I looked the stats for the blog. I was more surprised than disappointed. There were 1,200 folks on the previous site. It dropped to 800 when I moved here. Now with the same content, it has dropped to 200. I have to ask myself is it worth it?
The problem isn't your content - it's first rate as usual - but how viewers access blogs and your recent URL change.
When I want to look at spanking blogs, I almost always start with one, then jump to the next by clicking on the 'Blog List' links on the first one's homepage. Since the majority of these lists display the linked blogs with the most recent updates in descending order, it's an easy way to see who has new content and is worth a visit. See Strict Julie's blog for an example of what I'm trying to describe.
Those reciprocal links drive traffic in both directions. They eliminate the need for searches and bookmarks. And they potentially attract new readers to your blog, since most bloggers list pages that are in a similar vein to their own.
Since your move to Blogger, most of the other blogs that had previously listed OBB in their Blog List haven't updated to your new location, resulting in your old one appearing at the bottom and looking dormant. If you're serious about wanting more viewers, consider adding your own Blog List with links to similar sites, and contacting the owners of those sites asking them to update/include the link to yours in their lists.
It means making some changes to your blog's basic layout but those are easily done and Blogger provides the templates required. Find a blog whose style you like and which contains the elements you need and simply mirror it. Good luck.
I appreciate you taking the time to present your viewpoint. I can't get past the fact that folks came and then stopped. It's a long way from 800 to 200.
I begged for a week for readers to bookmark the new site before the move.
You can even have your own 'Reader' of sites that you follow and not depend on someone else's blog list.
I spent 35+ years in technical documentation and the unwavering rule was (and is) write for your audience, not yourself. Understand why your audience reads your material, how they access it, and what their needs and preferences are.
Not everyone wants to bookmark spanking sites or create lists, for a variety of reasons, shared computers being a major one. Not everyone is comfortable 'outing' their spanking kink or indeed any aspect of their sexuality; it is a wholly private matter.
I can understand only wanting to share reciprocal links with blogs that share your views and values but quite frankly, that's a very narrow field. How many blogs like that are there? Most of what I've seen involve some elements of role play, D/s, FLR, 'punishment', etc. Not your cup of tea and that's fine but it's limiting. Certainly you can avoid blogs and sites with overt S&M themes or other 'philias you feel are way outside your remit (e.e., ABDL, feet, watersports), but consider being a bit more open to other blogs where spanking is the central theme, even if its forms don't match your own.
Much as I enjoy your blog, it's far from the only one I read regularly. Strict Julie, Die Starke Frau, Hermoine's Heart, My Bottom Smarts (to name a few) all offer something to the spanking enthusiast. Exchanging links with them is a no-cost approach to potentially increasing your viewership without compromising your vision or integrity.
Ultimately, it's your blog and of course should be managed as you see fit. Just be prepared for your reader numbers to remain static or fall even lower without changing something about how you attract readers.
I understand where you are coming from. I may do a post explaining my reasoning. Meanwhile, I ask you, would you want a link from a site you find offensive?
I see this on the OBB bdsmlr site. I get likes, followers, and reposts to sites that don't share a single common value with OBB.
OBB has never been about degradation, humiliation, etc. Quite the opposite.
I understand what you are saying, but the idea is to drive viewers to this site so they can see and read your perspective. Many times there are sites that focus on interests but they find their way here because of curiosity. There are lots of people who not particularly fans of humiliation etc, but they go to those sites, then look at the links to see what else is out there. That's how I found your site years ago. Once I found OBB, I avidly read every post since you started because it was exactly what I had been looking for. without the link, I may never have known about OBB.
Might have some to do with a 4 day holiday travel period. Did not have a lot of people even looking at my listings on eBay as they had other things to do.
Bogey - Not sure why yesterday's comment didn't publish. Odder still because it appeared to post normally on my end when I sent it. Regardless, while I agree in general with FL's comments as to how traffic typically moves from site to site and the impact of links; your first question was the right one... 'asking myself if it's worth it?' You of course being the only one who can answer it. I'm not a blogger as you know, never have, doubt I ever will. Were I to undertake it however, traffic would not be the yardstick I'd use to determine its value. That would be determined only upon whether I derived enjoyment from the work required to sustain it. Most blogs have a fairly regular or loyal group of commenters from my experience. Occasionally, a new voice will join in but it seems to me a constant ebb and flow. Blogging in general appears to be in some decline so perhaps the numbers reflect a larger trend and less to do with OBB. Obviously the last few months and multiple moves haven't helped the less fervent OBB followers to relocate you but eventually they will... or will have drifted away with the others who've become less enamored of blogs and blogging. I hope for the loyal readers out here you will continue... but recognize if it's not floating your boat, you may have a decision to make.
Dear Loyal Reader(s), I sincerely appreciate all the recent expressions that the content is worthwhile.
As for floating my boat, I get satisfaction when people enjoy my efforts. I approach spanking the same way. I determine the spanking they want and give them that. It's not always the spanking I might want. If what they want is outside my limits, I wish them well.
The site is a little tricky and takes some learning. I am used to just refreshing to see what is new and that only works if there is nothing new, if there is, I just get a white page. Now, I know that it can be bookmarked, I did, but that means hunting through a LOT of bookmarks. I have found, if I remove everything at the top except "ourbottomsburn.blogspot.com" and enter, it takes me to the "do you want to enter" page and I can get in. Usually, I am still at the old page and I have to find the link to the new one. The link to the comments section is small and easily missed, especially if there are none.
Having to do all that every day might put some people off after a while or they may not be that computer savy.
I enjoy your blog postings, would hate to see you disappear! (But I only published my blog for about one year myself. So do as I say, not as I do, please.)
I agree with lee, about the holiday. My stats always take a dive around Thanksgiving. Down by about a third on my main blog. This is normal every year. A lot come back in the New Year.
The problem isn't your content - it's first rate as usual - but how viewers access blogs and your recent URL change.
ReplyDeleteWhen I want to look at spanking blogs, I almost always start with one, then jump to the next by clicking on the 'Blog List' links on the first one's homepage. Since the majority of these lists display the linked blogs with the most recent updates in descending order, it's an easy way to see who has new content and is worth a visit. See Strict Julie's blog for an example of what I'm trying to describe.
Those reciprocal links drive traffic in both directions. They eliminate the need for searches and bookmarks. And they potentially attract new readers to your blog, since most bloggers list pages that are in a similar vein to their own.
Since your move to Blogger, most of the other blogs that had previously listed OBB in their Blog List haven't updated to your new location, resulting in your old one appearing at the bottom and looking dormant. If you're serious about wanting more viewers, consider adding your own Blog List with links to similar sites, and contacting the owners of those sites asking them to update/include the link to yours in their lists.
It means making some changes to your blog's basic layout but those are easily done and Blogger provides the templates required. Find a blog whose style you like and which contains the elements you need and simply mirror it. Good luck.
I appreciate you taking the time to present your viewpoint. I can't get past the fact that folks came and then stopped. It's a long way from 800 to 200.
DeleteI begged for a week for readers to bookmark the new site before the move.
You can even have your own 'Reader' of sites that you follow and not depend on someone else's blog list.
More later
I spent 35+ years in technical documentation and the unwavering rule was (and is) write for your audience, not yourself. Understand why your audience reads your material, how they access it, and what their needs and preferences are.
DeleteNot everyone wants to bookmark spanking sites or create lists, for a variety of reasons, shared computers being a major one. Not everyone is comfortable 'outing' their spanking kink or indeed any aspect of their sexuality; it is a wholly private matter.
I can understand only wanting to share reciprocal links with blogs that share your views and values but quite frankly, that's a very narrow field. How many blogs like that are there? Most of what I've seen involve some elements of role play, D/s, FLR, 'punishment', etc. Not your cup of tea and that's fine but it's limiting. Certainly you can avoid blogs and sites with overt S&M themes or other 'philias you feel are way outside your remit (e.e., ABDL, feet, watersports), but consider being a bit more open to other blogs where spanking is the central theme, even if its forms don't match your own.
Much as I enjoy your blog, it's far from the only one I read regularly. Strict Julie, Die Starke Frau, Hermoine's Heart, My Bottom Smarts (to name a few) all offer something to the spanking enthusiast. Exchanging links with them is a no-cost approach to potentially increasing your viewership without compromising your vision or integrity.
Ultimately, it's your blog and of course should be managed as you see fit. Just be prepared for your reader numbers to remain static or fall even lower without changing something about how you attract readers.
I was going to say the same thing. Its all about links. Thats how I found OBB the first time.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from. I may do a post explaining my reasoning. Meanwhile, I ask you, would you want a link from a site you find offensive?
DeleteI see this on the OBB bdsmlr site. I get likes, followers, and reposts to sites that don't share a single common value with OBB.
OBB has never been about degradation, humiliation, etc. Quite the opposite.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI understand what you are saying, but the idea is to drive viewers to this site so they can see and read your perspective. Many times there are sites that focus on interests but they find their way here because of curiosity. There are lots of people who not particularly fans of humiliation etc, but they go to those sites, then look at the links to see what else is out there. That's how I found your site years ago. Once I found OBB, I avidly read every post since you started because it was exactly what I had been looking for. without the link, I may never have known about OBB.
DeleteMight have some to do with a 4 day holiday travel period. Did not have a lot of people even looking at my listings on eBay as they had other things to do.
ReplyDeleteThat could well be an explanation
DeleteBogey - Not sure why yesterday's comment didn't publish. Odder still because it appeared to post normally on my end when I sent it. Regardless, while I agree in general with FL's comments as to how traffic typically moves from site to site and the impact of links; your first question was the right one... 'asking myself if it's worth it?' You of course being the only one who can answer it. I'm not a blogger as you know, never have, doubt I ever will. Were I to undertake it however, traffic would not be the yardstick I'd use to determine its value. That would be determined only upon whether I derived enjoyment from the work required to sustain it. Most blogs have a fairly regular or loyal group of commenters from my experience. Occasionally, a new voice will join in but it seems to me a constant ebb and flow. Blogging in general appears to be in some decline so perhaps the numbers reflect a larger trend and less to do with OBB. Obviously the last few months and multiple moves haven't helped the less fervent OBB followers to relocate you but eventually they will... or will have drifted away with the others who've become less enamored of blogs and blogging. I hope for the loyal readers out here you will continue... but recognize if it's not floating your boat, you may have a decision to make.
ReplyDeleteYour loyal reader Tex.
Dear Loyal Reader(s), I sincerely appreciate all the recent expressions that the content is worthwhile.
DeleteAs for floating my boat, I get satisfaction when people enjoy my efforts. I approach spanking the same way. I determine the spanking they want and give them that. It's not always the spanking I might want. If what they want is outside my limits, I wish them well.
Keep posting!
DeleteI know I enjoy your efforts, and as Dave says: Please, keep posting!
DeleteGive it to February, after holidays. Many distracted and not current with the new location.
ReplyDeleteThe site is a little tricky and takes some learning. I am used to just refreshing to see what is new and that only works if there is nothing new, if there is, I just get a white page. Now, I know that it can be bookmarked, I did, but that means hunting through a LOT of bookmarks. I have found, if I remove everything at the top except "ourbottomsburn.blogspot.com" and enter, it takes me to the "do you want to enter" page and I can get in. Usually, I am still at the old page and I have to find the link to the new one. The link to the comments section is small and easily missed, especially if there are none.
ReplyDeleteHaving to do all that every day might put some people off after a while or they may not be that computer savy.
I enjoy your blog postings, would hate to see you disappear! (But I only published my blog for about one year myself. So do as I say, not as I do, please.)
ReplyDeleteWe both know the reason many other blogs won’t list you in their blog rolls and it has nothing to do with sexual or fetish content.
ReplyDeleteJust keep doing what you’ve been doing, I for one appreciate it and I’ll be here till the end.
I agree with lee, about the holiday. My stats always take a dive around Thanksgiving. Down by about a third on my main blog. This is normal every year. A lot come back in the New Year.
ReplyDeletePrefectdt