Do I Want My Blog To Be Popular?

This post is inspired by the numerous blog posts which exist on the internet telling you how to get people to visit your blog, how to get people to like your blog, about writing to draw in an audience and how to be popular. These posts tell you what you should and shouldn’t blog, what you should and shouldn’t be doing and essentially help create an array of similar blogs.

I know it’s hard not to be influenced by the blogs which inspire us, but when we all have the same blog where is the variety and interest? I am influenced by various blogs on the internet, both books blogs, beauty blogs, personal blogs and lifestyle blogs. All influence me in different ways and influence the way I want to write and create things on my blog, but I try as best I can not to copy them, but instead take inspiration from them in what I post. I see the way another blogger may format their posts and it influences my own blog design. i see a post, or a discussion, someone else has written and it makes me want to write a response or expand upon the discussion, I try not to copy their idea, but instead allow their idea to develop into one of my own.

I see all the blog posts about increasing traffic and getting people to like you’re blog and I can’t help but think do I really want that? Do I want to appeal to the masses and be a popular blog? I don’t know that I do, because I’d feel responsible for visitors to my blog, I’d feel I’d be disappointing them if I fail to post, which I so frequently do. I’d feel there would be an expectation for me to stay current and relevant and post all about the new books being hyped, and I don’t always fancy doing that.

So often in book blogging I see the same books being posted about again and again. There are certain new releases that everyone has heard about due to hype, and others just get lost. The ‘big bloggers’ are talking about a book which gets everyone else excited, we go out and buy it and we blog about it, but I’m bored of seeing the same content and the same books on blogs. I’m not pointing fingers and I’m not blaming anyone, we are all guilty of this fact, I know I am. It’s easy to fall into the hype, but I don’t want to because I can’t afford it and I there are plenty of books I want to read, they can’t always be the shiny new ones.

I don’t want to have lots of followers and always be inundated with comments, I like having the regular visitors to my blog I have now. I Like slowly coming out and accepting that there are in fact people who come and read my ramblings on books and blogging and comment regularly regardless of whether I’ve been a good blogger and gotten around to commenting on that really awesome post I read two months ago and really loved and wanted to discuss. That’s just the kind of person I am, though. I don’t like being the centre of attention in my actual life so why on earth would I want it on the internet.

My fear is that if my blog got popular it would be less about me and more about meeting expectations. It would become an obligation rather than a thing I enjoy doing in my spare time to occupy hours, keeping me from feeling my brain is atrophying from having a 9 to 5 job. Popularity has never been my aim with my blog which is a bit strange. Instead all I want is to meet other bloggers. To chat with them and be a part of a community where others understand my impulse to keep buying books. I want to post about things which interest me and I just want to have fun.

Is it wrong that I don't crave blog popularity? I don't know, but I certainly don't care because being popular wasn't my reason to start blogging. What about you guys, why did you start blogging? Do you want your blog to be popular? If your blog is really well read (what are you doing here) and also do you feel pressure to keep your readers happy? I would love to read your thoughts on this.