New bloggers often find traffic hard to generate. Even seasoned ones might see fluctuations as their following grows. First published on Mostly Blogging, Janice and I explored why early progress might seem empty.
By Gary Jefferies and Janice Wald.
Do you find your blog traffic takes a nose dive at certain times of the year? I mean a sharp turn south, off-the-cliff nosedive?
So sudden and so sharp you figure there must be something wrong with the dashboard? A glitch, of course. The thought consoles you. If your blog dashboard, Google Analytics, and every other metric you’re checking all agree, you realize these blogging horrors are not explained by a glitch or a coincidence. The culprit must be… Seasonal blogging changes. Blogger and author Gary Jefferies and I have been investigating for months
Source: This Is Why Seasonal Blogging Factors Never Have to Be the Kiss of Death, 12 Tips
Polls for the data fed mainly into new bloggers. Established ones with large followings might be more immune to variation. We’ve all started somewhere and perseverence is always going to be the solution to increasing traffic. That and engaging other bloggers and forming a true community.
Thoughts on the original post or here are more than welcome.
I find it difficult to dissect my stats because I have readers that really span the globe, and all demographics. Term time in the UK can be different from schools over here, weather doesn’t always line up, and times of the day that are popular for me are still super random, even three years on! I suppose that if I upgraded to wordpress.org account I could access Google Analytics but that is a transition I’m not really interested in making. Still, I think that the biggest takeaway for me is just that: your stats WILL go up and down, and that’s perfectly okay!!
Entirely agree, although this was more aimed at new bloggers under a year old (blog, not age!). We heard several references to low confidence and tried to isolate a few reasons they should watch out for that keep them inspired and not fade away. Blogs and niches have different demographics too, some exceedingly popular and on trend that can grow very fast. Others take time. Established bloggers with a few years under their belts might see variation or drop offs less apparent. New ones with few followers see a much bigger impact. I agree with you on appreciating there will always be variation and it’s probably unwise to fixate on them unless you are driven by financial returns by monetising. The it takes on a different ambition.
Many thanks for taking the time to read and feed into the thread too 🙂
Hi A Historian,
So glad to hear that our study helped boost your morale. That was our point! Thanks for reading what we wrote.
Janice
This was really useful & interesting. Thanks Gary & Janice!
I ought to take my own advice in it too!! Although as a writer blog strategies have to be different otherwise we’d never actually craft anything!!
Thanks Haley 😛
Hi!
Thanks for reading what we wrote. We’re glad you enjoyed.
Janice
I have shared on StumbleUpon and Twitter. I haven’t been keeping close enough tabs to notice a drop off by season but maybe I am missing something so I will look into my past statistics. I will pick apart the post when I am not being distracted
Thank you Trudy. It was done because several newer bloggers were getting disillusioned by looking at stats too much. It takes time to build up a presence and some of these factors polarise quickly. With larger followings and engagement it’s less obvious. To a new blogger it can feel disastrous. Knowing about potential fluctuations can help stay positive. The rest will pick up over time.
I still look at stats but I’ve tried so many different things without noticing much of a difference in between constant algorithm changes on different platforms. Once you think you’ve learned something, it’s time to learn again.
Hi Trudy,
Great to see you here! You changed your gravatar, so I didn’t recognize you =). Thank you for sharing our study. Definitely, bookmark so you can read at your leisure.
Janice
Yes, I did. Just trying something different to see if I like it, same font and colors as my header and favicon to be consistent.
Hi Gary,
Like you, I’m interested in the science of things, so it was great fun writing this study with you. We couldn’t have done it without your research. I have shared on all my social media!
Janice
Janice, I’ve sent it to G+, FB and Twitter. Should be adding it to Flipboard and SU tomorrow along with Pinterest. Anything else you want to work on let me know!
You have been totally thorough in your promotion! I’m giving it more promotion today so, between the two of us and the support of Facebook, we seem to be covered.
Janice
I take it you’ve seen me RTing at you thanking people for sharing then Janice! Might be a few more now as I did plough through everybody up to you on FB. I think we’ve covered just about everything possible between us! Working social media as a team is way better too. Keeps moral up and ensures different sides of the pond are maximised in terms of reach! More of that is in order me thinks!!
Thanks for all your hard work, Gary! I’ve bookmarked this for later so I can go back and study it! 🙂
I think these are core issues most new bloggers face, but in all probability there will be more. We did it because many people asked the questions talked about, especially new bloggers who find it overwhelming at first. Look forward to hear what you think 🙂
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for bookmarking, Lisa!
Janice
You’re welcome!
Very interesting Gary. I rarely look at my statistics and am quite a sporadic blogger
It’s a divergence from my normal blogging. I find it fascinating though. Must be that science background. That said writers tend to operate differently to most bloggers. If they didn’t then they’d never write anything lol. I do look at my stats to see where views come from. I like seeing flags of the world. That blows my mind knowing that I’m engaging people from all corners of the world!
Yeah, I do like that part. My audience is mostly males in the US sttangely
No wonder you posted up Silence then. Give them a warning heads up…as it were. Still I’m not in that demographic being from across the pond 😊
Haha 😂 yes! No, you’re only across the water 🙂
ooh, is that better or worse for my potential outcomes???? #eek
The U.S. sends me the most readers with India the second most.
I haven’t paid attention to gender although I know at Instagram mostly males follow me.
Janice
Ooh how odd (had to chip in) my Pinterest views are nearly all women. 1700 hits this month there and virtually all female. Most curious that you get males Janice. Could be a fascinating psychological study waiting there lol
I agree with you, Gary. When I first started blogging, every night my husband and I had a tradition: I’d read him the countries bloggers came from that day.
Janice
I find it amazing even now! More so when you compare it to news on TV which seems to insist things are pear shaped. Blogging just shows the opposite and it’s brilliant meeting people from absolutely anywhere!
Hi Noelle,
I am quite the opposite. I look at my statistics so often, I pace myself so I don’t overdo it.
Janice
Oh, really? Lol. I suppose maybe I should treat blogging more like a business
This was s great informative post Gary and Janice!
Thank you Ritu…might have worked better if I’d had comments turned on before 😱
Lol!!!!
Hi Ritu,
Thanks for reading our study and for the compliments. We’re glad you enjoyed.
Janice
😙