OPINION: Comments?

My back is much better, thanks for asking. I've sacked off the gym for the rest of the week as a precaution ahead of my holidays in two weeks time. I don't want to suffer a five hour flight with a bad back!

Mike on Santa Cruz Warhammer recently wrote about comments on his blog. He was musing on his expectations for comments and how perhaps they aren't the best indicator of whether people like and read your posts.

Here was the comment I left:

The vast majority of time I read new blog posts through Google feed reader on my phone. I do this standing in queues, on the bus, anytime I have a spare minute. I rarely visit individual blogs and therefore rarely read the comments or indeed make one.

The way I read blogs is not conducive to making comments. I don't know if the way I read your blog posts shows up in your numbers or not but if it does I'd imagine a fair few other people do the same as me. The ironic thing is that they are unlikely to comment on this thread!

I made a mental note to go to your blog the next time I was sitting at a proper PC. I run a blog too and have found that opinion pieces get the most feedback, while conversions and good paintjobs also get feedback but most say 'good job' rather than enter into dialogue.

I run the blog for myself and therefore any comments are a bonus for me.

And that's the way I genuinely feel.

Even if no-one ever commented on my blog again I'd still be posting updates because I see my blog as a kind of journal. It records my gaming time, helps structure my painting and thoughts and it's fun in and of itself. If my ramblings appeal to anyone else then great, but it's not my purpose to go out and attract lots of new readers.

I guess that's why I've never really bothered with Google analytics - I have no real idea how many people visit my blog, nor do I really care. It's also why I never bothered with in-depth tutorials and the like. I do show you the way I do things, and if anyone asks for a bit more detail I'll happily oblige, but I'm not trying to take over the world; I don't want to compete with the other 'big' blogs out there and I don't want to make money through my blog.

I'm happy enough just beebling along. The minute I start thinking about the Unique Selling Point of my blog and how to monetize it is the time when it is starting to feel like work and therefore the time to quit.