Last month my blog, This, That, and The Other, received the fewest views it’s had since June 2018.
Now you may be saying to yourself, so what? Views go up, views go down, right? So get over yourself, Fandango. Stop focusing on your stats.
Okay, you make a good point. But I do look at my stats as a form of feedback that might allow me to make some needed adjustments. It helps me answer important questions about my blog. Do I post too often? Not often enough? Are my posts relatable? Do they resonate with my readers? Am I writing too much flash fiction or should I write more? Are my political rants energizing or alienating?
But when I looked at my stats yesterday, I saw something troubling. Last year at this time I was consistently hitting 15,000+ views per month. Then, starting in February, my average monthly views dropped to between 12-13,000. But September 2021 was the first month since June of 2018 that my blog didn’t get at least 12,000 views.
I know that published fewer posts this past month, and generally, the more posts, the more views. But still, it’s a bit disheartening to see the lowest number of views in 40 months. I must be doing something wrong.
Maybe I’m getting stale. Maybe I’m boring my readers. Maybe it’s time for me to take a break. Yeah, that’s the ticket. I’ll take a break.
…from looking at my stats.
This, That, and the Other 
I think with Trump gone, there aren’t any lively political commentaries from you so that might be the reason for this. But I’ve also noticed a general slowness in our community. Many bloggers go away on hiatus and then after coming back, they aren’t as regular as before.
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Could be. Almost makes me miss Trump. 😏
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Haha! Yes, he made things rant-worthy almost every day.
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I once saw on my stats that a post had 5 views and 10 likes. How can this be?, I asked.
Clearly, sometimes you open a post, and it doesn’t count as a “view”. Needless to say, WP could (would) not explain it, except to deny there was any bug.
Bottom line, how much do you trust the numberrs?
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How much do I trust ANYTHING these days?
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and did you notice they are offering *more* stats? Just so long as you up your subscription!
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I didn’t know that!
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Wasn’t aware of it. I knew you could get Google Analytics with the Business Plan.
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I don’t know why you worry about the stats. We have enough to worry about as it is
Sent from my iPhone
>
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An excellent point.
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Both above comments are true, but there’s more; I’ve noted many bloggers say that since the pandemic began they themselves have posted less and been on WP less in general. They’re not sure why this is when technically, they’re actually available more, but I’ve found it happening to me as well. Perhaps a need to distance from the screen when screens plays too large a potential part in communication? An urge to be doing something real during unreal times…Bloggers often have slumps and begin new blogs under new names as well, new identities seeking fresh blood I often think (not negatively). Stats do lie mind, I have a different stat counter and that often shows far more visitors than the one attached to WP, people read through the feed and you won’t know. So, a break, yes, give yourself one *beams*.
– Esme slower but still there upon the Cloud
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You make very good points. And aren’t we all a bit slower than we once were?
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By the second my dear. By the second. And that isn’t a bad thing.
– Esme dancing his dance ala Fandando, but in slow motion upon the Cloud
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I wouldn’t worry about it. When I first began my blog in 2012 I had many followers who commented often. Then from 2014 to 2020 I had five books published, so I went to Facebook and Linked In to promote the books. I blogged less and lost many followers. Now I’m back to blogging and am happy just to get 10 or 15 likes and an occasional comment. It’s okay though because I see people looking at both current blogs and blogs from several years ago. They don’t go away. Blogs are forever. Kind of like a diary for the public eye.
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I agree that blogs are forever. And you’re right, I shouldn’t worry about my stats. They are what they are and as long as I enjoy blogging, I should just blog away! 😉
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‘as long as I enjoy blogging, I should just blog away!’…….you’ve got it right
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likes, views, comments! ha-if i focused on that, I wouldn’t still be here!! 😇
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I should also ignore my stats.
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Easier said than done – ignoring stats. But who are we doing this for? Our own creative enjoyment or for others? I basically write to please myself but a few occasional pats on the back are nice……
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I think you can concentrate too much on views and likes. I enjoy your blog, and I’m sure many more do too. I wouldn’t worry about it because people could come across your blog in the future.
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Thanks. I appreciate your kind words.
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I don’t think that I have ever had 12,000 views in a month although I have had 10,000 views a few times.
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I decided not to worry about how many views I get. I’ll just keep on posting as long as I enjoy it.
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My stats are all over the place and have been in decline since March. I hit less than 10,000 views a month now. I still get comments though so it’s the interaction that matters. I wouldn’t worry about it Fandango.
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You’re right. It’s the interaction with other bloggers that is rewarding.
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🙂
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It’s not the number of so-called ‘followers’ and views that matters but the interactions that make blogging rewarding……
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That is so true.
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Many regular bloggers are not blogging. If you check any post from, say January, with a post from September, you will find many familiar names missing. I don’t the reason but they seem to be on a break or something.
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I think overall readership and presence has declined in general. I once worried if I posted too often, or not enough. Now, I am satisfied to do whatever feels right. It’s been a tough 19 months. I know many of my frequent readers and commenters seem to have disappeared. Of course, I’m still small potatoes compared to you, but I would not put much stock in the stats. WordPress also left a bad taste in many people’s mouths with all their changes over the last year. Could add to the stat changes, too.
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Yeah, a number of bloggers threw in the towel over the mandatory imposition of the block editor.
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I hate to say this, but I agree with Sadje. Trump was such an obvious target for political commentary. And he was so divisive. From this (great) distance, it feels like things are calmer and quieter in the US this year. People are probably tired from Covid too. Taking cover.
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Hi fandango. I have especially come to my old old iPad on which I can reply on your blog because I read your post and I have had the same experience as you. I just wanted to say keep posting keep posting keep posting. I am definitely reading but cannot add a light or reply unless I use this iPad which is just about giving up the ghost. I don’t think it’s anything you are doing but I don’t understand stats either. Just keep going!
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I plan to. Thanks, Lorraine.
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YW Fandango.
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Stats…shmats Do what you love and keep yourself happy 🙂
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Great advice!
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I think this September has marked a transition for many, with stores and restaurants fully opening now, people traveling more, etc. I know in my family we had big transitions, and I published just a few posts, and didn’t have time for a lot of reading. I look more at views, likes and comments per post, but taking a break from looking at stats sounds good, too.
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🤔 Fandango, it could be a case of people who once followed your blog no longer blog anymore.
You probably need to get new followers to replace the old ones that left.
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How about… some people are boycotting your electric car (don’t really believe that) and you need to post more about it to attract more people who like the idea of your electric car?
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There’s a thought?
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Fandango, the best thing I ever did was stop looking at stats. Your readers love you and your content is consistently interesting and good. I think there being lower stats has to do with the prolonged pandemic and its affect on mood/morale/motivation to read and comment.
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Thanks for your very kind words, Li.
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You’re most welcome, Fandango.
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There could be all sorts effecting stats. Return of students (and teachers) to school/uni always effects them. Here in the UK, people are returning to offices. I would not be too worried. There is still a regular blogging community who rotate around bloggers like yourself who are such a reliable feature. Many younger people now view blogging as old and have gravitated towards Tik-Tak and a host of other newer social media platforms. Are you worried about attracting them? I’m not!
Your readers are all individuals and will all have different interests. Some might be very interested in politics. Some might be more interested in fiction.
Here is my feedback….given as much as I can without bias. You are a great blogger, very reliable with all your prompts etc. Your fiction posts are always fun, interesting – you have a great sense of humour. Politics – if people agree with you, they will agree with you, if they don’t, well, you may lose some readers, are you worried? Probably not.
On a personal basis, that means with bias….I have zero interest in reading about politics on WordPress. My reading/writing is more about taking a break from all the stress on the news and the stress of work. I blog to be cheered up – so I love the posts I see about food, music, travel….I also love fiction and poetry. I enjoy reading interesting articles on subjects like health and nature. I wish I had more time to respond to writing prompts. But overall….I want to read something that is going to cheer me up, make me smile, make me feel better. On divisive subjects – I personally prefer tact, diplomacy, respect for those who might have different views. I tend to avoid anything that looks as if it could cause offense. But having had to deal with the likes of the politicians and leaders in industry we have had to get around to carry out our work, I guess that we learn how not to push peoples buttons.
You are a nice guy, with varied interests, who has interesting things to say and who can tell a great story, and I know you care about some important issues and you care about a better world. Some people will follow your blog specifically because they want to read about politics. But I think more people will follow your blog because they like you as a personality.
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Thanks, Mel, for taking the time to post your thoughtful comment. I appreciate what you wrote and you’re right, readers come and go. One of the reasons I named my blog “This, That, and the Other, is because I have no specific niche and I enjoy writing a wide variety of posts. I know that some readers might disagree with my posts that cover politics, religion, or current events, and may take offense or stop reading my posts, but I can’t and won’t stop expressing my opinions or perspectives. At the same time, I try to mix my blog up with flash fiction, prompt responses, humor, music, and other items that I hope will entertain, engage, and maybe even bring some joy to those who read my posts. Thank you for being a reader and a commenter.
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Ah, I can relate Fandago. I can sometimes get so fixated on stats that I forget why I’m blogging in the first place. Perhaps you find the same thing with yourself, too. P.S. I still find even 12,000 views in a month impressive! Of course, I’ve never had that much traffic in any month…not yet.
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Yes, sometimes I get hung up on stats when my focus should be on words, not numbers.
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The tug for numbers is strong.. But our focus should be on creating. not numbers. Seeing your creation come up on screen gives a feeling of achievement and satisfaction. I sometimes get frustrated when views are low. I then have to remind myself who am I doing this for, others or myself? My view is I write for myself. If you happen to like it, fine. If not, still fine……..but some pats on the back every now and then would be nice…….
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I’ll still say, you’re doing pretty impressive.
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Thanks.
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Stats aren’t important, it’s the satisfaction you feel which counts
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Don’t Look! Don’t Tell!
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🙂
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I’ve noticed similar on my own blog. I thought it was because I haven’t been posting as often or as much new material but it does seem to be common throughout the community judging by the comments. Maybe some people have just had enough of being online so much this past year and a half. I guess we shouldn’t worry about it but just go on trying to post the best material we can. I know my doll blog has suffered because I used to post a lot about fixing up the dolls that were donated to the Op Shop I volunteered at. Since I moved of course I haven’t done that. I have a different volunteer job now and if I want messy dolls to fix I’d have to buy them. I think a lot of my readers enjoyed those posts so I need to think of something to replace them with. Currently I’m writing about knitting but I try not to stress over the low numbers even though it does make me wonder if I’m getting stale after 8 years.
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Yeah, I worry about getting stale as well. I guess after years of blogging, that’s not uncommon.
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Mine dropped a lot, but I’m also writing less. When I write more, I get more responses. But I can’t keep up that pace forever. It turns out, no matter what anyone says, the amount you write makes a huge difference in responses. Something they said turned out to be true — and isn’t THAT amazing!
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Also, these things are also seasonal. I’ve noticed responses go way up in the winter and down during holidays and vacation times. But in the end, having hit the million mark more than a year ago, I’m not worrying. I’m writing because I have to write. It’s what I do. I can control what I write, but not who reads it.
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Yes, I feel the same way. I have to write. But I also have to look at my declining stats and wonder why.
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Funnily enough, you gained a new follower and some views from me today! Was trying to see how to get more views/engagement as my blog can cover a few topics but can be a bit niche (also I don’t like to spam it on social media etc). Can be useful to find people in a similar situation but it’s more a place where I put things down.
May need to figure something out to get more views or engagement but no idea what, short of social media etc!
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Thanks.
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You arent boring your readers! I am not bored! I love your blog but havent been great at keeping up! which is why I’m bombarding you with comments now lol. XX
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Your comments are always welcome, Carol Anne.
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Awe i’m glad 🙂
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Nice
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I was off-line for a while — when I returned, I had lost several of my subscriptions, including you — I will follow again, and you should begin to see some comments!
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👍
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I have been too busy lately and haven’t looked at my stats in months. I figure if I still have the same people liking and commenting I am not losing too much ground. I still say the better goal is trying to get at least one view from every country… I still have a ways to go. Ha, ha, ha!
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You are NOT doing anything wtong. You might be over extending yourself. Might need an intellectual break. You should stop worrying about the stats. Give yourself a much needed break.
The stats are important if you are tring to market a product online for consumer consumption.
I have been blogging on WP since 1992. I don’t fret over the numbers although many times the folks at Wp are trying to sell me their method of increasing readership.
In a word that is a lot of hooey. As the expression states if you write from you heart and conviction and don’t try to sell anything you will be fine.
Remember: you have done nothing wrong.
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Thanks. I know I put too much weight on stats.
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