As part of the process of trying to figure out where I would like to go next (with blogging and life in general) I have been doing a bit of reading recently.
Specifically, I’ve been reading tips on blogging.
Some of them were interesting. Some of them were useful. Some of them were both interesting and useful.
But some of them have left me feeling a bit “bleh”. Articles that go on and on about how to increase your statistics, for example.
My facebook page is about to hit 1000 likes.
Which at first sight is pretty amazing. A THOUSAND likes! After all, these kinds of stats are the visible measure of social media and blogging success.
But I have never been a numbers person. They don’t speak to me. Sometimes they even panic me a bit. What does “getting more likes” actually signify?
It doesn’t make someone a fan. Or a follower. Or a customer. Or a supporter. Or even an interested bystander.
All a “like” actually means is that someone saw something and felt moved enough in that split second to click that little button that says “LIKE”.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s great to be liked. And it’s great that people actually take the trouble to click that little button.
But I want my own measure of blogging success to be about more than that. What, exactly, I’m not sure. But more than that.
The question is vexing me somewhat. How can I define a measure of success that is comfortable and right for me?
It’s something I need to answer to find the right direction to head in.
So I thought I’d ask you how you define success. Blogging success specifically, or just success more generally. How do you know you are doing well? What is it that makes you feel like patting yourself on the back, or opening the champagne?
Because success, like life, is about so much more than numbers, isn’t it? ♥
I worry about this all the time!! Unfortunately; the way I have to measure success right now is by hard cash-ie. sales. I know I’m not a failure if it’s a quiet month(though I did used to take it as a personal failing, until I was reassured by my business mentor and friends!) but if sales are not there then a business will not succeed ultimately-however many ‘Likes’ we get.
So true! Cash is truly the bottom line. In which case, oh dear!
I feel like I spend way too much time thinking about this, after each post I spend an hour checking my email to see if there’s been any response from anyone. Although I don’t use my blog to generate revenue, I still like to feel some positive feedback from the people of the Internet.
I’m trying to shift my definition of success though and learn to find value in the joy of creating beautiful things and having a platform to share it.
Such an interesting question. To an outsider who is relatively new to blogging to me your blog seems successful because you seem to have a nice little community of people who regularly follow you and are interested in what you are doing. I guess I make this statement based on the fact that people bother to comment and… that word you have been talking about ‘like’ your posts. I don’t really look at my stats and really try to use my blog as a catalyst for me to to do creative fun things. This easier on some days, and on other days I get disheartened by lack of feedback from people – but I think that is quite a natural human response. XX
I’m not sure success can be easily measured in a society where articles as you mention are all about the numbers. To me you have a fabulously successful blog because it looks great, is always engaging, has plenty of followers/comments and you update it regularly. The reality is many people don’t have time to comment or click but they are out there reading and enjoying your blog. Maybe not on the day you post it, maybe going back to read something weeks later but they are enjoying it. The success part comes with how you feel about it personally and what you want to achieve I think. I’m a lapsed blogger and have a much smaller number of facebook followers and if I stuck to the numbers and financial success I’ve failed all round. Yet every now and again I’ll be at a stall and someone will tell me they came along because they saw me post which makes me think the words are reaching someone somewhere. Equally there will be the customer who was told about the business by someone else, the pinterest share where something I’ve made has gone onto someone’s project board or a customer writing a thank you that makes it all feel successful and worthwhile to me. I suppose it’s a case of defining what you want and making it happen to feel successful.
I always look at your stall at events and think what a fabulous thing you have created – it all hangs together so beautifully and is so evocative.
So I see you as a massive success.
But I know what you mean about the numbers… when you don’t have as many followers or likes as you would perhaps wish, or you start to compare yourself with others, the numbers can be terribly undermining of that feeling of success!
I thought your post was very interesting. I am also prone to a touch of introspection at this time of year about what I am doing and what I want to do. I suppose in the end success is whether you like what you do or that it brings something to others, particularly if the numbers don’t interest you. There are plenty of people like me who are interested in what you make and your blog posts. My blog is a hobby, more of a journal of the things I make fitted in alongside a day job in an office and I expect I would have more of an eye on stats if I was trying to earn my living from what I make. One day I hope to so for now I am taking small steps along the way.
This is something I wrestle with a lot so thanks for sharing your thoughts. I started making and selling long before social media was born so my feeling of success came from sales. I love meeting people at my stalls at various Vintage fairs or craft markets and often positive feedback feels as much a boost as a sale. I enjoy the circle of like minded people I have met through my blog but it can be yet another way I doubt myself if I don’t get much response. On a good day I realise how busy we all are and it’s a miracle people even see it let alone read or comment!! We are creative souls and I think we will always beat ourselves up about our work but I know we are very lucky that we get to do what we love,even if it’s only a few hours a week. So to me that’s the feeling of success……and bonus is any sales! I will never be Business Woman of the year,but I feel fulfilled!
That’s a great way to look at it!
I think that just by asking the question “what does success mean to me?” I have got a little closer to answering it!
For me, this year’s goal is to start to translate some of the social media and blogging success I have enjoyed so far into business success in terms of income, so that modflowers is sustainable as well as enjoyable!
Absolutely. Also we have to adapt. I made feather headpieces for 10 years selling thru a wedding shop to Mother of Bride etc. it gave me a great income but in the end I felt like a factory and my creative soul was crushed. Working with vintage fabrics has allowed me to make one only pieces. Never thought I would return to skills I learnt over 45 years ago! Here’s to all of us….
I am in a place like you, I want to expand my blog but I am not a numbers person either. I stopped obsessing about my view numbers months ago and, instead, I rate my success on the number of people taking the time to like or comment my posts. It doesn’t make any difference if 10 or 100 people have clicked on my post, but if people are taking the time to respond to it in comments or by liking it, I know that I have written something that is engaging and thought-provoking…a much better achievement in my mind!
Interesting question – something I’ve been contemplating too, especially as I am being increasingly approached by “brands” and advertisers to work with them. I think it all depends what you feel your blog is for, what is it’s purpose? For me, for now, I’ve decided it’s all about fun – a place for me to share happy pretty things, including things I’ve made, to my own timetable, with no pressure. It’s so easy to become obsessed with likes and views – I do it all the time – and then try to stop myself!! I do love it, though, when people take the time to comment – I feel part of a lovely community through blogging – and engaging and sharing with that community makes me happy. I guess that’s my measure of success.
Pingback: the big reveal | modflowers ✿