You guys understand how a blog works, right? There’s a sequence of events that goes something, but not exactly, like this:
1. I write an entry and post some pretty pictures.
2. You read the entry.
3. You comment on said entry.
Right. So that’s how its done. And yet. We seem to be having an issue getting from #2 to #3. See, I know I have readers. I have a site meter that tells me I average 38 visits per day. And, there are actually 20+ people who subscribe to my blog with Bloglines. (Oh, and Bloglines? The best freakin’ invention since the blog. You can keep track of, like, eleventy million blogs with minimal effort. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really need to do so. Right now.) Anyway, so, yeah, my blog has a community. But, listen up, gentle reader. You’re falling down on the job because you just aren’t leaving comments. Oh, I do manage to get a comment or two with every post now, which is an improvement since the bleak commentless early days of the blog. But some people? They get loads of comments with every post.
So, what’s their secret? Their witty and scintillating style? Their inclusion of knitting content with every post? The fact that they write (and knit) better than me? Maybe. But you know what? I think it’s the contests. Up until recently I had vowed never to resort to bribing you with contests. I thought my readers were above such cheap and shameless antics just to increase commenting. Oh, I know it’s done. Margene held a contest last week on her blog and offered up a prize to the 6500th commenter. 6500th. I had to go have a lie down after imagining what it would be like to have 6500 comments on my blog. Nevertheless, if it takes a prize to get you all to comment, then a prize it shall be. Anything for comments the sake of the blog.
So. Ahem. I am nearing a small milestone regarding comments. At the rate you guys comment, I might hit it in the next week or two. Might. And the 213th (a random number – how out of character is that?) commenter is going to get this.
That’s two skeins of Art Yarns Supermerino reclining in the hostas, the only plant worthy of photographing in my dry, dry garden.
Oh, and just so you know? I answer (and thank) every commenter. I figure it’s the least I can do.
I love a contest! (And your blog too.)
I think everyone has more readers than commenters, I know I certainly do. I just think of my readers as mysterious creatures…
I tend to be a once-a-week type of commenter myself, but I think that’s just because I’m neurotic and don’t want people to think I’m stalking them.
Hi Carole,
Oh the world is full of lurkers, isn’t it :o)
Sometimes a question or two brings people out of their shells.
I average 10% in the comment category.
Once I asked why people weren’t commenting and you should have seen how busy these ladies were! Yikes!
I love wendyknits too…but feel my comments get lost in the huge crowd…so I don’t comment very often there :o)
I comment more often here!
Now that I know you like comments, I will be sure to say ‘hi’ when I stop by :o)
Donna
You shouldn’t compare yourself to the yarnharlot and Wendy. They have an unnatural level of followers – and have been doing this for YEARS. I also average about a 10% comment rate, and the longer you’re at it and the more knit blog friends you make, the more comments will come. Hey – get pregnant with twins and they’ll come flooding in!
one of your many lurkers waving from the corner 😉
i agree that bloglines CAN be a wonderful thing…but apparently it’s been having issues lately–the last post i saw of yours was the hurricane post, and it just now told me you’d been posting…argh…i may have to go back to trying to keep my own list and just hit them all daily…
i understand about the comments…but then again i haven’t been blogging long (or regularly sheesh) so i can’t complain…yet ;o)
I want to point out I hit ‘comment’ before the photo of whatever yarn you are giving away came up (the joys of dial-up) ;o) Maybe I need to write a post such as this since I get maybe two comments per post and I get at least 30 or so hits a day…hrmmm…I do try to comment however I recently got a little turned off by a couple of the ‘more popular’ people either responding rather rudely via email or writing a ‘don’t bother to leave me advice comments I don’t need advice’ post (after which I promptly removed both of them from my bloglines list).
Well, I know I’m one of your “regulars.” My lack of commenters is one of the main reasons I am thinking of giving up my blog. Being a lone voice howling in the wilderness gets old after a while! I appreciate that you acknowledge comments. I have commented several times on some of the more popular blogs and have not been acknowledged – I imagine it is time consuming if you get a lot of comments, but then if Margene can do it . . . .
Hope you have a GREAT day! 🙂
I just started reading your blog and as a new knitter, I love it! I am a lurker but will come out of hiding to say hello and post a comment for you :):)
Hi there. Sometimes I wonder about this too. Often I find when I comment on somebody else’s site, their little comment-mail form includes the link to my blog, so they read my comment, click the link, and then comment back.
I think it has a lot to do with not just enticing readers with good content on your own site, but sticking your neck out there and commenting widely too. I can think of some people who *always* have a comment posted on every site I read, before I get a chance to, and it boggles the mind. Don’t they have jobs? 🙂
After four years of blogging I kind of don’t care any more. I’m glad I have a lot of “real life” friends I’ve made through blogging and that’s enough for me. But yeah, there are definitely days when (or certain posts for which) you really want the glory!
Me! Me me! I read you all the time! Make me #213!!!
It is amazing the number of readers you have and how few comment. A contest can bring them out, as you can see. It’s nice to have someone else ‘stoop’ to my level;-)
LOL! Okay – even if I AM 213, you can skip me. I am not in it for the yarn – I had to comment to laugh with you at the whole comment thing! No matter how much I try to think it’s really about the knitting, or my personal expression, or some other lofty (BS) justification, I basically feel like I am back in high school again, wondering if people notice me or not, me noticing everything – and noticing who else is getting more noticed than me! LOL!
I have to admit that I am a lazy reader – I hardly ever comment on blogs. Since I read them in bloglines I always forget that the site actually exists with its little comment form. Love your blog, though!
haha! I often wonder the same– I get, like, 2-3 comments per entry! I figure I must be boring everyone! Ah well, I try not to take it personally.
Have fun with the contest!
BTW, how do you figure out how many comments you’ve amassed so far?
Just keep those baby pictures coming and you’ll get lots of comments! Who could NOT comment on such cuteness? Anyway, keep up the writing…we’re reading even when we don’t comment!
Hi! I found you from your homepage link in the comments on the Knitting Curmudgeon’s latest post. Lovely hostas! The snails eat ’em so fast here that I’ve never even seen them bloom before. I can’t wait to see what the K.C. tells you about ladders on your socks. I’m doing my first pair and avoiding the ladders in a way too cumbersome to describe in this wee little box. Hope she can make it simple. 🙂
Hi Carole! Ya gives the comments, ya gets the comments, sometimes, it seems. 🙂 Thanks for your comment on my blog. It looks like sock yarn has dragged the lurkers out of the shadows–kudos.
Thanks for the accolades about the wheel for Lee Ann. It’s the right thing. And I’m excited about having the most well-travelled wheel in blogdom. I’m asking everyone to leave a talisman on it as a souvenir. It’s all good.
I agree with what Melanie said, you should not compare yourself to other bloggers who have been blogging longer than you. I’m one of your blogline subscribers and I always enjoy reading your entries~ even if I don’t comment everytime.
Also, skip me if I’m the 213th commenter. Pass it on to the next one. 🙂
Carole, you struck on one of the great mysteries of blogdom, comments. Does take a good contest to lure folk out of lurkdom. Either that or a really out of the norm soul searching post that calls oneself into question. Birthdays are good for comment uppage too 🙂
That yarn though…oo la la.
It is frustrating when people don’t comment, but as you get more readers, it takes longer to email everyone back! (I don’t know how Margene does it.) You have a great blog, and Cate is right: you’ve got to give the comments to get them.
I hear you….I think a “good” day is 3 comments!
Just found you via Margene….You’re bookmarked now…
🙂 lisa in oregon
Ah! And another comment ho joins our ranks! I’m the same way. Bloglines says we have a lot more subs than commenters. I guess that’s just the way it goes.
Glad to find you, BTW. Isn’t Margene the greatest?
i think bloglines is great but also detracts from the number of commenters. and don’t compare yourself to wendy or fluffa or even margene or the harlot…really. you have a lovely blog (great layout and graphics) and good content. keep up the great work! enough said.
Aw, no one comments for me either!