I will state up front that I don't get the Twilight obsession, I've read and re-read trying to see what I've missed but I just keep coming up empty. Edward is more than a little controlling and pale and stringy should apply to mozarella not men and Jacob just makes me feel dirty, like an ageing flasher hanging outside a primary school. So it probably wasn't a good idea for my girlfriends' to drag me along to the screening of New Moon. Apparently it's not meant to be a comedy, go figure, because I found it pretty amusing, although judging from the filthies I received each time I giggled my SOH clearly wasn't appreciated.
Anyway back on to the garden path. Being a blog virgin I'm not switched to Blog Ettiquette. As I've been meandering through Blog Central I've found Blogs that challenged, educated or amused me and I've exercised my right to
Thanks mainly to the outstanding PR skills of Mrs Woog (can I just say that I do have a little crush) I appear to have attracted some delightful followers of my own and this is where my question of blog ettiquette comes into play. What is the accepted when it comes to following, is there an unwritten expectation that you follow your followers and in effect become a giant daisy chain? What about comments? Are you expected to comment religiously or is it acceptable to comment when you actually have something to say?
As I've already posted I am more than a tad shy so posting a link to my blog when I comment is about as likely to happen as me having rampant afternoon sex with David Beckham.
I have noticed a few comments where there is a link to that individuals' blog. Personally it isn't something I could do, but hey different strokes, so how do you feel about blatant self promotion in the comments section of your blog? Are you going to read their blog or are you going to avoid it on principle?
Which brings me to my next question, is blogging a giant popularity contest? Does size matter? If you have a small or non existent following should you hang your head in shame or do you just embrace the obviously discerning readership you've garnered and revel in your exclusivity?
So experienced bloggers tell me the dos and don'ts. What would you tell all newbie bloggers starting out?
7 comments:
Probably should not comment, as I probably am a blog rebel and do not blog as others do.
I follow who I want and regularly do culls of my follow list. If I have not bothered reading that blog for a month, then why am I following them? I will follow a follower of me for awhile, stay with them if I read them, but stop if I don't. I don't expect anyone to follow me, just because I follow them.
Saying that though, if you are part of a blogging community they will have some rules about following each other.
If I find someone's comment on another blog interesting, I will often click on them and check their blog out.
I comment when I feel like it. It can be hard with some blogs, as they always seem to blog stuff I am interested in and I feel like a stalker due to commenting so much. Often if there are already 20+ comments, I wont bother commenting.
Gosh - did not realise I had so many of my own blogging "rules", which are probably of no help to you whatsoever!
I have no idea if there are any "rules" as such...(but if there are, apologies to anyone I have offended by inadverterntly breaking them!)
I comment on any blog or any post of anyones that appeals at the time.
If I get a sense that the blog and I are on the same "wavelength", then I follow.
I unfollow quite quickly too, if I ever read anything that offends or is too whingey winey - I cannot abide blogs that just crap on about negative it's not fair woe is me stuff all the time. (Evidently very therapuetic for the writer, which is great. But not inspiring for me to read.)
I only comment if I have something to say, generally. But it is usually brief. (Unlike this one!)
I only ever link to my blog if I have a real and genuine reason to, in the comment. (For exmaple, the other day Mrs Woog posted about sexy brown shaved legs and I linked in a comment to a post I had done on the same day about "How to look good naked". That type of bizarre coincidence is RARE though!)
In terms of size - my blog had about 3 followers for over two years...but I have a few more now. They are just as likely to bugger off again though....
I am not sure if any of the above waffle helps any?!
You sound to me like a lady who knows her own mind and I would say go with what feels right for you! I do not follow every follower as I forget to see who is new but I follow a fair amount of people and I dip in and out of blogs unless I really like them and they have something in common with me and then I come by more often (like you at the moment! lol)
Generally if you want to gain more followers then you should read and comment more and certainly in the UK being an avid user of twitter gets you loads more followers and friends. I find I do not have time to get involved too much so I sit on the sidelines quite happily but it is easy to get pulled into the competitiveness and looking at your stats to see how your blog is doing.
The Aussie blogging community seems an amazing place and that is why I read an comment on so many Oz and NZ blogs.
Mich x
Read what you want. I agree with your Twilight reading taste. If your blog followers have something interesting to say read their blogs. If it's jut a bunch of boring "My life is sooooo exciting" then don't read them. Comment when you have something worth saying and skip it when you don't. I blog for my own cathartic therapy so if someone reads it that's fine (it is on the web after all) but I'm not looking for dozens of followers just those who like what I have to say.
All that to say I like your blog, the humor and the seemingly universal weight loss struggle!
Don't know the rules per say, just do what comes naturally. Write, comment, read as you so choose and post links to yours as you see fit!
Just like raising kiddoes, do what feels right and worry about the results later... there's no rule book to go by.
BTW, I'm following you because what you are saying rings so true in my life too. One of the only reasons I follow someone's blog. It's not a popularity contest for me.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm quite comfortable with going my own way but really was a tad clueless.
Having spent my life eluding the cool kid crowd I'm quite content to be hanging in my own little box.
I shall be Queen of my domain and the rest will just take care of itself.
I blog like there is no one reading and I hate it when I meet people who say " oh your mrs Woog" or my mum says " I think you went a bit overboard on XXXXXXX" it is the curse of putting your thoughts out there. I love finding new brilliant writers ( like you) and like sharing with my readers. I had a pr chick who wanted to do promotions with me as long as I stopped swearing!! I told her to piss off. Keep doing what you are doing, read other blogs for pleasure and inspiration and do not even think about rules because my darling they simply do not exist! Xox
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