Bloggers, I know this has happened to you too.
You get a few days of good traffic (define good however it’s appropriate for you, be it 3 visits or 3,000). You put up a post the next day and wait.
Nothing.
Sure, you get a few visits, but it’s like your readers and followers (and all the other random people – like your spouse) have forgotten about the internet that day.
You ponder it. You think about it. Maybe you posted too early/late in the day? Was it so early that all the later posters just buried yours before anybody could read it? Was it so late that everyone was done reading for the day? Did your post stink?
While you’d hate it to be the last one, it still doesn’t explain why people didn’t at least stop by.
You decide to post at a different time tomorrow.
Tomorrow arrives. You get up, get your beverage of choice, and head to the computer to work on today’s post. Out of habit, you check your stats.
How the heck did THAT happen?
Somehow, by the beginning of the next day, with no new post, you’ve got more total visits than you did the day before.
Maybe all your readers had to work really late the day before, so they caught up in the morning? Maybe they all moved to another continent and are having daytime while you are still in bed? Yeah, right.
You shake your head and ponder the mysteries of the blogosphere for a moment before settling in to write your next post.
At least you know today will be better than yesterday.
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I wrote this over a week ago, but didn’t have a good chance to post it. Since then, I had about a week and a half of pretty consistent traffic. Things slow down over the weekends (I usually don’t post then anyway), but things were relatively consistent.
Then, it happened again.
The day after my highest-ever traffic day, right after getting two blog awards, I had two visits – and one was me before I remembered to log in. The next day was marginally better.
Honestly, I was getting nervous that I had made some breach of protocol and made all my visitors angry (although nobody un-followed me – I checked). I tried to chalk it up to being the weekend, but honestly, I was feeling a bit down despite knowing, and having written about, the weird patterns of traffic.
The next day, is now my highest volume day (as of this writing). Go figure. (I guess everyone recovered from the plague they
had?)
The lesson I take from this (and I hope any other newbies take this to heart) is that just like random traffic jams, long lines, and other things, web traffic is kinda unpredictable.
Sometimes you don’t get to check your friend’s blog, sometimes you do. That happens to everyone… sometimes all at once. It’s improbable, but it happens (I’m a trained statistician, trust me on this). So, as soon as you spot a pattern, expect it to break. Of course, then it won’t, but at least you’ll be prepared.
I’ll try to remember this next time I can’t explain blog traffic, but I don’t make any promises.
Oh, and if you made it this far – thanks for visiting. Please come again!
So true! Randomly Sunday I had my highest day and thought that was strange since it was a Sunday afternoon. Then the next day, BOOM! Nada. I’m pretty new to all this anyways but the high that I was quietly on Sunday afternoon left me wanting more.
I understand completely! I think all my visitors were at your blog on Sunday!
I think site statistics can be sort of addictive. It’s all, “Yea! People are checking me out!” and then WHAM! they’re gone. Kinda feels like running into a brick wall for me.
I had the opposite happen – one day my traffic tripled – no idea why. Then, just as mysteriously, it returned to normal. I must have spent two hours trying to see if someone gave a backlink or talked about my blog – nothing.
It is a mystery – I agree with Shannon – I feel like 300 people ran up, hugged me, and then ran away. I am left there with my hair in shambles going WTF?
Oddly enough, Sunday was a normal day for me…
Hahaha that is a great thought. Scary if 300 people ran up and hugged you though.
That is a great description of the feeling. Wish I’d thought of it.
That sounds about right!!! Hugging and running off!!!
It is weird how somedays you do nothing and get loads of visitors and other days you publish new posts, maybe check out other blogs and get … nothing. There probably is no science to it and people might stumble across it via twitter, facebook or read blogs on wordpress.
I try and go through the blogs I follow and check out new posts when I can, sometimes they are a few days old. Maybe if everyone does that you get a build up of hits a couple of days after posting?
I would love to know!
Me too! I’m new enough where there’s not a whole heck-of-a-lot linking to me, but I do get occasional weird searches giving me a hit or two.
Maybe I’ll try to develop a non-parametric statistical method to shed some light on the problem. Of course, if I did that, I’d probably have to go get a PhD for it – and then I’d really have to put off working on my book…
Honestly, it’s sort of like the random gridlock that surrounds DC at 1 AM some days – no explanation.
I once misspelled Geena Davis – now my number one click is – you guessed it – Gina Davis.
That’s funny.
Yesterday, somebody found my blog by searching:
first name is shannon facebook
Now, if somebody was looking for facebook, I don’t know how they ended up at my blog. For curiosity, I ran the search and didn’t find my blog on the first 3 pages… I’m starting to think Google makes these things up.
Great post, fun to read, and Yes – this happens to me all the time.
Maggie
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. I had a feeling I wasn’t the only person to have this experience
Thanks for taking the time to visit and comment!
I go through the same paces myself everyday, like an obsessive freak. I’m trying not to let it get to me but it does!!! I drive myself crazy thinking how I can drive up the stats. Now though, I’m trying to focus on something more meaningful, like getting at least one new person to subscribe to my blog!!! Means one person everyday wanting a piece of the action!!! Surely means good stuff, right??
Yes, it does.
I think we all go through the crazy obsessive part, at least at the start. It’s nice to know I’m not alone
Wow, this is so true for me! The first day my blog was up, I had 18 views. The second day? Only two. There’s neither rhyme nor reason to it. I think it proves the chaos theory. Also, today was my best day, yet it’s a Monday. You’d think people would have better things to do on a Monday.
Carrie,
Interestingly, yesterday (Monday) was also my best day. I think people go to work and procrastinate
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