I Feel Like The Lucy Ricardo Of The Blogosphere.
For those of you who have watched the old episodes of I Love Lucy, you may understand this post. Remember the trouble Lucy went through to get a part in a show of Ricky’s, or the antics of her an Ethel just to accomplish a simple task? In the end Lucy would lose, make a fool of herself, with no appreciation from Ricky for what she had tried and the trouble she went through, (or got herself in), to do it. I’m Lucy, and the blogosphere is Ricky.
This post may offend some of you. Although I never name names, you’ll be wondering, “Is she talking about me?” All I can say is this-If you’re reading my blog and actively participating, then most likely, no, the post has nothing to do with you.
What the hell do I mean, you ask? I just fell off the Most Popular section on EntreCard. It was a good 3 week run. It isn’t the fact of not being in the Most Popular section that pisses me off, it’s the fact I worked so hard to convince people to utilize the service as it should work- find new blogs, comment, actively participate and read. For the first 2 weeks of using EntreCard-it worked. I found new blogs to read, other bloggers found me and we were actually communicating through our blogs, giving linky love and general banter. Then, during the last week, the influx of new blogs changed this-the cliques formed and the bad side of social networking began to show. I can honestly say only a handful of blogs listed on the Most Popular section actually deserve that status. I have lost count of the messages I have received via my blog, EntreCard and other social networking sites asking me to “vote for me on this,” “do me a favor and pick me for this,”- I’ve done so for 5 bloggers who have asked, only because their blogs are those I enjoy reading. I’ve felt as if I’ve been voting for the class President in High School.
Why are bloggers selfish? I don’t know. I really thought EntreCard could work, and although it brings me over 200 visitors a day, only a small percentage are considered “good traffic.” Most drop and run and probably don’t take the time to read even the first post. All I can say is this, I tried. And just like Lucy, no appreciation from Ricky for making an effort. I’ll go on blogging, bringing my odd humor to those who enjoy it, my serious side when needed and my always visible girlie geek side because it’s a part of who I am. If you have ever wanted to know the most important blogging tip of all- blog for you, not for the sake of reaching some sort of blogging clique status.
Isn’t that the way great things always go. They fail because people game them instead of utilizing them. Sad.
Karen’s last blog post..Is It Morning?
That’s exactly what is being done. I still like the service because I find new blogs each day, but as far as visitors go- only a select few actually care enough about blogging enough to comment and participate.
A lot more people read than participate. The disparity between a reader , and someone that comments is huge.
Don’t blog or participate on Entrecard just to be in the popular clique. I still have fun within the groups I am within, and the ones I participate in .
Sean Morris’s last blog post..Cryptozoology
Sean: I wasn’t participating just to be “popular.” I had high hopes that EntreCard would break down the boundaries amongst bloggers and open their eyes to the variety. It hasn’t- it’s only kept them in the same circles of blogs-helping each other “become popular.” I don’t care if I’m popular or not- that was my point. I blog for myself and I was letting others know this aspect should come before any other reason.
Well, I was participating just to be “popular.” Seeing as I’m slowly falling down the “popular” rankings as well and I don’t have the energy to really try to reverse that I will have to come up with some new goals I guess.
I like your idea of ‘class president.’ I’m thinking of running.
Will you vote for my blog to be class president? I’ll make sure we get a soda machine in the cafeteria…
How2Blogger’s last blog post..How To Dominate The West Virginia Blogging Scene
I agree that it’s somewhat disappointing, but at least there are still some “noble” bloggers that will at least check out the blog before leaving.
mc2w’s last blog post..Yay I Gotz My Adsense Back
This is my first time stopping by. I love ‘I Love Lucy’. Lucille Ball is my favorite. I’ve never been to EntreCard, but I know exactly what you are talking about in the blogging world.
manda’s last blog post..Christmas Hoopla
Blogging is weird and hard sometimes…I find myself alternatively balking at the high-school politics and falling in love with them, attempting to run my own campaign for homecoming queen. It started as a way for me to write about the crap I was going through because I thought I’d keep it more regularly than a journal and take it more seriously if it were possible that people might start reading…but it’s turned into this whole albatross of a thing…and I love it and I hate it and I’m completely hooked on it.
I loved the Lucy metaphor, by the way. It’s my first time stopping by, and I hope to find my way here again. Nice to meet you.
The Junky’s Wife’s last blog post..Cold.
How2: You can run as long as I’m vice president. I’ll get us a smoking and liquor lounge out back- you get the soda machines.
mc2w: Very few noble bloggers. Actually, are any of us really noble? In some ways we’re all selfish, some more than others. I saw this as a good chance to really find the community blogging once was- I was wrong.
manda: Thanks for stopping by
The Junky’s Wife: I’m the same- I love it and hate it-a give and take. I refuse to allow anyone to dictate how I run my blog, what I should write in order to “keep people reading.”
We are still finding our way on the blogosphere. I use a system like entrecard to find new blogs. Some I ignore, some I comment on, and some, like this blog, I add to my reader.
I stopped taking ads on my site, and will no doubt disable the widget. Too slow to load. No doubt I will check back to see what is cool…
We just build on what we got. It is the people that matters…:)
Awesome!!!! I just wrote a small piece of the exact same thing. We all want others to enjoy what we write. We all want , whats the right word? Acceptance? How about some READERS, not just droppers. By the by I love what you write and I will be back. I am linking to you!
Sue’s last blog post..Entrecards
Hi Beth,
In the sea of SEO and internet schmarketing wasteland, it is now harder to find an honest to goodness blog sites. Don’t be discouraged that you’re not at the “top spot”. The most important is the loyal readers who comment.
Btw, I tried CommenLuv plugin because of you. Thanks for the lead.
Rudy’s last blog post..Famous Name Association
I expect my popular status to fall sharply real soon. I don’t know how I made it up there but it is cool while it lasts. I am sure that people will find someone more popular than I am and I will be yesterdays news. I am just going to keep doing what I am doing and have fun with it. * <– That’s me kissing the frog.
Andy’s last blog post..I Am Giving Away An iPod Touch And More.
I don’t even know how to become “popular” on Entrecard. HA!
I love your blog. This is my first visit. I found your blog on the “Most Recommended” on Entrecard.
I bookmarked you and subscribed to your feed.
Keep up the good work and don’t get discouraged.
Hard work does pay off in time.
~Debby
Debby Banning’s last blog post..Changing to Wordpress
antispam word: rake!
you cant expect everyone to read every blog they visit in full detail.
to be honest, being foreign, i dont even know who is lucy )
but i came to say hello, cuz i like your entrecard design.
i havent read your blog before this post, and i suppose i will from now on. happy holidays )
-monster love! )
Being “popular” has nothing to do with it. The fact that a good service had to fall so fast due to the same blogging cliquishness happening on all social networks. Dropping a card and leaving is just the beginning. Yes, I know not every single person who visits-from any source, isn’t going to comment. With EntreCard, though, good blogs are being knocked down because others have time to sit at the computer all day just dropping cards. Know what I mean?
Guilty. I drop and run UNLESS there is something there that catches my eye. I just bookmarked your site because I liked it; I don’t think I’ve been able to get back here through Entrecard I couldn’t remember the name of the site! I knew your name was Beth but that wasn’t helpful in getting me back here.
menopauseprincess’s last blog post..Non-Pet Owners, Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged
I like your blog, and I always agreed with Ricky that Lucy got what she deserved. I never understood why he put with her.
I found this blog with Entrecard and two or three others that I like, but for the most part the blogs I have see don’t seem to have much to offer.
Maybe my blog is not too great either, but I do have fun with it and I am trying.
Thanks for the interesting post.
Descartes’s last blog post..Twelve Days in YouTube Ways
Yeah, I’ve been sliding down the popularity pole myself – especially with no participation on my part over the last few days. Oh well, maybe I was just experiencing big-fish/little-pond.
Jason – GorillaSushi’s last blog post..EntreCard Holiday Link Love
That’s OK Gorilla – I will still come visit ya. As long as you have some cheese for me.
Andy’s last blog post..Happy Holidays From Big Pappa
I’ve noticed several sex blogs coming up through the ranks and a few others where I consider the content, “questionable.” There is a difference between satire and humor and out right nastiness. With working and the Holidays I haven’t been as active and I’m slipping more. But I also noticed before this- it seemed as if the more cards I dropped the more I slipped. This is when I found a discussion about which blogs to drop cards on etc. I’m not giving up and my goal wasn’t to be “popular” but it’s aggravating when I took the time to visit, drop a card and read and not receive anything in return. I don’t mean comments, but card drops. I always drop cards on those who dropped cards on me first, then I go through newer blogs then the lowest wait times before I start on the actual categories. The newer bloggers coming in aren’t dropping cards back. Which is a shame because those of us who were there in the beginning did-which is why we’re reading each other’s blogs now. Know what I mean?
I know I am guilty of not dropping cards. My problem is that I browse without JavaScript, and sometimes I forget to enable it for the site I am visiting so I never see the cards. Sometimes a site has many different external scripts and I can never find the proper one to enable. This may not be the program for me for just that reason.
~The anti formerly known as Karen
I Love Lucy.Lucille Ball is also my favorite.Great post, keep up the good work.
Hi Beth. Thanks for the interesting post. I often feel like the nerdy girl in high school again with no one to sit with at lunch. I comfort myself in finding good sites like yours once in a blue moon and commenting only when I like the content. That’s what feels genuine and right. Guess we just have to remember why we blog in the first place- For everybody it is different. Is it to create a forum, a journal just for ourselves, to gain acceptance, or to generate revenue? I’m not sure if it can ever be all that at once.
Lizzie’s last blog post..16 People are Coming for Dinner and My Christmas Tree is Dead