First off, the survey results. The response rate was approximately 21% (submissions ÷ post views) which as a measure of customer engagement falls within the range of 5-30% which is recognized among analytic sorts as good. There were more readers who responded to the survey than added links to the link-up and more than those who left a comment. Even so, the number of responses is still relatively small. In all, there were 30, all of whom were women. Responses to four of the questions are shown in the pie charts below.
Two of the questions allowed for more than one response as seen below. The “other” response for the social media question was WordPress (it hadn’t occurred to me to offer that choice) and on the topics of interest, the typed-in responses were quilting/jewelry making and minimalism/organizing/simple living. I also asked “how do you get notified about new posts on this blog?” and over 2/3 said that they are on the email list (no chart shown).
And this last chart shows the responses to the final question.
None of the responses were surprising and the main point of the survey was to test the waters. Both in terms of putting together a survey and seeing how that process worked as well as assessing whether there would be any interest. I’m happy to report that so far the responses to last month’s Instagram: Take It Or Leave It survey is running at about the same rate as this one despite the 30% who were either “meh” on it or “only if I’m in the mood” about continuing to participate (at least no one outright said that they wouldn’t). If you haven’t yet responded to the Instagram survey, there’s still time to do so before it closes.
Now let’s get to the 3 tips for finding and following blogs. There seems to be no shortage of experts advising bloggers and other content creators on how to grow their followers. The methods are typically based on standard marketing strategies of how to best get your blog/account in front of more eyes. Since a vast majority of the people who blog do so as a revenue-generating business, their primary goal is to encourage you to buy their products and services. But have you ever given thought to how one might find a blog that they’d like to follow?
Some might opine that the continual growth and popularity of social media are leading to the demise of blogs but I disagree as does the author of this article on Red Dot Geek. Perhaps the naysayers are lamenting about the number of blogs that they used to follow that have closed up shop. Or that have evolved in a way that no longer interests them. Isn’t that inevitable as life, priorities, and technologies change? Besides, there are a lot of new blogs that have been started in recent years but the challenge is how to find them. I’ve got three ideas to share with you.
Tip 1 – If you come across a content creator who’s promoting a post on social media (because they’re looking for you), look to see if they have a link to a blog in their account profile. Many/most will have a URL for viewers to click on which will either take you to their blog or offer a number of links to pick from.
Tip 2 – Get nosy. Look at the accounts shared by and/or that comment on the content creators you already follow. Whether it’s on social media or on a blog, many content creators happily promote and support others. Some do it through collaborations, some by hosting link-ups, and others simply by commenting and fostering community engagement.
Tip 3 – There are a few/some platforms that act as a repository of blogs like Bloglovin’ that allows readers to find and follow blogs they’re interested in (since this post’s first publishing, this platform is no longer active). I haven’t had any success finding any other like it so I’m interested to hear from any readers if they have. But along those lines and as a follow-up to Tip 2, look for blog recommendations on the blogs that you already follow. Many bloggers include such a listing as well as the link-ups that they regularly participate in.
3 tips, easy peasy. This leads me to one last item mentioned in the introduction, the unveiling of the Wall Of Fame page update. Merriam-Webster’s definition of the term ~hall of fame~ is “a group of individuals in a particular category … who have been selected as particularly illustrious”. In the case of this blog, the intent behind the original ~wall of fame~ erected several years is no longer relevant. As time has moved on, the ~Wall Of Fame~ has now been reformatted into a listing of blogs that have earned the Fine-Whatever seal of approval. The blogs listed cover many categories and topics such as fashion, lifestyle, health/wellness, cooking/recipes, travel, crafting, and parenting. What are the qualifications to earn this distinction? Hop on over to the Wall Of Fame to see for yourself.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link-up. My favorite post from last week’s link-up was Kangaroo Jumper And Mini Skirt For Spring submitted by Anna over at Looking Fabulous @ 50. Such a brilliant combination of colors in this look plus the fun design on her sweater.
As promised, 3 tips for finding blogs, an update to the Wall Of Fame, and the Tell Me Who You Are survey results. That’s quite a lot for one blog post but it didn’t seem necessary to drag all that out into multiple posts. Besides, I’ve got other topics to cover on my calendar for October. What’s on yours?
Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.
Photo credit: MMPerez
42 Comments
Great post Rena. An alternative to Bloglovin is Feedspot. It aggregates blogs you follow into your personal feed.
I hadn’t heard of Feedspot. Thank you for the suggestion, Gail.
I’ve become very disillusioned with Instagram lately, the algorithm changes and you have no power over it. My engagement rate has dropped, follower numbers go up then down (weird creepy men mostly) and then there are those who buy followers. It all makes me wonder if it’s worth bothering with sometimes. My blog will always come first – it’s the one thing that’s ours and we have control over.
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
I’m with you, Emma. The weird creepy guys, finally pushed me to deactivate mine. That and the fact that unless I make a point of looking for those I follow, I mostly see sponsored posts.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
I agree with you on disappointing it’s become to use Instagram. Ownership and control are key reasons why blogging is better than social media.
Surprised and pleased to be included in the Wall of Fame! Thank you for persevering in the hard work of hosting us!
You’re most welcome Michele. I appreciate your support as well.
Very interesting post! I would recommend Feedly to find new blogs. Bloglovin is a mess and doesn’t always work. My blog is my number one focus and I use Instagram to get people to come over.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you for the suggestion of Feedly as I hadn’t heard of it.
It was interesting to see the results of the survey! And I’m another person who uses and recommends Feedly – I find it so much better than Bloglovin which is always glitchy for me unfortunately.
Hope you are having a good day 🙂 Thanks for the link up!
I think blogs will always be where it’s at – their popularity may wane a little here and there but social media can be gone in an instant and none of us owns our space there. I actually don’t enjoy IG much at all and prefer TikTok. I find myself listening and learning from creators over there while IG seems more about dancing and jumping around – and I am guilty of that too – I can’t beat them so I’ve joined them in hopes of growing my account. I love your Wall of Fame and need to save it so I can be sure to visit each and every blog listed.
Thanks for the link up and for sharing the results with us!
xo,
Kellyann
I’m glad that you liked this post. I’ve also been looking more at TikTok lately as opposed to IG.
I really don’t like IG and like blogging more and more again. And that’s what makes me happy!
You should always do what makes you happy.
I agree with Kellyann, Instagram could go away (unlikely, but if it does, we have our blogs and email lists so we will always be able to get in touch with our readers). I’ve been using Feedly as an alternative to Bloglovin for years. Thank you for listing me on your Wall of Fame!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Yours is the second recommendation for Feedly so I’m definitely going to look into it.
Rena, this is such a fun post! I do enjoy reading your statistical analyses and your outfit is wicked cute! I remember before I started my blog, I stalked all the over-40 fashion blogs that I could find and I commented on them and read all the comments to find more blogs like them. It is a great way to find more websites in a similar genre! Thank you so much for including me in your Wall of Fame, too!
Shelbee
Shelbee, you’re one of the OG inhabitants of the Wall. And I did the same as you prior to starting my blog, especially looking for information on how to start. I found some really helpful posts on that. Truth be told, I still do a bit of stalking.
A very interesting post Rena. I prefer blogging to instagram. My main interest is sharing health and ageing issues and what I find works for me. Generally I share anything I am doing…within reason….
Love the Wall of Fame (thanks for including me) – I am looking forward to visiting the blogs I am unfamiliar with! Your plaid-mix shirt is really cute and looks great with jeans and mustard sneakers.
You’re most welcome and deserving of being on the Wall. I hope you find some blogs that interest you.
I really enjoyed this post! I have been using tip 2 a lot recently, and I have found some gems. I will be checking out the Wall of Fame – and may make one of my own at some point. Great idea! I use Inoreader to follow blogs.
Love your plaid shirt!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
I’m so pleased that you liked this post. And I hadn’t heard of Inoreader so thank you for that lead.
Thanks for sharing your information with us. Social media has become confusing, and I believe that our blogs with original content are critical to long-term survival. Remember whenever we want information we google or ask Siri, Who, What, How!
I’m far more likely to read a lengthy blog post that a long caption on IG.
This post was an interesting read. You are right that the intent of many blogs is to sell something, and many of them fold because there is no other value/reason to follow them. Of course, it comes in handy to have a selection of merchandise presented on a blog that meets your personal style. It saves time shopping because the influencer made a suitable pre-selection like a personal shopper. However, personal style changes due to so-called “life events”. Then the marketing strategy “personal stylist of the readers” fails. Other blogs fold because blogging is underpaid and affiliate marketing barely (if at all) covers the costs of hosting the blog. It certainly doesn’t pay of the efforts of creating new content.
Nicole, I’m glad that you liked this post. I think of blogging as much more a labor of love than a revenue-producing venture.
This was some excellent tips. I love discovering new content from people and seeing what they are all about. I hope you are enjoying the season. My October plans are celebrating my birthday coming up 20 October to be exact and working on a few projects.
https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2022/09/5-fall-coat-trends-you-should-invest-in.html?spref=pi&m=1
I hope that you have something special planned. My birthday is also this month (next week).
I do hope blogging continues for years and years! I have really enjoyed “meeting” other bloggers and learning about different lifestyles and fashions. Every time I sit down to begin a blog post, I always wonder what I’m going to write about. Somehow or other, a post comes out of my fingers…thank goodness. I’m not sure how I found you or any of the other blogs I follow. I think I googled blogs for women over 50 or something like that. I am not a fan of Instagram, but I have a couple of contractual obligations so I do post there. My son is always ragging on me about that! I much prefer reading blogs to watching reels or stories. But, I know that’s where the action is right now! I loved reading your analysis of your survey. It’s interesting to see what/who replied. And, thanks for including me in the Hall of Fame! I’m thrilled!!! Thanks for the link party, too!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I hope so too, Marsha. And I’m glad that you enjoyed the information shared in this post.
Thank you for the feature, Rena. As always you raise quite an interesting topic. I guess different platforms suit different people depending on what they want and need. I love blogging with people of similar views and tastes of fashion and life in general. Thank you for sharing. Anna
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com/
I feel deeply honored to be included in the Wall of Fame! Thank you for hosting, Rena🙏
As for IG, FB, etc.
The most important advantage of a blog over social networks, in my opinion, is that you are the owner of your account, unlike free accounts in social networks that can be banned or deprived of their rights at any time. I’ve heard a lot of stories like this and I myself recently came across the fact that my FB account was restricted and now I can’t use paid ads there (not that I was going to pay anyway haha😁)
XO,
ChajLeen
Looking so very nice. Love all of the tips and thanks for sharing them.
I got sick of Bloglovin and switched to Feedly a while back. I find it to be more streamlined and much more reliable. I also like that the blogs don’t need to be ‘registered’ as they did with Bloglovin. Good luck with your search!
Thank you for sharing this post at Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 36.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
So informative- I love posts like this! I have to go check out Wall of Fame for sure. Have a great weekend!
Great information, I search and read different blogs as I can.
https://www.melodyjacob.com/2022/10/how-to-break-out-of-nzu-addiction.html
It’s crucial to create a loving online community when it comes to blogging and I love spending time on this platform. This is such an interesting post! 😀
http://www.couture-case.com/
Rena, I found this particular blog post so incredibly interesting and FULL, I kept it open in my browser all day and kept coming back to it until I finally finished perusing everything. I am so honored to have found my own blog, Paper Seedlings, on your Wall of Fame! I smiled about that all day! Thanks! I checked out all the other blogs on the Wall and discovered I am amongst some very wonderful company of bloggers. Thanks for this post! Smiles, Linda at Paper Seedlings
I find your surveys interesting so I enjoy reading your results!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
What a fab post! So interesting to see the results after taking part in the survey. And I just had a look at the Wall of Fame, obviously I’m thrilled to have been mentioned! And…there are some blogs there that I don’t know yet, so I’m off to check them all out. Thank you so much, Rena. And apologies for missing this post when it came out a few weeks ago!
Big hugs
Suzy xx