All sorts of services offer to “Boost Blog Traffic Now!” for a price. But really? What kind of “traffic” do you get? There’s already enough black-market Viagra in my spam box to make the entire male population of Canada pop like an overfed tick!
Recently, I was reading a blog post on a craft technique (I’ve always dreamed of trying it out but know I will never get around to actually doing it), when I stumbled on to a great blog. I liked it because it was very interactive between the readers and the gal who writes it. So I took my time and poked around (besides, the craft I was reading about would likely have resulted in me buying all the supplies and then throwing them atop the pile of other unopened craft store bags). Something else caught my eye, and then “poof” somehow I landed on Readers In Wonderland.
Aside from their fun to read reviews of YA books, here’s what I found that I consider one of the best parts of their blog!
Look at this cute little blog badge:
Created by the founding authors of Readers in Wonderland, Bec and Alise , it encourages the simple good manners of humans communicating and expressing acknowledgement of good works to other humans. Thus making time spent on our laptops, sweating out gerunds and uploading photos, feel like a worthwhile pursuit to writers–appreciated even!
What a “crafty” idea! Why yes, I believe you could probably call it Novel!
It’s free, and there are no exploding Canadian guys involved at all!
And due to my innate, bossy nature (see the deep rooted psychological explanation for that by clicking above on “All About Mom”) I am driven to “gild the Lily” a bit more. So, at the bottom of the little “pledge” I tacked on my own embellishment about using “like “buttons too.
You see, the Readers in Wonderland writers use Blogspot to write with~ they don’t have “like buttons” which makes Mom a little sad for them 😦
Thanks to this new discovery, I’ll be proudly displaying this badge on my blog. I invite you to do the same. Together, we can spread a great idea all the way from Blogspot across the Sea of Happy to the Land of WordPress…where we are blessed with “like” buttons.
If you are on-board with this “Boost Blog Traffic by Being a Human” thing I’ve cooked up, I encourage you to display the badge, share the post if you’d like, and leave your blog link in the comments below
–after taking the “pledge” of course 🙂 Raise up your pencil holding hand–
The Pledge~
By displaying this badge on my blog, I promise to respond to the comment you make there, and to also use the “like” button on YOUR blog any time I visit–so you’ll know I stopped by, cared about what you said, and that I am dang glad that you took the time to share your story or thoughts with others in the world.
All of us, the new badge club members, would love to stop by and drop you a like and a comment in the spirit of our newly found “humanity in blog trafficking.” So be sure to let us know how to find you in the comments section below 🙂
Oh, and starting Friday…it’s coming!
I’ll kick off a new series addressing the emails I’ve been getting for some time. The ones about, and generally categorized as:
“Okay Mom, I have all these cool stories written up, now how do I make them into a book?”
Stay tuned, you won’t want to miss out on this one…and comment…and like of course! Meanwhile, I’ll be working on thinking up a title for said series 🙂
Until then, behave, be kind, be Human and enjoy sharing this badge!
xoxo,
Mom
There’s lots of ideas here I want to pilfer … For starters, I have to figure out how to get a like button onto my blog …
I don’t think I’ll take the pledge just yet, I’m over-pledging myself at the moment and everyone in my house is glaring at me a lot of late. But it is my intention; The whole point is to engage and try to sidle into this great big community right? And I’m sorry I’m so late to the party. But I’m always late to the party… Hey did you guys know about sliced bread? I saw a bag of it at the shop the other day. What will they think of next?
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Funny Girl! No worries. Let me know anytime I can help you. I’ve been slammed with family obligations, that University of Iowa class and 2 book deadlines lately. Add in speaking engagements/ workshops on this stuff and my poor blog has been a very quiet place. I hope to catch up soon 🙂
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Good stuff. I saved your post about your excerpt for your book, but when I went back to comment, couldn’t comment. Liked what I read, loved the dog, liked the character. Didn’t want her to get her old self back. How is this going.
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Oh thanks dear! I couldn’t leave the post up more than 48 hours. I will be editing more of course, but don’t want it to be considered already published…oh the trials and tribulations of publishing 😉
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I like it!
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When I shut my eyes tonight I will see images of tiny Canadian men exploding like little starbursts. Good grief. I like that pledge. The thing with the other sites (other than WordPress) is that a lot of times I want to “like” a post because I read it and appreciated it, but don’t have much to say on the matter or other matters are intruding at that moment. But when I can’t click like the blogger doesn’t know I appreciated the post. That said, I have discovered that there are a lot of people who read my posts and don’t click like, although I do have a like button. So does that mean they don’t like the post? It might. Or they don’t want to bother to sign in. Or they don’t want to “out” themselves. Or they hate it. Or maybe, just maybe, they love it and so don’t want to click like because it isn’t precisely what they mean. Yeah, I know.
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Kinda makes ya wonder doesn’t it? It’s a spikey mix of paranoia and confusion and secret glee…they surely needed a “♡” button because a lowly little “like” just wouldn’t do–that’s what those passers-by do to the writer’s psyche 🙂
Oh, and speaking of mental health Luanne, my apologies for the scary Canadians!
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Yes, I accept your apology. It was needed and it might help when they assault my vision tonight. Those passers-by don’t realize what they do to us!
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Hehe!
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I LIKED! I would love to have a LOVE button too but it might make your canadian men pop even faster.. have fun! c
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Now Cecilia~ that’s some funny stuff ❤
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It never occurred to me not to comment or like (unless there was no like button). I try to comment back but don’t always manage it. I like the back and forth that can happen with a good blogger whose post ticlked something in you and you found you had to say something to them about it. Sometimes I think the comments are better than the blog post – go over to The Kitchen’s Garden (http://thekitchensgarden.com/2015/04/21/a-milking-stanchion/) and read some of the comment lines.
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Aquila–Point well made! One look at the comments beginning with “the pigs are busily tunneling towards New Zealand ” and I was hooked 🙂 .
The comments from the community are what makes blogging worthwhile. At least in this Mom’s eyes !
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I agree.
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Great idea! When I have the time I will incorporate it into my blog. 😀
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Don’t you just love it! I also just sent Mary Howell your way. She’s starting to write her dad’s stories of the war years. I recommended she read you, Greatest Generation Life Lessons and of course Pacific Paratrooper. Can’t go wrong with the war-years trifecta on WordPress 🙂
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Why thank you! What was the name of the book you reviewed a few months ago? I want to add it to my book list.
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John Daffurn’s book Seeking John Campbell, or Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose, or Gardner ‘ s On Becoming a Novelist
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Thank you. It was the Seeking John Campbell one!
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Oh, this is SO easy peasy for me! You may be Ms. Bossypants, but I’m Ms. Blabbermouth, so the very idea I could ever shut up is incomprehensible to my psyche. LOL!
And I agree. It takes only two seconds if you don’t have time to comment to hit the “like” button.
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OK Donna~ so, your comment back somehow landed a couple of lines away from here, which probably has confused the heck out of a lot of people…but hey, I’ve never claimed to be able to accurately type on my phone–glasses or no–driving or parked 😉
But basically, yes–I just consider it a common courtesy to hit “like” if I’ve used what you’ve written to churn my brain a little. And if I need to interject something, commenting is sort of like raising your hand in class…not counting the hand raises for permission to go to the “Loo” of course
Those are the interactions that I consider quality blog traffic. Human blog traffic
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Oh well. Hey, typing on phones irritates the bejeezus out of me. Even with a little keyboard doodad which is “supposed” to make it easier. (no)
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Perhaps I need to try a doodad, or, better yet just go for a ManiPedi instead 😉
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I find it frustrating to find a blog I would like to follow but there is no mechanism to do so. I have too many bookmarks to go looking for that blog again. I like following by email and set up a email account specifically for the purpose of blogs I follow.
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Yes, 2 measly seconds vs the sound of crickets chirping back at what you’ve written. What a difference that “like” can make in a blogger’s day…especially a Newby 🙂
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Claudia~ I totally agree! I do the same thing. In the world of gmail, it only makes sense to have separate accounts set up for different parts of my life. At one point, I had separate accounts for my blog, the blogs I read, my queries, my “life,” and my various gigs on boards and as Lacrosse and Football team mom. It was the only path toward sanity. I really get disappointed when I try to follow someone and their RSS is a dead link, or there’s no way to put them in my WordPress reader or in my Blogs to Read in-box. Take heed bloggers…double check your links, and your follow options if you want readers! Thanks Claudia for pointing this out.
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I am trying to get better at commenting! Thanks for this reminder that I really need to take the time to comment on others blogs! I will post this badge with pride!
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I love it! vrein11.wordpress.com darling, you always have something worthwhile to say here! I’m not saying you have to comment on every post you read (I sure don’t) but I love to “like” posts–as long as I don’t find them absurdly offensive…which is rare. It’s kinda like the old days when the lovely Victorian ladies left calling cards as they made their rounds. Only I’m not about nosing around at your housekeeping from the foyer ;). Hope you don’t mind, I put your blog link on here for you too ❤
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Thanks so much!! And you can call me vicki.
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Vicki it is!
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Hi MOM! I’ve just now switched my blog over to my new website, and I fear I might’ve lost my subscribers in the process. Boo, happens every time I make a shift, and I’m one of those who, in real life, thinks there’s nothing more wonderful than lifelong, fast friends. All that to say, I hope you’ll re-subscribe, because I feel we’ve got LOTS in common. I’ve got lots to learn from you, and I promise I will like & comment. Because…that’s what friends do!
Linking my latest blog, not to promote myself, but so that you can find your way to my new front door. The teakettle’s on, and I’m ready to chat! http://blog.melodyeshore.com/grace-notes-and-the-way-serendipity-works/
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Melodye! I’m so excited that you’ve come over to the Happy side of blog-world. Anyone who hasn’t peeked at your stuff should. We are kindred souls…we write a lot of the same stuff. I think on your other, you should put up a static page that says “I’ve Moved” with your link to your new address here. Leave up the previous stuff and let them know your new stuff will be on your new address. Then you won’t lose so many readers. I’ll bet you could probably port some of it over just by good ‘ol copy and paste onto a wordpress post ?? Let me know if that works.
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