Top 10 Reasons Your Blog is Still a Sad Little Sideshow

May 17, 2011 81 Comments

I am delighted to welcome Melissa Donovan as a guest with her article which will be of great interest to all bloggers who feel that their efforts are not being appreciated.

Melissa, a lady with a passion for words, is a website designer and copywriter and the founder and editor of Writing Forward, an excellent blog packed with better writing tips and creative writing ideas. If you would like to connect with Melissa you can find her on Facebook and on Twitter @melissadonovan.

Like all great performers, successful bloggers make it look easy. Everything they touch turns to gold. Are they getting by on pure talent or are they just plain lucky?

Luck and talent help, but successful bloggers are actually working hard behind the scenes.

All bloggers start out with nothing. They have to learn how to build a website, how to write captivating headlines and useful content. They have to find ways to attract visitors and then convince them to subscribe. Finally, if they want to be prosperous, they have to figure out how to bring value to their readers and then sell them something.

Many newbies fail to realize that blogging is a business that requires technical skills, writing aptitude, and marketing savvy.

It’s no wonder so many bloggers give up after a few months. Many more struggle along for years with little growth, minimal success, and an almost invisible following. These blogs are like sad little sideshows, admirable for their persistence and full of potential.

Top 10 Reasons Your Blog is Still a Sad Little Sideshow

If nothing’s happening with your blog, don’t give up just yet. There’s still hope. By identifying the opportunities you’re missing, you can reach out and grab them. And in time, you can turn your little sideshow into the greatest show on earth.

Here are the top 10 reasons your blog is barely slogging along and tips for how to kick it into high gear:

1. Your blog is your own private house of mirrors.

You approve comments but don’t reply to them. You know there are other blogs out there, but you never visit them. You need to mix and mingle. Interact with your readers and with other bloggers. Otherwise, how will you build a following?

2. You haven’t seen your own blog in ages.

Oh sure, you’re writing posts, but you never actually look at your blog, which is why you have no idea that the header image is grainy, the text is too small, and half your links are broken. Give your blog a quality assessment. Make a list of improvements that could be made and then set aside a little time each week for clean-up.

3. You need to get off your own merry-go-round.

You signed up for Facebook and Twitter and you use them to promote your posts, just like you’re supposed to. Except you never engage with other bloggers or promote quality content from other blogs. You’re a social media narcissist. There’s nothing wrong with loving your own blog but you need to show the love for other blogs, too!

4. Nobody’s in the ticket booth.

There’s no way for readers to contact you, even if they want to offer you a grand opportunity. And when people do contact you, their emails and messages go unanswered because you don’t know what to say or you don’t have the time. Put a contact page on your blog and then schedule time each day to check emails. If you have a slow turnaround time, just put a note at the top of your contact page letting people know how long (or whether) they’ll hear back from you.

5. Sometimes you forget to show up.

Weeks, even months, go by without a single post. Then you publish a silly excuse or apology as if people have been refreshing your home page twenty times a day waiting for an update.

The truth is that nobody’s waiting and nobody wants to read two sentences about how you’re busy but will be blogging again soon. There are tons of solutions for times when you’re too busy to post: ask for guest posts, republish a couple of your older posts, or publish a quick link list of good reads around the web.

6. You don’t even know that your blog is a sad, little sideshow.

You think that 100 visitors per day means you’ve hit the big time, but you can’t figure out why it’s not translating into revenue. You also don’t realize that the circus across the street is getting 10,000 visitors per day and the theme park across town gets 100,000 visitors per day. Learn how to use sites like Alexa and tools like Google Analytics to assess your blog’s rank and performance.

7. Your rides are squeaky.

Every single post you publish is fraught with typos and mistakes because you can’t be bothered with proofreading or good grammar. You need to oil your cogs! You may not have time to buff each post to perfection, but surely you can spare five minutes to give each post a once-over and clean up any stray punctuation marks or misspellings.

8. Your theme park is missing its theme.

You have a knitting blog but you just have to write a post about the excellent movie you saw last weekend. The readers of your food blog will surely appreciate that you’ve just adopted an adorable puppy. Stay on topic! Readers may in fact be interested in your personal life or off-topic items of interest; that’s what Twitter and Facebook are for. Most people come to your blog to read about your subject matter. Fulfill their expectations.

9. You’re forcing readers to perform.

People don’t want to have to become a member or log in to read your blog, leave comments, or otherwise interact with your content. Make engaging with your content as simple as possible and don’t ask your readers to jump through hoops to leave comments.

10. You’d rather tend a zen garden.

Maybe blogging isn’t your thing or perhaps you chose the wrong topic. Whatever the reason, you get no enjoyment out of your blog whatsoever. It’s a big chore with no payoff. If you like blogging but your topic of choice has dried up, try blogging about something else. And if blogging’s not your thing, best hang up your hat now and get on with something you’re more passionate about.

Most blogs just need a little TLC. Every successful blogger started out running a sad, little sideshow. But with time, effort, and commitment, they turned their blogs into major attractions. What will you do with yours?

Many thanks to Melissa for her fascinating and informative article. Please do let her know what you think and share your experiences and tips for moving your blog out of the shadows.

Thank you for visiting The Top 10 Blog, if you enjoyed this article please share it with the world using the tabs below or to your left. If you enjoy what I do on the blog and would like to receive future posts direct to your Inbox please add your e-mail address to the box at the top of the page and click ‘Submit’ – it couldn’t be simpler!

*Image sources

Caravan -istockphoto.com via Melissa Donovan

Maze of Mirrors – Michael Ocampo flickr

I’m Busy – Sean MacEntee flickr

Brick Door - Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Anonymous

This is really brilliant advice and made me think about reassessing my own blog. Though I’m happy with my blog even good blogs need a kick in the pants and to strive to be better.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Hi vegemitevix! Thanks for your kind words. Your blog looks great (I love the color scheme). Even the best blogs need to be reassessed at least once per year. Good luck and happy blogging!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

I agree Melissa, great looking blog and so pleased your post is
connecting me with all these excellent bloggers that I haven’t come
across before.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Hi vegemitevix! Thanks for your kind words. Your blog looks great (I love the color scheme). Even the best blogs need to be reassessed at least once per year. Good luck and happy blogging!
http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

I agree Melissa, great looking blog and so pleased your post is connecting me with all these excellent bloggers that I haven’t come across before.

whatvalthinks

Ohhhh boy, do I see a lot of myself in this post – I really need to get working on this!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

I find that setting aside 20 minutes a day or a couple of hours on the weekend is enough time to really make some meaningful changes to my blog. Good luck to you

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Lovely see you here Val – you have been moving house recently so you have a good excuse for not spending so much time on the blog! Looking forward to seeing it develop

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

I find that setting aside 20 minutes a day or a couple of hours on the weekend is enough time to really make some meaningful changes to my blog. Good luck to you

http://midlifesinglemum.blogspot.com Midlife Singlemum

Excellent article. I was smug as as I read, not falling into any of the traps, until I read that 100 visits a day is sad. I’m still basking in reaching 100/day after four months of blogging. Must try harder. Thanks for the heads up.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

That one almost didn’t make it into the post. However, I happened across a blog that was proudly declaring just over 100 visitors per day and I realized that some of the younger/newer bloggers think that’s a lot of traffic. It’s not bad, especially for a new blog, but it’s also not enough to generate serious revenue (unless you’re catering to an elite, high-paying readership). This is where social media, SEO, self-promotion, and marketing are all essential! Good luck!

http://midlifesinglemum.blogspot.com Midlifesinglemum

Thanks Melissa

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

That one almost didn’t make it into the post. However, I happened across a blog that was proudly declaring just over 100 visitors per day and I realized that some of the younger/newer bloggers think that’s a lot of traffic. It’s not bad, especially for a new blog, but it’s also not enough to generate serious revenue (unless you’re catering to an elite, high-paying readership). This is where social media, SEO, self-promotion, and marketing are all essential! Good luck!

http://twitter.com/aMusingFoodie Liza Hawkins

Great post! Lends some definite food for thought – “engagement” with your peers and audience is definitely key! Thanks for a great Top 10!

Liza

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thanks Liza! I find that the more you interact with your audience, the better your blog performs. So, keep engaging those readers!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Thanks for the comment Liza, just stopping by to leave it has increased your engagement, I do think blog commenting is such a powerful way to let people know what you are all about.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thanks Liza! I find that the more you interact with your audience, the better your blog performs. So, keep engaging those readers!

http://twitter.com/allfookeduptoo Lynn MacDonald

I’m guilty of a LOT of this…no wonder my blog sucks

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Hi Lynn, Your blog does not suck, and all blogs can use a little work. I didn’t feel like I really knew what I was doing or where I was going with blogging until I’d been at it for about three years. That was nine months ago Keep at it!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Agreed Melissa, like the blog Lynn! That’s interesting about your 3 years Melissa and makes me feel better only being 18 months in, still so much to learn

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Hi Lynn, Your blog does not suck, and all blogs can use a little work. I didn’t feel like I really knew what I was doing or where I was going with blogging until I’d been at it for about three years. That was nine months ago Keep at it!

Teri Helmboldt

Slap! Excellent post for newbies (me) or veterans. For me, I get in spurts where all I do is blog hop and comment but then I don’t have time to blog. Then, I blog, but am not marketing myself. It takes a lot more time than I expected. Just got to wait for my rhythm. Thanks for this. Think I will print it and paste it above my computer as a reminder of how to become successful. Should I still keep my fingers crossed too?

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thanks Teri Yes, definitely keep your fingers crossed. A little luck can go a long way! I go in spurts too, and I think that’s okay. We all have to find the rhythm that works for us. Good luck with your blog!
http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thanks Teri Yes, definitely keep your fingers crossed. A little luck can go a long way! I go in spurts too, and I think that’s okay. We all have to find the rhythm that works for us. Good luck with your blog!

http://twitter.com/Rai_Azlan Rai M. Azlan Shahid

intresting read and sure their are many points that one can capitalize to get more out of blogging. after reading this i have pointed out my mistakes and by the time i have strategy to coup them thanks Melissa for that

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Wow, thanks Rai. I’m glad this post inspired you to come up with a strategy. I wish you the best of luck!

http://www.hollandz.com Brad Holland

Not only is my blog a sideshow, the author is the leader of that mess. He better get his act together and fast…

Good tips, Thanks.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Brad, you’ve definitely got humor on your side. Your comment made me smile (as did your tweet). If you can make people smile, you can do anything!

ScreenwritingforHollywood

Excellent article, advice, and metaphor! Really enjoyed this one. – J

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle.

http://twitter.com/HairyEdge Ellen Berg

I have to admit, I clicked this link worrying that I was the sad little sideshow you mentioned. I feel that way sometimes.

However, after reading your list I’ve realized I’m on the right path and it may just be a matter of time before the hard work pays off. Perhaps a secondary point to number 5 is impatience, and that would definitely be on my list.

Thank you for your candor. It helps the newbies like me!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thanks Ellen. That’s good to hear. I think we all wake up some days feeling like the sad little sideshow. Other days, we’re a three-ring circus. There’s always some bigger, better blog and always another that’s lagging along behind ours. We just each have to do the best we can. Keep blogging!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Like your blog Ellen and you are definitely going in the right direction

http://twitter.com/HairyEdge Ellen Berg

Thanks, Tony! The feedback helps

http://www.thenerdynurse.com The Nerdy Nurse

Id like to consider my blog a odd little sideshow, some moments of sadness/happiness and the lot.

I do engage, spend more time on twitter than actually blogging

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

I think a good balance between blogging and being active on social media helps. And I like an “odd” little sideshow any day!

http://www.trendingpoetry.com Persian Poetess

Brutally brilliant advice. I’m a small time blogger, as much as I have aspirations with my poetry, I understand that my lines of verse may float on the seas of the cyber ocean for quite some time. What I’ve loved ever since I started this journey are the cool bloggers I’ve bumped into along the way. Before, poetry was a really personal endeavor of mine, that I did while shut-in within the confines of my room. I took a class on Collaborative Poetry, that stressed points that are eerily similar to what was said in this post. I dunno, as much as I turn into a recluse at times, I don’t see myself going out via the exit of Emily Dickinson !

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

The trouble with being a poet is that we don’t have a large audience. Most people, unfortunately, don’t read poetry. The good news is that even though poetry readers are few in number, it’s a niche and that makes them easy to find. When we talk about blogging, there are blogs on every topic imaginable. With poetry, it’s much easier to zero in on bloggers who read and write poetry. I wonder what Emily Dickinson would think of blogs and social media. My guess is that she’d love the opportunities those channels have created for shy people and recluses. I’m a huge fan of hers

http://www.thejackb.com/ The JackB

Good advice here. I would add that people need to remember that they have to sustain their effort. It doesn’t happen over night and that is ok.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Ooh, yes, that is worth adding. I think a lot of folks jump online, start a blog, and expect to become an overnight sensation. But it does take time. It takes time to learn the ropes of blogging and it takes time to build a following. Thanks for adding that!

http://billdorman.wordpress.com Bill Dorman

You make some good points and some of those are definite blog killers. Personally, I think you also have to look at your target audience. I’ve seen some very good sites, with very good writing and all they are getting are crickets.

I’m jumped in on the social media side w/ no plan other than to see if I could figure out what this was all about. Social I can be and actually developed what I consider a pretty strong network. I’m not monetized and not looking to monetize but at some point in time I would like to blend the power of community over to what I do in my paying gig.

I’ve probably done a lot of the things wrong and my site might be on the sad side but people seem to show up; go figure, huh?

Good to see you at Tony’s place, he’s good people. Good luck in your journey.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Target audience is definitely important, which is why bloggers need to stay on topic (#8 – your theme park is missing its theme). Blogging is such a new medium that I think we all still have a lot to learn. Almost four years in, I consider myself a fairly experienced blogger, but I’m still learning. Good luck to you, Bill.

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Great to see you over here Bill, I don’t see you blog as being sad, thoughtful and stimulating but definitely not sad

http://billdorman.wordpress.com Bill Dorman

Sad in that I probably need to get a paid site but despite any shortcomings, people are showing up so i guess it doesn’t matter if my floor is dirty or not, huh?
http://billdorman.wordpress.com Bill Dorman

Sad in that I probably need to get a paid site but despite any shortcomings, people are showing up so i guess it doesn’t matter if my floor is dirty or not, huh?

http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

Ha! I loved this post Melissa and I couldn honestly go on and on about each A+ point you made! Seriously – ask Tony – he’ll tell you that I could muse for quite some time about these lol .

Okay here are my thoughts on your points:

1.) If you don’t plan on replying to comments – then save yourself the trouble and shut them off! Really, I mean it! It’s totally fine to miss a couple here and there – unintentionally – but when someone hast taken the time to leave a meaningful comments (kinda like this one lol) or has joined the conversation and added on to the discussion with others who have commented – then I highly suggest that you not only reply but reply in kind!

As for mixing and mingling – people call it the blogosphere – I call it my “friendosphere of bloggers”. If you don’t take the time to get to know others and maybe appreciate their work if you genuinely do – then you can bet your bottom dollar that they won’t reciprocate. But here’s the thing – don’t do it with that in mind. If you have something to say on someone’s post – say it and don’t expect anything in return except for a reply. Be self-less and be genuine. Enough said! Even though I have more lol.

2. Your blog represents you! Much like people sometimes judge a book by it’s cover – they WILL judge your blog on it’s appearance. Actually, they will judge it in the first 3 seconds they land on it. Maybe sad – but very true! Treat it as you would your home. Clean it up, make it welcoming, make it friendly and easy to navigate, make it attractive, don’t clutter it with crap and ads and all that other stuff….need I say more? Your blog is YOU! Simple as that!

3. If you’re all about shameless self-promotion – people might not like you much! Sharing is caring – much like in the real world. Promote others 10 times more than you promote yourself. Not because you have to – but because they deserve it! You’d be surprised by how appreciative folks are when you take the time to notice them. And when you RT – if you can plug in a couple words as a prefix – it further shows that you actually read the post and not simply RT’d the first one in sight to get their attention.

4. No comment – this should go without saying – a contact page and an about page – make them easy to find and use!

5. You don’t have to have a set schedule – I wrote an entire post about that – but you do have to post frequently! IF you can be consistent – great – if you can’t then don’t sweat it but don’t exaggerate either. But whatever you do – don’t post for the sake of posting. If you’ve got nothing – then say nothing. If you plan on publishing crap for the sake of having something on a particular day – then you will only hurt the quality of your blog and affect your own credibility as a blogger or professional or whatever!

7. Edit, edit and then edit some more! Proof, proof and then proof some more! There is no such thing as the perfect blog post. But it has to be perfect in your eyes at least. There will always be typos and if English isn’t your first language – that’s okay too. Most important thing is that it sounds like you – that it’s your voice! (oh, I skipped number 6 on purpose lol – as it is I’ve left you with an eBook for a comment)

8. NICHE! Find it, stick it to it as much as you can and always know your audience. You can publish random stuff that isn’t related once in a while – but have a little section or category for it. But your main focus should be the niche you chose!

9. If I have to go through a CIA check and fill out endless forms to comment on your blog – I’m out of there!

10. Put passion into your blog! Trust me – if you love what you do and write – it will show! And if you don’t it will show even more. People are attracted to your personality – to your style. So if you don’t have one because you don’t care enough – I suggest you take on underwater basket weaving cause it that’s what’s more exciting to you than that’s what you should either be doing or writing about! Monotony and blandness are your enemies – I’ve said it many times before and you can quite me on that!

PHEWWWW….my book is finally finished hahaha. I’m hoping you made it till the end and that I didn’t make you want to jab your eye with icepick while reading .

But it’s not my fault this comment is a blog post in itself – it’s your post that inspired me to begin with .

Great job! Awesome points!

Have a great Thursday.

Cheers

PS – Hey Tony . Bet you knew who this comment was by even before you saw the name eh? Hehe
PS 2 – Please excuse all the typos – I didn’t take my own advice and edit a hundred times before pressing post as Ingrid Abboud lol

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Hi Ingrid, You make so many great points, I think you should turn your comment into an entire post. All of your observations are spot-on. I have mixed feelings about comments turned off, however. Some comments are directed at the blogger while others are general observations about the post. For example, your comment enriches my post by elaborating on all my points. You’ve actually added value to my article! Even if I don’t come here and respond to your comment, it’s useful to readers. Sometimes I visit a blog with comments turned off – I want to add something or comment, not to engage with the author but to explore the topic, perhaps with the other readers. Anyway, now I’m writing an ebook of my own. Thanks so much for your inspired and thoughtful comment and keep blogging!

http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

Hey Melissa,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply . I tend to hear that often – turn my comments into posts haha. Cause let’s face it – they often are just that. But in all honesty – this comment deserves to be here .

I’m actually NOT a fan of turning off comments – I know Seth Godin does it and a few others – but it’s just not my thing. Like I said – the gold is almost always in the comments. It’s where you get new ideas from – where you meet new people – where you exchange views – where conversations take place….Much like people are the life of a party – comments are the life of a blog. I’ve said that a few times already – both on my blog and elsewhere and I believe it.

I’m not talking about the brainless drive-by’s that say “hey, great post” – although sure it’s a comment but I’m talking more so about the one’s that add value somehow – whatever value may be. The one’s that are genuine and add on to the conversation. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with what an author said in there post – or even what another commenter may have said that you picked up on – what matters is that you share your views based on your experiences with your voice. Pretty much as you would a blog post I guess.

And I totally get you when I say that you sometimes want to explore the topic further with others and not simply the author . That’s the whole beauty of it.

Anyways – I’ve rambled again lol. Hopefully you will consider my ramblings more of thoughtful musings than meaningless blah blah haha .

Once again – nicely done!

Cheers
PS – I have every intention of continuing to blog – and I hope you do too .

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Hi Ingrid, ( I had better use your Sunday name here till people get to know who ‘Griddy’ is!) yes I did see the signs when the comment disappeared off the bottom of the screen, but you know of course you are always most welcome.

You have excelled yourself once more with your thoughtful and in depth reply and you have as ever made some telling points. Glad you enjoyed Melissa’s beautifully written post, It’s been a real pleasure to be her host, a function I hope to perform
for you soon.

“friendosphere of bloggers” – like that expression Griddy, it expresses well the groups of like minded people that we connect with and enjoy engaging with – Oh and I just wanted to say I particularly liked point #6, sometimes silence is better than a thousand
words

Many thanks for stopping by to leave your comment for Melissa and apologies for butting into your conversation

http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

LOL thank you so much Tony !!!
As for butting into the conversation – there’s no such thing as butting in – quite the contrary – it’s what it’s all bout – joining the conversation and sharing our thoughts with each other and not just the author. I’m glad you did and thank you for all your kind and encouraging words my friend.And yes – silence if often golden! Hmmmm…I should remind myself of that sometimes haha.Good of you to host Melissa’s excellent post here.Cheers to you both!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Ingrid, we are definitely on the same page, and I want to thank you for adding insight to my post here at The Top Ten Blog. Comments definitely turn a post into a community effort, which is wonderful. Thanks again

http://acertainsimplicity.com Diana Strinati Baur

I’m happy I found your blog, Tony ( I think it was Marcus Sheridan who tweeted it out or else it was John Falchetto) and that led me to Melissa and right back ’round to Griddy, where all roads lead

I can only say that I am relatively new to the party. I’ve been blogging for years, in sort of that cozy, sweet, disorganized way. I used to think that the blog should represent all of my interests. Now, I believe that my blog has to represent what is at the CORE of all of my interest. I extracted those things, and created a new blog around them a year ago. And am slowly trying to build from there.

There is not one point on your list, Melissa, that I have not been guilty of. Not a one.

Not too long ago I ran head on into Marcus Sheridan’s blog and it made an epic paradigm shift as to how I view blogging and lots of other stuff. It’s from there that I ran into a slew of incredibly energetic, creative bloggers…all out of my genre. That was difficult for me at first. I had always thought I should be looking at blogs LIKE mine. Another big mistake. By stepping out of my particular blog comfort zone, I was able to start to extract and implement the ideas these fabulous people (like Griddy) had – and start to see a real difference in 1) my numbers, 2) my own motivation and 3) in how helping others and being a good friend in the blogosphere can only lead to more good. because bloggers get too myopic in terms of the blogs they read. If I am an interior designer and all I do is look at design blogs, it might help my content but probably not how I am relating to my readers. I love Marcus because he has opened my eyes back up to marketing, which was actually my major in college and which I have always eschewed and said was a mistake for me because I am a creative. But heck, it was not a mistake and Marcus helps me think of my marketing as a creative venture.

I am learning the true value of taking time to respond to all of my comments. Right now, it’s making me know my readers. I love that several commenters have suggested that I write a book, which I am. Now, if that’s not positive reinforcement, then I don’t know what is.

Since coming across Marcus and his friends, I have started the process of converting my blog into a creative community. I have a ton of work to do with it and lots of ideas to implement and LOTS MORE TO LEARN but that’s great. I have not been this excited about blogging in years. And it is thanks to them, really. I wish I had more time in my day to dedicate to learning and sharing and telling these people how thankful I am. I think it is very interesting that good blogging is the result of constant giving and not self promotion. This might be why when someone looks at the most successful bloggers, they seem like givers by nature. I like that concept because it fits in with how I think things should be in general.

Wonderful stuff here! :)
http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Hi Diana, delighted to make your acquaintance, any friend of Marcus and Griddy is a friend of mine so you will always be most welcome

Thanks you so much for your thoughtful comment, I am so glad that you were able to take so much from Melissa’s superb article. I took a little time to pop over to your excellent blog and look forward to seeing your ideas come to fruition.

Tony

Anonymous

”friendosphere of bloggers” I LOVE it! That’s my new favorite phrase of the week

It’s always so lovely to see your smiling face and awesome comments, Miss Ingrid – you seriously make the internets better

http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

Hey Tisha,

Always great to see you too . And thanks so much for what you said )).
Glad you liked that phrase – there’s a few I’d love to coin someday lol . In my case – that little phrase it has a lot of truth to it .

Cheeers

http://twitter.com/WarlinePainting Heidi Nyline

Great article. I am taking some of your advice immediately and getting off my merry go round as we speak. I am also going to work on prettying it up this week. I’ll let you know how it goes.

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

That’s awesome, Heidi. Good luck to you

http://live-your-love.com/ Brankica U

Love, Love, Love It!!! Love all of them esp. number 1.

I haven’t met Melissa before (that I know of, if I have I am sorry) but Tony this is an awesome guest post. Definitely adding it to my Saturdays round up. Oh, and off to check out Melissa’s blog!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Delighted to see you here Brankica and many thanks for your comment. I am really pleased with Melissa’s post and the reaction to it and hope you will see her again soon on the blog. (Would love to see you here as guest sometime too! )

http://live-your-love.com/ Brankica | How to blog

Tony, I will do my best… People are already hating me for being way too late with some guest posts

In all this blogging and too many things to do related to it, I started a new static site. But I will try!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Nice to *meet* you Brankica. I’m so glad you liked this post. I’d love for you check out my blog. If you’re a writer, you’ll probably find something of interest there

Anonymous

Hi Tony! This is my first time visiting your blog and I WILL be back – great stuff here. And thanks for hosting such a great guest writer. I really enjoyed this article.

Wonderful post Melissa! I love articles that make me giggle and think at the same time. Like a few of the other commenters I clicked through to the article with trepidation because I feared I would find myself guilty on all 10 counts. I was happy to find that I seem to be going in the right direction for most of the things you mentioned! Woohoo!

Validation is great – thanks again for a great read!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Hi Tisha, glad you stopped by and delighted to hear you plan to return! Pleased to hear you took some positives out of your read and will make sure I give you a visit to see what you are getting up to
http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Thank you Tisha! You know, after I drafted this post, I almost trashed it because I was worried that people would have that reaction or take insult from some of the items in the list. Then I realized that any blogger who is truly striving to succeed would appreciate the tips, so I went for it. Not my usual fare, but I’m glad it seems to be either letting folks know they’re on the right track or giving bloggers ideas for how to get on the right track. Thanks again

http://www.charismatickid.com Anthony

This is SO my blog!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Successful blogging takes a lot of hard work and if you’re willing to put in the hours, you’ll do fine. Also, it takes time (years) to learn how to blog successfully. Good luck Anthony, keep at it

Friar

Maybe because the blog just plain sucks? :-)

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

Is that my friend Deep Friar? If so, long time no see! Your blog is definitely not a sad little sideshow

http://restoringyourinnerself.wordpress.com/ Barbz 1232

Yeah, wake up words here. I am a ‘newbie.’ Not too crazy about that word but it fits me right now. Yes, your set-up is totally different from any I have seen so far. OK… get to it, Barb. Keep on learning and moving forward!

http://www.writingforward.com Melissa Donovan

It’s a lot of work but the payoff is marvelous! Nothing wrong with being a newbie

http://acertainsimplicity.com Diana Strinati Baur

I thought this was spot on. There’s something for everyone on this list. Excellent.
http://www.techwork.dk Thomas

Hi Melissa

Interesting
points you have in this post. I have only been blogging for about 6 months so
far but have really learned a lot. The other day I was making some changes to
my blog and came across some of my first posts. Oh boy – I was stupid and naive
at that point I still have a lot to learn but I also really have learned a
lot so far on my blogger journey.
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P.I. Barrington

I. LOVE. THIS. So much so that I’m going to tweet it! Wish I’d had it years ago!

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Hi, many thanks for stopping by with your comment, I am so glad you enjoyed Melissa’s article

http://twitter.com/pukunui81 Jonathan Longstaff

Thanks very much, Melissa. As a newbie blogger, I appreciate stuff like this. FYI, I found #5 particularly useful. I’ve been struggling to make my posting a regular thing, so it’s good to have some advice on how to handle that sort of thing.

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Hi Jonathan, thanks for your comment. I agree that sometimes it can be hard to be consistent with your posts and I’m glad that you have found Melissa’s advice useful

http://jdogwhitney.wordpress.com/ Justin

Hi Tony,

I just want to let you know that I love what you have to say on this post. I just started my own blog, and I feel really good about it and am really trying to generate some interest…and not let my blog become a sad little sideshow. As you see, I am following reason number one, which I might not have done had I not read your article. I am also linking to you, mainly so that I can come back to this whenever I need a reminder.

Justin

http://www.thetop10blog.com/ Tony Hastings

Thanks for your comment Justin, I would live to take credit for the advice but it’s all down to Melissa, my skill was in connecting with her and inviting her to be a guest Good luck with your own blog!

http://www.GirlsBestFriendandcoBlog.com GBFANDCO

People who make these types of mistakes probably could care less about the success of their blog. This list of Don’t is pretty elementary.
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Amazing write-up! This could aid plenty of people find out more about this particular issue. Are you keen to integrate video clips coupled with these? It would absolutely help out. Your conclusion was spot on and thanks to you; I probably won’t have to describe everything to my pals. I can simply direct them here!