I made this. Standard fair use, with credit, allowed.
I have recently reread my August 7th post on my attempts to organise, brand, and diversify Kyoto Maiko. I wanted to try to take stock of where I am in terms of building not traffic, but community. I have to say, I am a bit disappointed with myself for failing to recognise that if I was to engender discussion not just between myself and individual commenters, but also between commenters themselves, I would have to seriously reconsider my decision to blog in short yet prolific surges.
These surges are valuable, no doubt about it. They build traffic, they build readership, and frankly, they produce not only some of my best content, but also successfully add to the look and the feel of the blog itself. I hope that the blog is easy to navigate, clear to read, and fits with the themes I previously established for the blog. I also have taken care of the domain name, and I'm sure that will make it significantly easier for individuals to find, read, and engage with it. These would only be possible because of the surges.
That being understood, these surges come too far and too few in between. Many of my most common commenters require reminders I still exist once a new surge has begun. This is usually because my writing surges coincide with my reading surges. Thus, I am significantly more likely to blog when I comment, and comment when I blog. This means that such reminders occur when I myself have decided to comment on a blog. I have never wanted to be a professional blogger, and I have never felt that I could or wanted to blog every day. In fact, I am still sure I don't and I can't and I don't. However, the lack of posting consistency is, I think, a significant reason why a discourse between readers hasn't happened.
It's not the only reason. I think my readership still hasn't settled yet. I appreciate every single comment I receive, as do, I am sure, the bloggers who receive comments from me. However, I think it is fair to say that my intended audience is clearly in the general vicinity of Trad/Ivy/Prep, with some outliers probably interested primarily in my Japan pictures. This intended course didn't really exist when the blog switched to personal style based on recommendations from Facebook friends two years ago. It certainly didn't exist when the blog was originally founded in June of 2008.
Initially, I didn't know what I was doing at all. About all I knew of style blogs or fashion blogs were The Sartorialist and HEL Looks, and I enjoyed both of them. This is why when I learned about Independent Fashion Bloggers, I figured it was a tool to figure out just what the hell a style blogger was supposed to be. And I made a lot of mistakes dealing with content or subjects that had very little to do with my daily life or daily style choices. In the end, while I have connected to hundreds of blogs, some of which I definitely keep in a personal rotation, I can say with relative certainty that there is not a single blog I have discovered through Independent Fashion Bloggers that I feel is tied enough to my core themes to include on my blogroll. Which is not, as has been explained earlier, to suggest that blogs discovered through IFB "aren't good enough." They're just not the right fit for the focus.
This is not to say IFB has not been valuable, but if it has been, it has been for the small connections which have been made, and not the larger ones. Looking over the traffic flow over the past two years, I think my selected posts for Links a la Mode garnered just as many comments, that is to say, just as much discourse, as any of my posts during the middle of my surges. The vast majority of the traffic provided by Links a la Mode selections produced no comments, no discussion, no community. Google analytics tells me so.
Is it because of my own inconsistency in applying for it week after week? I don't think so. When I look to my "IFB" commenters, such as Terri of Rags Against the Machine, V of Grit and Glamour, or Alexis Grace of North On Harper, what I see isn't a relationship built on increasing exposure, even if it may have started that way. Instead I see personal relationships built over months of commenting back and forth. Most of the comments I have received via links in the Link a la Mode threads are what Terri calls "hit and run" bloggers. Even if I take my time to pay back their "kindness" with a comment on their blogs, rarely is this profitable. And why should it be? They do not have any true interest in my themes. V has explained her views on why she sometimes comments… and often does not (recognising that our themes do not coincide while still noticing that, from time to time, we may find interest in various posts), but I would love to hear from Terri or Alexis Grace or Serene or Lisa why they stick around. Not that I want to see them go, mind you!
There is one more group of commenters, a small, yet growing group that is precisely the readership I think I made some decision to seek in August of 2010. These are the traditionalists, the ivies, and the prepsters. Among them are the always elegant Muffy Aldrich, the "frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" Scott Alexander, myth buster extraordinaire Yankee-Whisky-Papa, and ultimate Tretorn fan John. Not a single one of them was to be found via aggregation sites, or a huge list of links, or giveaways. I found them through one another and through others that have a passion for a specific type of style and certain values when it comes to making decisions about clothing, among other things. These are the people I want to have a beer at the club with. These are the people I want to go out sailing with. These are the people who see the value in having a beer at the club and in going out and sailing!
While consistency in posting is necessary to keep the discourse open and bring in new readers that will identify with the values and themes espoused in your content, I think it is the personal relationships which keep people coming back. If you value hits, then you probably do not care much at all about whether or not your commenters are one-hit-wonders, as long as there is a constantly replenishing supply of them. However, if you care about readers as individuals, and you are about fomenting discussion about the very topics you wish you could discuss in real life with the individuals who become your readers, well then spending time building personal relationships is key.
And with that I think I am going to spend considerably less time on "10 new ways to build your blog" or "The new it device you have to own to harblegarblemobilebloggingBUZZWORDS" and considerably MORE time on sharing stories with the readers I already have and encouraging them to speak to each other- not just with me.
As always, fair winds and following seas.
I'll have a beer with you anytime... though I do prefer liquor.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to hear thoughts on your personal blogging experience. Nothing builds readership like frequent posting. My goal this year is to post every day, or at least finish the year with no less than 365 posts. However, I consider this primarily a challenge to myself rather than an attempt to gain readers. Thanks for being included in your selective list, though I'm curious as to your choice of that particular quote.
ReplyDelete@Scott It comes from your resistance to labels. "WASP/Trad/Ivy/Prep, I don't care."
ReplyDeleteYou have shamed me into canceling my "29 days of giveaways" next month. Now I just have to figure out what to do with those pink and green mugs filled with neon candy and leather-like wallets.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post. You cover few things related to blogging and commenting so I'll just give my view.
ReplyDeleteI like to blog during most weekdays because it gives me an outlet and enables me to share light things like posts about my travels, outfits, or designer collections. I consciously make my blog light, but know that people do get a bit of feedback when they are quite personal.
I also try to comment on everyone who comments on my blog - call it blog courtesy. I have found that the combination of posts, comments, and Twitter has allowed me to get to know bloggers better. I've met a few in real life and would love to meet more. To many, blogging is about community and shared interests. You won't connect with everyone in the group, but you will eventually find a few whom you can forge a more meaningful relationship.
I've been pretty lazy about doing more with the blog, but will revamp it soon. Presentation and networking are definitely key to capturing and maintaining your audience (something I resolve to do better!)
Have a lovely weekend!
xoxo,
Chic 'n Cheap Living
@YWP You can have the whisky, and I'll have a pint of stout. We can call that a good day.
ReplyDelete@Muffy *snirk* Oh my. That could be an entire post in and of itself, the subject of "preppy giveaways." That said, I do not have any issue with the idea of giveaways in general, just the way in which they are often abused to create false readership and blatant exposure. Mister Midwester's Style Share is an excellent example of a good giveaway. However, most giveaways I see are variations on the theme of "to enter, post this on your blog, to enter again like me on facebook, to enter a third time, follow me on twitter, to like me a fourth time carve my blog address into your forearm with rusty dental tools..."
@Chic Blog courtesy only goes so far. This is why while I will always attempt to periodically revisit the blogs of commenters and even leave a comment now and again, a tit for tat comment scheme without genuine interest leads to comments such as, "I like that shirt" or "Wow, you look very nice." The kind of discussion that Muffy, YWP, and Scott tend to engender or engage in tends to be far more substantial- and much more worth it to myself as the blog author, and hopefully, to you as a blog reader.
This seems primarily like a farewell letter to IFB. If it is, I think that would be of value here, as you dismissed every blogger connected to IFB as not being "fit" for a spot on your blogroll. I'm sorry the traffic you receive doesn't "build a community" on your blog, though it seems to me that that would be less the fault of IFB than of your own work. Why does it work for some and not others? It has nothing to do with inconsistency or an unstable readership. Quite frankly, one's style and taste in fashion can be as personal as one wants, but if it's not accessible to others, you can't expect to build a community around it. Buzzwords like "prep" and "ivy" imply an elitism that people are grateful to dismiss. No one is out there defining their style in one word; people can't connect to that sort of thing, and there's no fun in it. And if that's so, then what's the point of fashion? To impress people? To inform the public of your earthly possessions? How can a community of individuals like that truly function intimately and honestly? Then again, maybe I just don't get it because I'm not having a beer at the club or going sailing.
ReplyDelete@Ebeth I said on my twitter link to consider this as "Notes on Readership Part II." I think if you read the original Notes on Readership, you will understand the context of my statements in relation to IFB. Much of what I say has to do with watching carefully for what I discuss in that post.
ReplyDeleteThis was not a farewell to IFB, although it definitely signals a break from Links a la Mode specifically. It is, I am sure, working for others, as they have other goals. I do not think it is working for me, and I don't believe I should be faulted for recognising that fact.
Before I proceed any further, I think it is necessary to state that I did not say that those bloggers who participate in IFB are not "fit" for my blogroll. I said that I have yet to come across a blog I have met through IFB that "fit" on my blogroll. These are very different uses of the word fit. In the first means, "inferior" which I did NOT say. The second means, "complimentary."
I enjoy reading many IFB blogs, and I comment often enough on several of them. Yours not as much as Terri's or Alexis Grace's but you've had more than one or two comments from me. I find Cosmolawlitan to be absolutely intriguing because I am taking law courses... Yet, I would not put House of Guise, nor Rags against the Machine, nor Cosmolawlitan on my blogroll. That's no insult. YWP isn't even on my blogroll (although, admittedly, if he keeps up his commentary on prep school myths, he'll probably earn a spot). As I stated in Notes on Readership, a blogroll for me reflects purveyors of content that matches my own. There is an implicit suggestion to my readers that those on my blogroll will provide similar content.
As for Prep and Ivy and the such, they're only labels. Scott dismisses them. I find them useful. Muffy is near enough a philosopher for her views on authenticity. My very first Links a la Mode selection was about how Prep is open to anyone, as long as the values are shared. Elitism may be prominent in the prep set, but it is hardly a requirement, and it is one thing I think the blogosphere is helping to put down.
If people can't connect to such labels, why do Muffy and FEC have so many readers? Why does Kiel James Patrick and the Cordial Churchman have so many customers?
I get that you have taken the recognition that perhaps I am not a good fit for Links a la Mode in specific, or perhaps other themes of IFB in general, as an attack on IFB, but that certainly was not my intention. I'm not saying, explicitly or implicitly, that my current readership make up (or lack thereof) has been caused by my connection to IFB. Does one blame the fork if you fail at eating soup with it? No. You've used the wrong tool for the job, and the fork is not at fault. Likewise, I think that Links a la Mode is the wrong tool for what I am trying to do, and perhaps IFB in general might be as well, I don't know. I do know that other tools have worked, and I want to spend more time using those.
I'd be happy to have you grab a beer with me or sail with me- if you're interested in doing those things. I know some of the others are, and shared experiences are a significant part of any personal relationship, especially those we call friendships.
First, Kionon, I greatly appreciate the lengthy comment you left at Rags today. You are a more experienced retail shopper than I am and it helped immensely with my project for the year.
ReplyDeleteI keep coming back--first, because I enjoyed the controversy around the first post of your I read regarding how students dress for class.
I've come to be interested in your travels, and I have another good blogging friend who has worked from Japan. It is interesting to me to compare notes about that.
I was surprised to learn that your blog has been around for so long. In its previous form, Rags was named footnotes and was rarely read by anyone. Somehow style blogging comes with a ready made community and that can be gratifying to a blogger who has written into the ether for years.
@Terri No problem. A lot of the brands/stores you mention are not ones that I personally purchase from, but I have worked in retail, and I have had friends and significant others who have. I've also spent more time than I care to admit window shopping in stores to kill time when I would never actually purchase what was being offered.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I have been very blessed to be able to travel as much as I have, and that it is a fairly significant part of my life, so it should feature in my blog.
As for the age of the blog, one of the reasons there is such a huge gap between June of 2008 and January of 2010 is because I deleted several "random thought" posts that really added nothing to the blog.
Interesting thoughts! I agree with you, blogging to me is much more about building relationships with readers and other bloggers. That is certainly what I enjoy about the blogging world. Also, what a clever graffic!
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? You GET it. Like you, I'm in this for the connections, for the conversations, even if they take time to develop. I love the tremendous diversity of my readers, and adore each for their individual personalities. There is nothing more refreshing than intelligent, thoughtful comments from readers like you. As you noted, that's what keeps us coming back together. And I love that, even if it's sporadic, it's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThis is so well done, I really enjoyed it. I even went back to re-read the August post to make sure I had the context right, and then I also re-read some of the other posts that were pertinent, as well as visiting a few blogs of those who already commented. (It is the beauty and the mystery of the iPad, I make time to surf when sitting on the sofa, pondering things at a fairly relaxed pace, something I rarely do on the desktop.)
ReplyDeleteLike you, I do not believe it is about the volume of readers. If that were the case I would cease railing against Ralph Lauren's logos and start singing the plaudits of things antithetical to personal beliefs and tastes. It takes awhile to get to the point where that is 'okay,' or it did in my case.
The disconnect with IFB is a great tale, not because it didn't work out, but precisely because of the effort expended and the reasons why it did not ultimately make sense. I follow you on twitter and know some of the energy you put into that relationship. I didn't think you were making a negative statement about IFB at all, rather sharing the reasons why it was not a great fit in the long run.
I understand that process, having tried to explain to many who have asked via comment or email why it would *not* be a stellar idea for me to add them to my blogroll, or why I do not want to pursue a cross-promotional relationship with their particular endeavor. It has not been intended as a negative or positive reflection of my thoughts about their undertaking, rather, it is about better predictions on
what works in the longer term for both interested parties.
We have been at this a similar amount of time, I shouldn't be surprised we have arrived at similar conclusions. Good for you on having further defined your goals and means to get there, it is something I admire about you.
I think I more or less get what you are saying. I think IFB has great potential, and it's a great tool to connect, but I too find the community it wants to build a bit... Superficial? A lot of the people joining IFB lack a true unique voice. They attach far too much value to numbers and traffic, and produce the 'hit and run'-comments. I do appreciate those (unless it's clear the person behind them did not read the article in question). I will rarely take the trouble of writing comments when I do not connect to the blogger in some or other way - because I find them inspirational or interesting. Chances are that when I do, I will stick around, even if I don't comment again. (Simply because I refer from writing when I don't feel I can attribute something to the discussion.) The traffic Links à la Mode produces might not be building a community (unless 20 people telling you you wearing a great coat counts as a community), but I do think it's valuable to getting you views out there. From time to time it does introduce me to blogs I keep on following very loyally.
ReplyDeleteI think you're on the right track putting more emphasis on personal relationships. This is what a true community and valuable interaction are all about, after all. And I do think it will pay off - given the choice between a substantial amount of followers who can't be bothered to show a deep interest or a select but intelligent readership, I would always choose the latter.
Kyoto Maiko might not be a blog that would normally entice me to follow, but I'm following on bloglovin' nonetheless, because you have a view on things I very much appreciate, because you have a way of putting things, because you have a unique voice. Which to me is definitely the most important aspect of all.