As if it wasn't hard enough coming up with something to write each and every single time, then you have to add in Search Engine Optimization (so you can be found), and then you have to put in some pretty pictures (originals work best!) and then you have to actually write something worth reading.
If you weren't already exhausted, and if time is on your side, you should aslo try and make an appearance and comment on all the other wonderful and your favorite bloggers out there!
Yesterday I was pretty excited. I looked at my blogger stats and I have hit my highest views ever! I was particularly excited because I have had a lot of personal stuff going on lately so I have been focusing mostly on my blog posts and hoping that my lack of reading didn't effect my traffic too much. I wanted to know that people stopped by because they liked what I wrote, not because I commented on their post.
I was doing a happy dance. I was thinking.... "Wow - people like me!"
And then I realized my blogger stats just don't add up to my Google Analytics stats. Depression hits! And it wasn't just a couple numbers off, it was by 100s.
As I cried myself to sleep last night, rolling back and forth in the fetal position, I had to come to a very drastic and life altering decision. What was I going to do about this misleading type readings? Was I going to let the numbers rule my mood?
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| Admit it! As a blogger sometimes you are ruled by the numbers! |
A lot of the difference in numbers is probably because of the overwhelming amount of spam I have been receiving on my blog lately. Not only has it been filling up my email inbox, but it is also looking weird to those who comment after a spam comment which made no sense!
Well, I didn't want to play that game anymore. I wanted to see more accurate results. So, I turned my Captcha back on. Therefore my true readers will show through and the spammers will not get a free backlink!
Anybody who knows me knows how much Captcha irritates me. I hate it. As a human I barely understand what the heck they are writing in that irritating box just to prove I am not a robot. Sometimes it takes me several attempts to figure out the doctorlike handwriting. I sit there screaming at my computer screen...
I AM NOT A ROBOT!!And now, after the constant bitching about other people leaving their Captcha on, I have decided to put mine back on. Just temporarily. In the next month or so, I plan on buying my own domain. I am currently researching it. And then I will install a plug-in that will allow comments without all the hassle, but also without all the spam.
So I hope this doesn't discourage you from leaving a comment. I promise, I will try to write something epic. Something powerful. You know - just so you feel the need to leave a comment because my words have moved you in ways you have never been moved before.
Or maybe I will just continue to be sarcastic and snarky and inspirational and witty and irritating and whiney... meh what do I know. My numbers don't seem to be showing me shit anyway!
This blog is perfect! You are touching on exactly the subject I touched on today.
ReplyDeletehttps://weirdwilbur.wordpress.com/
Thanks for directing me over. It was an interesting read!
Delete^^^Wait...is that a spam comment up there? LOL Sorry you have to turn captcha back on. I hate captcha but I totally get you. My filters on my own website weren't filtering all this spam on my website (they didn't have the characteristic links) and I had to change my settings over the weekend, preventing ANYONE from commenting. They haven't been bad since I turned them back off. Keeping my fingers crossed and good luck!
ReplyDeleteI hope this works... at least to keep them at bay and then when they realize I don't do spam I will be off their target list and then I will either be on my own site or I will turn it back off. So many decisions to make in this world of blogging!
DeleteCaptchas are the devil! But..I completely agree that something had to be done to prevent the spammers from messing up all your numbers and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteI was reading an old post from a friend on their blog and noticed they had like 80 comments - literally, more than SIXTY of them were spam! No, I don't want to check out that site on big holes and nasty hoes! Jeez..
I'm so guilty of not being a very good commenter or blog reader and I've feared that it's negatively affecting my blog traffic. Your real readers will stick by you whether you turn your captcha on, leave a comment on every post they post, what have you.
:)
Marissa @ confessionsofafailingdomesticgoddess.blogspot.com
Very well said. We write with what we have to say and hope that someone out there is available to listen. I found yesterday I was having problems commenting on people's blogs. I don't know if it was on my end or theirs because my computer kept getting caught up. But I was like - Oh no... I never stop somewhere and not comment.
DeleteBetween that and the spam... I was having a mini meltdown kind of day! :)
So sorry Stacy and never really had to deal with this, because I wasn't on Blogger or Wordpress long enough before I switched to my own domain and started to use Disqus. But I can imagine how annoying this cane be and now I understand a bit more why others do opt to leave the captcha on though.
ReplyDeleteIt never really was that bad.. but lately my email was getting flooded. For awhile there I was finding it entertaining but then it just became annoying when others would comment on how distracting the spam comment was. So captcha and me have to learn to get along! :) But hopefully soon I will have my own site! :)
DeleteI've been getting a lot of crap in my inbox too and have been thinking of putting that irritating thing back on again.
ReplyDeleteYeah - it is such a catch 22, but I have to keep my eye out for some important emails pertaining to school and they are getting buried in the spam. I felt like I was tied unfortunately! But yeah - if it gets too much, I would definitely turn it back on. Even though I hate it with a passion!
DeleteSure. I'll captcha. But it won't stop the spammers, just the bots.
ReplyDeleteI am ok with the spammers... as long as they have to make an effort to come to me and find me. Those bots however are driving my numbers wonky! LOL
DeleteI think spammers should be strung up by their 'nads, covered in honey, and left out as a snack for passing wildlife. But I'm not hating on spammers, I'm sure they are just doing it to feed their 12 starving children in some third world country, right?
ReplyDeleteI was gonna leave a comment, but that damn Captcha
ReplyDeleteI will captcha you...because I like you. And spam sucks. And you need your own domain. But for now? Bring on the captcha!
ReplyDeleteI captcha'd you earlier, and will do it again. (Even though I hate the damn things, lol) As you know by now, I don't worry about the numbers. I just get into writing a little here and there. It's amazing how little stress there is this way. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you write this post now, because lately I've been looking at numbers a lot as well. Trying to write a few posts just to get people to read them and SEO and all that. At the same time, I wasn't enjoying it. My personal blog is for my writing. The way I want to write. HubPages and all that is for money and getting traffic. So I'm with you....write what YOU want to write. People will visit your blog because they want to read something different and interesting and funny. Which is your blog! Keep going, you're doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteScrew the numbers! I'll captcha you anyways! Rock On my girl. Rock on!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried ye olde anonymous comments off, moderation on route, always works for me!
ReplyDeleteJust saying this because me and CAPTCHA have major beef! I am dyslexic so I find them literally impossible to read most of the time. Luckily, I have found some software (rumola, skipinput.com if anyone wants to try it) that reads and fills in the CAPTCHAs for me automatically. It is great and I would highly recommend it but, lots of people don't have software like this and CAPTCHA sends them scuttling
Saying that, you have a lot of comments so clearly your loyal readership will stick by you CAPTCHA or not :)
you are so correct ma you are reflecting some humans feeling.we need to proof ourself as we are alive and not a robot.......
ReplyDeletecaptcha solver