I’ve always heard it said that the majority of blogs that are started do not last five years. After blogging for a couple years, I decided to see if this statistic was true with a test of my own.
A Little Bit Of Background
What you may or may not know is that I have six other blogs. I haven’t posted on them THAT consistently because…well, because I’ve had PTSD for almost the whole time I’ve been blogging. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder makes it very hard to concentrate at times and so, I wasn’t able to blog as much as I wanted on the other blogs.
I used to surf the Internet each day making a large number of comments. Actually, I made 1,000 comments a day during the worst time period of my PTSD flashbacks. Part of the reason I was able to comment so much was:
- I only slept two hours per night due to the constant rush of adrenaline from the CONSTANT one minute flashback.
- I felt like I was going crazy with all the flashbacks, so visiting other blogs and reading about other people’s happy lives helped me to hang onto my sanity.
- I knew that making comments was necessary to get seen throughout the blogosphere so that my blog would be recognized also.
- All the blogs I visited were organized in a method that helped me keep up with which blogs had been updated since the day before.
Well, the first two reasons that I commented so much are really rather sad, so we’re not going to talk about them today.
Reason number three is simply a fact unless you’re a movie star. In order to get your blog and name known, you have to promote it. Marketing your blog will help people find and read your blog. One of the easiest ways to make that happen is to simply make a comment on lots of other blogs. It isn’t necessary to write, “Visit me!” and leave your blog address. That method usually aggravates people rather than encouraging them to check out your blog. All you have to do is comment on LOTS of blogs ALL the time and people will start to notice. Once they notice you, they eventually visit your blog. Although reason number three would make a very interesting discussion, I’m not going to talk about it today either.
Before I move on, let me just remind you that once you get someone to your blog, it is imperative that you have good content regardless of the subject. Okay, now we can continue with the topic.
What I DO want to discuss is blog commenting reason number four! The only way I was able to visit so many blogs each day was that I had them organized and that’s where my other six blogs come into the discussion. You see, my other blogs are subject specific. Each blog has a BIG blogroll that occupies two columns on each blog. The blogroll is filled with blogs that match the subject of my blog.
One of the great features of the subject specific blogroll blogs is that as someone updates their blog, it moves to the top of the blogroll list. The name of the blog, the title of the post and when the blog was last updated are all listed in the blogroll. So at a glance, I can look at the blogroll list and drop by all the blogs that have been updated since my last visit. See how easy that makes blog surfing and commenting?
The Life Of A Blog Statistic
So now let’s get back to the statistics of blogging and my test. Here’s how it breaks down:
- The test started October 2009 and has continued through February 2013 which is 3 years and 4 months or 40 months.
- There was a combined total of 3521 blogs on the blogrolls.
- I removed 2047 blogs because they either didn’t exist any longer or had not been updated for a very long time.
- That left 1474 blogs that were current which is about a 58 percent reduction.
- Every month about 51 percent of the blogs quit publishing new posts.
What does all that mean? Well, in my own test over many years, I proved that the blogging statistic actually is true. People start and stop blogs at the same rate of divorce in this country. I’m sure there are just as many reasons that people stopped blogging as there are that people get divorced too. However, a blog can’t be successful it no one posts on it and that is why so many blogs fail.
The Blogroll Blogs
Before I give you the URLs of the blogroll blogs, let me just say that unfortunately they are all still on Blogger. I know! Go ahead and groan because I do every time I have to publish a new post on one of them. Obviously I’m not trying to get rich with these six blogs, but they have served a great purpose in keeping me organized in my blog reading without a billion emails. I get a billion emails without having a feed subscription to every blog on the blogroll blogs. That is another story all by itself.
So here’s the list of my other subject specific blogs with their very original names, don’t you think? Just remember, I named my turtle, the very original name, Turtle.
- The Contests & Giveaways Blogroll
- Food & Recipes Blogroll
- Crafty Selling Blogroll
- Decorative Blogroll
- Other Stuff Blogroll
- Personal Journal Blogroll
I’ve just about finished deleting all the blogs that are no longer being used and I’ve added a few more that I enjoy reading. Over the next few months I’m going to build the list up with more blogs. That will get them out of my email, toolbar and memory.
So there are several things we learned or were reiterated with my blog statistics test:
- More than half the blogs are started and end before five years.
- Blogs that are successful are still being updated after five years.
- Content is crucial to a blog’s success.
- My blogroll blogs are a great way to stay updated on top blog posts without having them crowd my email.
For the last one, someone please play the drumroll because it is the most awesome key learning from this whole test.
- I programmed, posted, commented, blogged, tweeted and learned almost everything about blogging WHILE I was having PTSD flashbacks EVERY minute of EVERY day and only getting TWO hours of sleep each night. I AM TOTALLY MARVELOUS!
Today I’m in awe at myself and that doesn’t happen often. Thank God I’m getting better every single day.
Hi! WOW! you ARE awesome! You are the Redhead BLOG QUEEN! Unbelievable I comment on some blogs but to be sure not THAT many! I guess I should congratulate myself! I’m going into three years with my blog and I’m still updating it, not as much as I should, but I’m still around! Glad you are, too! I tried having multiple blogs and I just couldn’t do it…but I think multiple blogs are a good way to get ad revenue! keep on keeping on!
THANK YOU SO MUCH KATHY!!!! {{{{HUGSSSSSS}}}}
I’m so glad we are both around. You keep it up! Your blog is very informative. 😀
I guess their blogs get boring if they are keeping up with divorce rates, lol
There are so many reasons that people start blogging and I think there are an equal number of reasons that they quit. I am really surprised by how many blogs have fallen to the wayside.
As far as divorce…I think marriage is not as popular as it used to be, but if it were, I think the divorce rate would be even higher! Don’t you think so too?
I have only been blogging for nearly 3 years but have noticed lots of attrition. I love the fact that you have metrics. That is soooo cool in my books.
Oh, just wanted to let you know that I may not comment on your blog everyday but I sure do visit your blog everyday.
Have a great week Sherry!
You like the metrics because you are a nerd too! LOL
Thank you for visiting my blog. {{{hugsss}}}
I sure am a nerd. Smile!
That is just one of your many wonderful qualities. 😀
I have to agree! YOU ARE TOTALLY MARVELOUS! 🙂
😀 Thank you Joan!
AND AWESOME! 🙂
😀
AND EVERYWHERE ON THE INTERNET! 🙂
LOL Yes I am! LOL 😛
I know you are everywhere on the Internet, because when I first started blogging in January 2010 I joined the group TwitterMoms, (whose name has now changed to SocialMoms). You were THE VERY FIRST PERSON TO BEFRIEND ME on TwitterMoms! In July 2010 I was on BlogFrog and you were THE VERY FIRST PERSON TO BEFRIEND ME on BlogFrog too. I couldn’t believe it! You were like this omnipresent. Everywhere I went on the Internet there you were! I finally learned the secret to your phenomenal success. You had OCD, PTSD and you slept only two hours a night! Who could possibly keep up with you? 🙂
LOL Yep! What a combination, you know? OCD, PTSD and only sleeping 2 hours per night. It was very easy to be everywhere especially since I also type like a wild woman. 😛
No matter what, in your three years on the Internet you have created a brand for yourself and you have accomplished a phenomenal amount! You have every right to be proud of yourself! 🙂
Thank you Joan!
Hi, so glad you are still blogging and am amazed that you have other blogs in addition to this one. I am just now into the beginning of my 2nd year and often think to quit, but pledge to myself for another year. As for commenting, that is one thing I aim to increase this year too.
If you are looking for great blogs to follow, check out those listed on my blogroll blogs. There are really some high quality blogs on there that I enjoy reading.
{{{hugsss}}}
I guess it didn’t like the book I was writing. It stopped me in the middle and obliterated my comment! LOL! Anyway, I try and make this one short and sweet. You are so write about the blog statistics. I can tell a big difference in my commenters as I had to step away from my blog in July because of useage cost. I have desperately got to figure out a way to continue blogging and uploading pictures that won’t cause the useage fee to increase.
Anyway, PJ’s Prayer Line is not nor has EVER been what I would call “a big success”. In relative terms maybe. I like to think that if even one person read it and was uplifted or learned something about God’s Word, then I would call that a success, because that is the whole purpose of my blog.
If I measure it’s success by the number of followers and comments compared to other more popular topics or well written blogs, then no, it isn’t successful. I am not a good creative writer. Even though I won a national essay contest while in high school, my writing skills definitely went down the tube. Being skilled at writing has EVERYTHING to do with a successful blog as well.
I also think content is most important. While a “minority” might feel the need for reading God’s Word and learning more and more about God everyday is important, that thought does not apply to most. I’m not saying there aren’t a lot of Christians, just that they don’t feel the need to read about it everyday, or if they do they read their Bibles or popular Christian books rather than blogs.
Ok, I guess I better quit while I’m ahead (or just a little behind! LOL!)
God bless, and remember,
I love you!
PJ
{{{{HUGE HUGSSSSS}}}}} for you PJ. No one ever has to wonder who your heart and soul belongs to or what you value most in life.
Wow!! Your story is amazing! The statistics are interesting. Sometimes I feel guilty for spending an hour or two blogging around and leaving comments – I guess I need to really up my game!! I will have to check out all of your sites. Great to find you!
Thank you Kim! Nice to meet you too and I’m glad you found me!!!
I think it is great that you take the time to make comments. Think of all the things you have learned and all the people you’ve “met”. Isn’t the Internet just fabulous?!!!