Stick a Fork in Me. I’m Done.
Regular readers, please pardon the brief post today. It’s early to bed for me, and I just don’t have a post in me.
Or, maybe I do.
I have to put this somewhere, so I’m going to put it here. I know this blog was originally founded to not say this word, but I NEED to say it……I HATE GOOGLE. I HATE FACEBOOK. I HATE WHAT THEIR RECENT CHANGES HAVE DONE TO MY BLOG READERSHIP.
It is demoralizing to work as hard as I have on a blog for as long as I have, only to watch my page views fall by half in a three week period. Facebook making everyone pay to play, combined with Google’s now deciding to change their algorithms, has well-and-truly screwed me.
And, anyone wanting to make a comment about how Facebook and Google own their platforms and can make their own rules can shove it.
Happy, happy Monday.
Cilantro!
The problem that I’m beginning to have with blogging is why does it matter a flying fuck how many readers or viewers you have. What you write matters.
With having a small (maybe I can reframe that as ‘select’?) readership, I haven’t noticed changes. Some days I still get triple figures, most days I don’t- but then we all blog for different reasons- I can understand that it must be heartbreaking putting loads of effort into building a platform to get your writing out there, only to have someone randomly move the goal posts!
Well that’s not cool at all. I haven’t noticed a drastic drop, but then again I’m just tech-unsavvy enough that I wouldn’t know how to check stats! Keep writing and I’ll keep reading… Google be damned!
You’re going to have to get the master criminal Cyber Ninja Carnell to do his dirty work and zap those evil doers. Or just make up whatever numbers suit you.
Safe journeys. And I won’t say a word about those evil-dooers.
Is that what’s wrong? I had noticed a decline, but hadn’t made the exact connection. Has to be it!
Get some rest, my friend.
Hugs,
Kathy
I hear you loud and clear. I’m one of your faithful readers, even if I don’t always comment on here. But I hear you. Loud and clear.
I’m experiencing the same sort of problems. Slowly, and I do mean SLOWLY, my readership has returned. Still has a way to go. I didn’t know facebook was involved, which explains why I haven’t heard from a few folks that I miss. Hang in there. It does feel like being between that ol “rock and a hard place”, doesn’t it?
You’ll get no such complaints from me. Fucking facebook. I had JUST started to get ‘noticed’ over there. Fucking Google. Fucking fuck.
I usually don’t read other’s comments before making mine, but one of my favorite words ‘popped’ out at me and I have to say that I share the sentiments that Food,Photography & France made. And now, with jesterqueen right above me… Holy Cow!
I figured out the sign on the rock wall in your photo… we all know you, Andra… you climbed it, didn’t you?
I’m with Roger ( even the flying fuck bit) because your writing stands by itself. It is sublime. You can get ratings with fluffy kittens (I know) or women in lingerie. Ratings will go through the roof for the most shallow and fatuous of stimulii. But you remain the real McCoy, quality. Hang in there. James Joyce would have bombed on Twitter and FB. Social media is not an indicator of how good you are. People like Roger, though: I’d trust his opinion on your work, and my own, and all the other regulars here at Accidental Cootchie Mama.
And I’d trust MTM
Andra, I feel your pain as well but the quality of your visitors (readers) is more important than how many. And with the F bombs going off today, who knows, Google might actually like that and boost your rating.
What have Google been doing? I didn’t know they’d changed their algorithms. My stats are down as well, but I didn’t think Google had anything to do with it.
Yup. I hear you. I am on the same boat. Hang in there. There will be a way through.
It has been a VERY long day, so please forgive my failure to respond to individual comments.
For those of you who don’t know, Google changed their search algorithms several weeks ago, causing many folks to have steep drops in page views. If you’ve noticed a drop, it likely isn’t you.
One of the things I’ve always done with this blog is add links and tags to every post in an effort to be found online. People casually searching for something may find my blog and like to read it, and I’ve always tried to make that easy. It’s extra work, but it has always paid off………….until now.
All the ins and outs and ups and downs of stats are beyond my ken. Hope things bounce back for you soon, Andra.
Write on!
This is not the most helpful comment, but I’m here because Cam sent me, and I haven’t been disappointed yet. Word of mouth trumps goofy algorithms, though I’m only a single pageview
I have signed up to you via e-mail so that I never have to miss a post!! The times, they keep on changing…
I’m really sorry to hear this, Andra. I can’t figure any of it out. I did notice a drop in readership, and I’d like to believe it isn’t me! Hmmm. Since I haven’t had a very well-defined plan, I can’t complain too much. But for you, and anyone who has put real time into strategy, this does suck! I’m sorry with you!
I rarely visit facebook but perhaps once a day now since they’ve made all those changes, however, I read your blog every day I’m by a computer and when I miss one, or two, I go back and read it. How may I help you get the beautiful words of Andra out there? Let me know.
Lori, you are one of the most helpful, giving readers I have, and I love you dearly. xo
What changes? What are they doing that makes it so bloggers don’t get the reader traffic? My readership has dropped to practically nil, too, but I attributed that to the fact that I have posted very little this month. But I don’t know anything about the changing algorithms or whatever it is they are doing. Could you elaborate a little bit more?
Holly, this may not be terribly helpful, but here is a link that describes all the latest round of Google changes.
http://www.webpronews.com/google-algorithm-changes-google-just-released-the-big-lists-for-august-and-september-2012-10
And, predictions for 2013:
http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Online-Business-Expert-Predicts-Next-Search-4059532.php
Thanks for the link!
I think I was happier when I didn’t know exactly how few people read my blog. When that small number nosedived? Well, I got more noveling done because I was heartbroken that half my readership left, but I feel like I lost something vital when the fun of being read on my blog went away. Like Mike Mulligan with a keyboard, I think I write a little bit faster and a little bit better when people stay to watch.
I know, I shouldn’t care. But I do, damn it. I do.
Keeping up with all that crap is such a pain. Which hey, I know they’re blogs and it means we need to pay attention to technology, but still, need they shake things up so often?
I’m worn out from this change. It’s undone years of SEO work for me, and it’s so, so frustrating.