’t have a clue what courage really was. One can never realize what they are capable until until they are put under fire.

My middle daughter, Danielle,  has always been a girly girl.  When she was growing up, that was her personality.

~  She didn’t like to get dirty

~ She would run like a girl

~ She made sure her hair was perfect while she was playing basketball

Nothing wrong with being a girly girl.  I, myself, have girly girl moments.  Not very often as I don’t have that many opportunities.

My definition of being a girly girl also encompasses being a little whiny, a little fragile, a little dependent.  You know, the kind of person that doesn’t like to even go shopping by herself.  The kind of  “girl” that conveniently doesn’t know how to do the things she doesn’t want to do.

All of that is a memory of someone else.  Not my Danielle.  She is no girly girl.

Humans!  They are amazing.

It is fascinating to me the strength and courage that people have under the most adverse situations.

I Don”t Know Where To Begin.  I can only say that any and every parent’s worst nightmare happened to Danielle.  Her baby, 10 months old at the time, had become seriously ill.

The courage and grace with which Danielle exhibited during this ordeal is beyond words.  For a young mom who had never experienced any real difficulties, she somehow found what she needed to keep everything together.  She was luckier than some, she didn’t have to do it alone.  She has a great husband and a devoted extended family.

She definitely has courage.

Do you know of people who have impressed you or even surprised you with their hidden courage?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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How Do You Analyze Your Blog?

December 23, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“How Do You Analyze Your Blog?”

I use two different analyzers. I like to check and balance my information and not rely on just one source.  The numbers are slightly different with each tool.  Fortunately, both of these tools are available at no cost.  You can pay for an upgrade with Site Meter if you so choose but the complimentary version works for me at this time.  Maybe when I am rich and famous I will upgrade.

Site Meter

Site Meter is web based service that provides you with detailed real time tracking and counter tools. You can easily check out who is visiting your site, how they found you, where they came from, which post or posts interest them and much more. It is really useful to see by details or referrals where your traffic is coming from.  If you are trying to build traffic through a few different social networks you can see how effective they are over time.

I can see from the  recent visitors section under entry pages where my visitors are coming from.  If one of my posts is “Stumbled” and someone clicks on the link to get to my site it is listed as the entry page.  Although each social network site has it’s own usefulness, they are not all the right choice for everyone.  Each one is unique to the user.  Based on the review of my statistics in Site Meter,  StumbleUpon seems to work best for me.

analytic-graph

The graph above (unfortunately, not from my site) shows each day the number of visitors for the previous seven days.  You can also view a graph by the month or by the year.  Site Meter is a great resource for analyzing your visitors.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is the most popular and most used service out there.  Good ole’ Google.  They are the most popular in all of their services.  Huge associations like Google make me nervous.  They do as they darn well please.  I have found, absolutely no service!  I don’t know the answer to their lack of service problem is but I’m thinking “none” is not the answer.  Sure, they have forums, but so far, I haven’t had any success in getting an answer or any help for my feedburner problem.

Since this is not a Google bashing post I will move on to their wonderful analytical software. It features, custom reports, keyword and campaign comparison, custom dashboards, adword integration, site overlay,  and more.  Google tracks the number of visitors, whether they are unique or repeat visitors and how long they stay on your blog.  You can also see which page they clicked on to get to your site, where they found your site which again helps you decide which social network is most beneficial to you. Google Analytics shows what keywords people use to search for your site.  Some people strive for more search traffic.  You can use this tool to show what words or phrases people used in the search and how they landed on your page. google-analytics

I like to use both tools to compare numbers.  Site Meter is real time and Google is yesterday’s numbers.  Believe it or not, Google has actually come up with blank numbers.  I think Google is great, but I think they have a lot of problems.  Maybe growing problems.  Often, a business has to choose between growing and growing out of control.  Being the biggest isn’t necessarily the best.

What do you use for analytical tools?  What features do you look for?  What numbers are most important to you or most useful to you?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes…”

~ Oscar Wilde

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Yes, It IS All About Me!

December 19, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“Yes, It IS All About Me!”

its-all-about-me

I just love to talk about myself. Yeah, me, me, me.  This might be a long post.

Ross from Will it change you “tagged” me with a task to divulge six secret random things about myself.  This might be for mature audiences only.  No, just kidding.

I’m not sure where this idea originated from so if you do, please leave the credit in the comments section.  Well you asked for it, well someone did, so here goes.

  1. The girl in me (that was probably not politically correct).  I am a Wife, Mommy, Auntie, Daughter, Sister and Granny.  Granny is the best job ever.  People tell you how wonderful it is going to be and you think, yeah it will probably be fun.  You can’t appreciate a granny story unless you are a granny.  Unless you are a grandparent, your eyes will glaze over as soon as I say “you can’t believe the cute story I have about my grandbaby”.   But just like most life lessons, you really never know until you experience it yourself.
  2. They call me…Jane Deere. You know it!  I love my John Deere utility tractor.  It is a mower, with a bucket, some forks, a back blade.  Oh yeah.   I do the majority of the mowing as my husband works crazy hours in the summer.  We have a couple of acres to mow so my 54” deck is real nice.  I have all the Jane Deere apparel.  And they are right, nothing runs like a deere.
  3. Dudette - where’s my Harley? Yeah, where is it?  Okay, it’s not a Harley.  Actually, I do have a motorcyle but mine is a Rebel.   (he he he.)  Rebel - who me?   I just started riding a couple of years ago.  My midlife crisis adventure.  Better than an affair or divorce! My husband has a Yamaha. We have added all kinds of upgrades to our Yamaha. We have as much money into the accessories as we do in the bike. I have a method to this madness. When hubby gets a bigger bike, I get the Yamaha with it’s cool pipes and all.
  4. Entrepreneur a/k/a Self-Made Millionaire! Okay, I am not a millionaire by any stretch of the imagination, but an entrepreneur for sure!  I have been self employed for most of my life.   A few years ago, (during a grief stricken period of my life) I sold my business.  Ouch.  I am now working for someone else.  Ouch again.  What a tough pill to swallow.  In any event, I will be a self-employed blogger in the very near future.
  5. I’m a hard worker, not always a smart worker, but always a hard worker. I am not afraid to get dirty.  Too often, I have been caught taking the long way around.  To me, it doesn’t matter how it gets done as long as it gets done.  Don’t get me wrong, I prefer the shorter, easier way but if it has to take me a hour to do a five minute job, well so be it.  “At the end of the day” the job will be done.
  6. I am a positive thinker. I try to see the good side of everything.  Even in traumas and dramas.  Most people don’t want to hear my “it could be worse” scenario.  But it almost always could be worse.  Or even when what you have is unbearable, truly someone else has it worse.  I could tell you stories that would make your hair curl.
  7. I am as honest and loyal as the day is long. I am devoted to my husband.  We are committed to each other and to each other’s dreams and aspirations.  I have never felt such undying love and support from another person.  I know, sounds all corny and everything but I don’t care how it sounds.  My husband and I have a dream.  We actually share the dream.  It’s not more his than mine or more mine than his.  We want to build a log home. Yeah, we know, we have simple dreams. Did I mention we want to do this without the baggage of a mortgage? We are clearing and preparing a lot and have been working  on it for a couple of years.  Beware, more corny coming up.  This property is completely “heaven on earth”.  I finally know what it means when people say life is what you make it.  I can’t explain it, but I don’t feel more safe or happy or at peace, I guess then when I am digging or raking or pulling stumps.  I know.  People just can’t understand.  I am tired of trying to explain it to some people.  Yes, I really would rather buy an implement for my John Deere than go on vacation or buy new clothes or anything else.

My husband had me throw that last one in.  I told him the rule was six not seven.   I am sure some of this is too much information and it was more fun than I anticipated.  So my next part is to tag six people.  The rules are as follows:

THE RULES:

1. LINK TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU
2. POST THE RULES ON YOUR BLOG
3. WRITE SIX RANDOM THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF
4. TAG SIX PEOPLE AT THE END OF YOUR POST AND LINK TO THEM
5. LET EACH PERSON KNOW THEY ARE TAGGED AND LEAVE A COMMENT ON THEIR BLOG
6. LET THE TAGGER KNOW WHEN YOUR ENTRY IS UP
7. DON’T BREAK THE CHAIN (not actually a rule)

Ok, so here’s who I’ve picked.   My apologies if any of them have already been tagged.  You have to be fast in this blogosphere.  No rest for the wicked!

* George Angus from TumbleMoose Writing Productions
* Rachel Holmgren from Average Gal
* Ciara from Web Design Servers
* Valerie aka Natural from Thinking Out Loud Blog
*Deborah from Debo Hobo dot com
*Manage your life now

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“About all you can do in life is be who you are.

Most will love you for what you can do for them,

and some won’t like you at all.

-  Rita Mae Brown

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Who Reads A Blog On A Cell Phone?

December 16, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“Who Reads A Blog On A Cell Phone?”

cellphone

Do people actually read blogs on a cell phone?? I don’t know about you, but my cell phone is barely big enough to read text messages. I cannot imagine reading a whole post on a cell phone.  Come on - I must be missing something!  I actually don’t have internet access with my cell phone.  Well, if I do, I don’t know it.  I know, technically challenged.  Well to the blogosphere I am technically challenged but to my family and people in my little world I am an esteemed computer geek!

So what could be so important that you would read a post on your phone?  Is there really anything  that interesting or compelling?

Probably 10 years from now you will read a post on BloggerNewbie promoting - “Extra, extra, read all about it, get your next BloggerNewbie post on your cellphone today!”get-connected

Some people think if the cell phone rings they have to answer it. When I work outside clearing our property, mowing lawns, trimming around everyone of our 100 trees, I always have my cell phone.  This type of activity is my therapy.  Usually there is no one around, I have my loud equipment and large tools.  So why the cell phone in my serene environment of nature?  Well I do have some dangerous equipment I work with so the phone is for “just in case”.  I never answer it during my nature therapy.

Caller ID?  he he.  I know way too many people who can’t stand an unknown number on their phone.  Or if there is a phone number they don’t recognize, they call it.  If you can’t leave a message, then whatever you want (and yeah, most likely you want something) can’t be that important, or you will call back.

I’ve had friends or family members tell me they called, they must have shown up on my caller id, why didn’t I call them back?  Because you didn’t leave a message.  And, this is so and so, call me back, is not a message.

Are we getting just a little too connected?  Do you think access to information 24/7 is a little too much?  I feel inundated now.  I have enough stress without bringing more with me.  If posts are available on your cell phone do you or would you read them that way?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“If it is true that there is always more than one way of construing a text,
it is not true that all interpretations are equal…”

- Paul Ricoeur

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Do All Parent’s Want A “Do Over”?

December 13, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“Do All Parent’s Want A “Do Over”?

I wrote a post earlier this week about blogging and the early days.  After six months of blogging one might ask, in hindsight  - What would you do different?

I pointed out that six months isn’t very much hindsight to pick and choose all the woulda, shoulda, couldas from, however, I mentioned that -

I  have often contemplated the “what I would have done differently” in regards to raising my children.  In retrospect, there is a significant amount of time to review to be able to discuss lessons learned.  Once you see the outcome of your actions it is always easy to have 20/20 in hindsight.

My daughter, Courtney, read the post and commented that she thought she would be interested to read what exactly my hindsight is now that all three girls are grown. I thought I had always told her to be careful what she asked for.  They just don’t listen, do they?

Valerie (aka Natural) from Thinking Out Loud Blog had a guest post from Cardio Girl describing a childhood story.  She listened very carefully to her mom.   The day of the fight is a hilarious story, you have to read it.

As most parents can attest, we probably all would like a few “do overs”.   One of my many challenges as a parent was to teach my daughters about the value of money.  I would like to share one story that actually still resonates today.

money-babyLesson plan one

We used to go on vacation at least once a year when the girls were young.  They would nickel and dime me to no end.  Can I, can I, can I?  I want, I want, I want!  They drove me crazy.  Finally, one year I decided to try testing their responsibility.  We were going to be in Virginia for five days so I decided to give the girls each a budget.  They were 8, 9 and 11 years old.  I gave them each $100.00 to last them the 5 days we were going to be there.  Sounds like a lot of money for a small child but they had to buy their lunch every day as well as any souvenir they wanted.

Eldest daughter

Darcy, Darcy, Darcy.  I think my oldest daughter was broke by breakfast the next day.  I asked her how she thought she was going to eat for the rest of the week.  She didn’t know.  I knew.  It was either going to be me or she would bum from her sisters.  If it was me, she was certainly not going to have burger world!  For some reason, Darcy did not come to mommy for her lunch.

Middle child

Danielle took her cash and divided it in 5 different piles representing each day we were going to be in Virginia.  She spent the entire twenty dollars each day.  No more, no less.  She didn’t come home with any money.

The baby

Courtney was very careful with her money.  In fact, at lunch the very first day, Courtney asked the waitress if she could get a half order of cottage cheese.  Yeah, that was real funny.  We all laughed.  I was a little embarrassed.  The waitress looked at me like I wasn’t letting my kids eat but I really didn’t care.  I think Courtney came home with about $80.00!

One more quick story

A few years later I decided to try another lesson.  I took the girls school shopping when they were teenagers.  Such a chore.  I decided to give them each $100.00 to get an outfit.  You can probably guess the outcome.  Darcy bought A shirt.  Danielle bought a very nice outfit for $96.48 and Courtney bought an outfit for $48.59!

First I insisted Darcy take her shirt back and get a real outfit.  I decided the other two could keep the change.  Danielle could not believe how unfair that was.  Courtney was happy!   Hey, lesson learned.

In hindsight

My plan was to teach them the value of money as well as how to budget.  I think their spending habits are similar today!  This research tells me that personality has as much to do with your spending habits as does how you are taught.   I always made them earn whatever they received but in hindsight I would have done it a little differently. They always had to earn what they wanted.  No free ride here.   I would pay for whatever they wanted to buy and they would pay me back.  So in effect, I taught them the “buy now, pay later” lesson.  Yuk, bad lesson.  From that, however, they did learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch, that they have to work for what they want and they do take care of what they have because it wasn’t handed to them.

What about you?  Do you have any “do over” wishes?  What are they?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money;
it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort….”

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

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6 Tips On How To Write Killer Blog Comments

December 10, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“How To Write Killer Blog Comments”

killer-comments

Comments are great.  The advent of comments to a website is revolutionary.  Enter - The Weblog or as we bloggers like to say - The Blog!  The reader gets to add his or her opinion and  the writer knows someone is finally reading their “stuff”!

Comments create community.  It is favorable all the way around for the blog to get a core group of  “the usuals” to always contribute.

You’ve just read a great post that somehow moved you and you want to leave a comment.  Early on, when you are new to the blogosphere, you are not sure what to say.  “I don’t want to sound like I don’t know what I am doing”.  I have read some of the other comments and they don’t really say anything?  Are there guidelines for the rest of us who actually want to add value?

  1. Contribute to the conversation. You already know the number one rule breaker.  Don’t leave words that say “great post”; that is not a comment.  If you don’t have anything to say, don’t say anything.  If you don’t have any opinion or knowledge on the subject, again, don’t leave a comment.  If you’re not sure about the subject matter, ask a question, that is great.
  2. The comment section is not the your advertising opportunity section. Don’t leave a comment just to get the link back to your blog.  And leaving links in the actual comment will probably get you moderated and/or deleted.  Unless, of course, the link adds to the post.  If the link is not relevant, your comment won’t be either.  Don’t you have too many things to do without wasting your time?
  3. The comment section is not your blog. If your comment is extensive, (hint-as long or longer than the post you are commenting on) maybe you should write your own post and link back to the original post and carry on the conversation.
  4. Ask a question. The whole idea behind the comment section is to offer your opinion and continue the conversation.  Even if you are the author of the post, when someone makes a great point and you can elaborate on the new point, ask a question, keep the conversation going.
  5. Comment on other comments. Add to the other readers comment by extending the idea with further conversation.  Interact with other readers as well.  That is fully encouraged.  I have written posts where readers have had their own little conversation with each other - and “hello” what about me?
  6. Do not be afraid! If you have a different opinion then that expressed by the blogger, by all means, please contribute your opinion.  That is the core of blogging.  The exchange of thoughts and ideas.

What do you do to encourage comments on your blog?  What do you do to contribute to the conversation?  Do you add to the post?  Do you have any other thoughts or views for or against this conversation?

Join the discussion!  What do you think?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“When we have the courage to speak out – to break our silence –
we inspire the rest of the “moderates” in our communities
to speak up and voice their views…”

- Sharon Schuster

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What Would You Do Different?

December 9, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“What Would You Do Different?”

I started a series a couple of weeks ago called Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll! I asked you what questions you would like to see debated in this series.

hindsight

Rachel from Averagegal.com asked “In hindsight, what would you have done differently when starting your first blog?” Rachel is no “average gal”. She is a forward thinking young lady as well as very ambitious. Rachel has, I believe, three blogs. She is always adding or changing something at AverageGal.com.  Keeping your blog fresh and new will keep people coming back looking for something different.

I couldn’t come up with a poll type question so I decided to just throw the question out for discussion.

What would you have done differently when starting your first blog?

My blog is only a little over six months old so I don’t have a great length of time to review.  I had my brick and mortar business for 20 years so I had an abundance of experiences to review.  I have often contemplated the “what I experiencesjpgwould have done differently” in regards to raising my children.  In retrospect, with both of these examples there is a significant amount of time to be able to discuss lessons learned.  Once you see the outcome of your actions it is always easy to have 20/20 in hindsight.  Now both of those subjects could each be a book on their own!

Looking back over the last few months I would say one mistake I made would have been joining too many social networks too soon.  If you can’t participate in the social network with good faith then you shouldn’t be there.  If you are there for business purposes only, then you should make that clear.  I don’t think you will get too far but you should be upfront about your intentions.

Another observation is in reference to monetizing the blog.  It is not very productive to have countless sources of advertising.  In hindsight, I would have taken a closer look at advertising and narrowed them down and chosen just a few.

So now over to you - “In hindsight, what would you have done differently when starting your first blog?”

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes…”

- Oscar Wilde

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Is Debt Consolidation Part of Your Economic Forecast?

December 4, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“Is Debt Consolidation Part of Your Economic Forecast?”

Has the troubled economy had a negative impact on your finances? Are you hauling around a large amount of debt? Finances can get out of control in a big hurry. Especially if you carry credit card debt every month.

Debt consolidation services can help consolidate your debts and reduce balances up to 50% - Save Thousands! Often negotiations are made with credit card companies to reduce excessive interest rates saving you years of payments.

Debt consolidation is an alternative that can help you get out from under an overwhelming amount of debt. Credit card debt is piling up for most people, especially this time of year. You may think you have everything under control but it can quickly slip away. You not only carry the load of debt financially, you carry the burden emotionally as well. Don’t let it drag you down.

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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The Lost Art of Personal Responsibility

November 30, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“The Lost Art of Personal Responsibility”

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? I don’t get it. It’s always someone else’s fault. Nothing ever works for me! I can’t ever get ahead. Everyone else is so lucky.

It is rare to see someone take full responsibility for their own actions.  You can usually spot them with no effort.  They stand alone amongst the crowd.

My mother has never allowed excuses.  Whenever we whined or complained about something, she always told us to DO SOMETHING! No excuses here.  In fact, any “challenge” is just that - some kind of a test or something to see if we can accomplish our goal.  Just so life can be interesting.  Life would be kind of boring, I guess, if everything was simple and we didn’t have any challenges.

She also, somehow, has embedded herself in my head so I have to listen to her wherever I go, day or night. Real amusing.

Social Media Marketing 101 recently wrote a post regarding Self-responsibility. It is up to you.  It is your responsibility to “fix” yourself and your circumstances.  If everyone took responsibility for themselves, things would go much smoother.  There would be a lot less whining and complaining.

The only thing stopping you is you.

You cannot fix what you do not acknowledge.  If you do not know you are overweight, then you are not going to eat less and exercise more.  That bit of information, by the way, is the best kept secret in the weight loss world.  And you found that information here free!  Sorry no pill, no magic.  Just personal responsibility.

The only thing stopping you is you.

Your job sucks!  You are going no where fast.  You are stuck.  There is nothing you can do.  Oh, wait.  Maybe you can take a little initiative and try to better yourself.  I don’t know your exact circumstances so I don’t know if you need to simply apply yourself and work towards a promotion or ask for a transfer to a different department right where you are or if you need to be completely radical and change your job entirely.  What I can tell you, is talking about it probably won’t change anything.

The only thing stopping you is you.

I am not trying to be glib or flippant.  Most change does not happen overnight. You need to take baby steps. Realize the meaning of cause and effect. There are results for every action.  Good or not so good.  It usually takes a while for you to get where you are.  Either standing still by not moving or moving by taking action.  It is up to you.

The only thing stopping you is you.

Personal responsibility is a refreshing trait.   Do you know what happened to the lost art of responsibility?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“We know the truth, not only by the reason, but by the heart…”

- Blaise Pascal

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The Elusive Comment

November 28, 2008 by BloggerNewbie  


“The Elusive Comment”

Blogs, also known as weblogs, are actually interactive websites. They are typically written by an individual whose thoughts are published in daily posts. The posts are listed in chronological order in a given niche or topic.

The idea behind a blog is for the author to express his or her opinion or authority on a certain topic and then open the discussion up for comments.  The best exchange is when a topic is controversial or causes contradictory positions.   Blogs are a collaborative effort between the author and the reader in the form of comments.

Ah, the elusive comment.  I have many thoughts about comments.  I also have many questions.

How do the numbers make sense?

Some blogs get thousands (I’m talking 5 digits here) of visits a day yet, in my observation, only receive 40-45 or even 60 comments per post on average.  However, there are other blogs that get only hundreds of visitors and receive 10-20 comments on their posts.  That doesn’t make sense.  The numbers don’t add up when you are talking percentage points.  The blogs that receive the large number of visitors are considered the “A-list” bloggers.  A-list meaning more professional?  Older blogs, more experienced?   So having said that, one would think that the A-list bloggers would gather a bigger percentage of comments, yet they don’t.  What is the reason?

Why do people comment?

Is there one main reason why people comment?  I certainly don’t think so.  In my opinion (which is extremely important), there are just as many reasons people comment as there literally are comments.  So why do people comment?  They have an interest in the subject. The topic or the author inspires them to action.  They are passionate about the opinion expressed.  They want to express their passion or sentiment.  Maybe the post makes them angry.  The comment part of blogging is a sense of community.  There are plenty of other reasons people leave comments.  What are some reasons I haven’t listed?

Why do people not comment?

Wow, that is the “big” question.  If I knew the answer I would probably be a kamillionaire!  The subject doesn’t interest or concern them.  They don’t feel like they have anything to contribute.  When I first started blogging I was almost as nervous about leaving comments as I was about publishing posts!  I didn’t want to sound stupid.  I often thought I would get lost in the shuffle of the flurry of comments already added.  Maybe the blogger has already said all there is to say on the subject.  You know, kind of beat the life out of it, so to speak!  Maybe you weren’t invited to comment.  What else, what other reasons do people not comment?

Why do bloggers want comments?

Well, because.  Lots of reasons.  You don’t want to feel like you are talking to yourself!  Bloggers want to connect with their readers.  The significant part of blogging is the interaction between the author and the reader.  Blogging is Community.  Not to mention comments are a great ego booster.  People are reading your “stuff”!  You have something to say and people are interested in discussing it with you.  Life is good.  Comments kind of validate your post.  If you don’t get comments then your post is mediocre, or so you think.  So, why do you want comments?

How do you get more comments?

I wrote a post and it has been published for 8 minutes now and no one has left a comment yet.  It must be crappy.  I can’t do this.  Calm down.  Don’t Panic!  Try to get the news out that you just published a post and announce a little blurb about the content.  The more people that see your post, the more people who will comment (to a certain extent).  You should twitter your post a couple of times throughout the day.  Different people are on twitter at different times.  You know, work schedules, time zones, stuff like that.  If your post is “Stumble” worthy, then certainly submit it to your friends.  It is somewhat unlikely that every post you write is “Stumble” worthy (sorry) so be choosy.  I have found that the social media can be fairly slow at times.  Frequently, I will get comments that trickle in for days after I have submitted my post to the various social networks.  Be patient.   Another approach I use to get more comments is to ask.  Yeah, I know, who would have thought of that?  I’m a genius.  Do you have a creative way to engage your readers to add more comments?

So what are your thoughts?

Do you have secret strategies to entice your readers to comment?

Join in the conversation, I appreciate and respect your opinion - add your comment!

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“Communication leads to community, that is,
to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing…”

- Rollo May

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