Analyze your Traffic Data in a New Way; Look at your Blogging Identity Through New Eyes – “hey I don’t need to be a glossy fashion star, I just want to be a down-to-earth brilliant blogger”

There is a strange phenomenon that some bloggers get thousands of hits a day for their posts yet the number of followers is not even close to a hundred and not even a single comment was received. Seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense, the situation yet can be seen as meaningful from which bloggers can learn to reposition their blogging identity. If you have had such a frustrating experience, I bet you are probably one of those strategic bloggers who can read the minds of the general public and know exactly what kind of blog topics your blog should focus on to maximize readership, yet forget the most important principle in blogging, which is that we bloggers blog for ourselves, not for the market or we make no difference from the mainstream fashion media. People hit your blog not necessarily because of the blog content, they may not have ever actually read it, but may be simply because of the attention-getting titles of the blog posts spotted which make them want to click on your link and visit your blog, which explains why the number of followers does not increase proportionally with the number of hits as all the credit belongs to the big brands and top designer names mentioned in the titles and probably spotted everywhere in the texts while skimming through them, not the blogger himself/herself. Readers love to keep up with the latest news on their favorite fashion stars but they do not see the point of interacting with the blogger who does the most-blogged topics like every other blogger does and with his/her blog if it just keeps repeating the same bunch of information borrowed from other sites without bringing a fresh new perspective to it, not to mention following it. Yes, it’s cruel and that’s the reality.

Just like any other bloggers, I used to be traffic-conscious and had been through a lot of frustrations when my blog’s hit rate did not turn out as fantastic as I thought it would, but now I realize that a high-traffic blog does not automatically mean a high-quality blog in terms of content. After all, blogging is all about nurturing original thinking and extending creativity. In order to be a successful blogger, you need to be able to identify the factors leading to the endurable success of a blog: blog only what you believe; express your true values and convey your unique style in your writings rather than pleasing the readers with cliché hot topics which would cause a spike on your traffic statistics, but without followers’ loyalty. Let your personality and passion shine through your posts and your readers will find you and get to know you through your blog, and that’s how you build a relationship with your readers. If you are able to give them reasons to further explore the kind of fashion experience that only exists in your blog and keep revisiting it for more, they will surely follow you eventually.

Do not take Rumi Neely, Bryan Boy or Anna Dello Russo as your role model though bloggers always tend to do otherwise. Rumi, BB and Anna are fashion celebrities, not necessarily bloggers (Rumi and BB might start as a blogger but we’d better admit that their roles as bloggers have changed). Simply because these people are celebrities, and people will care no matter what they wrote on their blogs, whether it is about an exclusive interview with a top designer, or getting the front row seats at the “Big Four” fashion weeks, or even as trivial as what they had for breakfast. The lives of celebrities are so different from our reality. Before you continue your blogging career, the first thing to do is to sort out your blogging identity, ask yourself whether you want to pursue a glamorous yet impossible dream of becoming a fashion star or stay down-to-earth and be a faithful blogger working hard towards long lasting success. For me, I don’t need to be a glossy fashion star; I just want to be a down-to-earth brilliant blogger. Fashion blogging, after all, is about having fun.  Why get frustrated?

Rumi Neely and Bryan Boy

Anna Dello Russo


10 Responses to Analyze your Traffic Data in a New Way; Look at your Blogging Identity Through New Eyes – “hey I don’t need to be a glossy fashion star, I just want to be a down-to-earth brilliant blogger”

  1. I do not have a debate…you are right in your assertion that sometimes people do not want lofty words, but pretty pictures. I notice those blogs that are just pretty pictures have the most followers and the advertisers. where does this leave me? My blog is fashion news, and shows and the latest trends and styles and yet I recieve 200 hits a day from whence I know not but there they are. Honestly, I can not believe you are not getting hits and if you are truly not, I do not understand your readers…what do they want from you?
    I have not Blogged in two months but continue to get my 200 hits a day with only 68 followers…THIS IS INSANE…who are these people and why don’t they join my blog or for the very least leave a comment.

    • I do get hits though not as many as Bryan Boy does XDD Perhaps most people don’t like to read long text but that shouldn’t stop us from doing what we believe is right. Just don’t give up! Success belongs to the persevering. Our readers will know. Who knows how long it will take tho…

    • OMG I’m soooo happy! Thanks Yvonna xo I know that we’ll succeed. Just believe in ourselves. Btw I haven’t sent you my complete blogger profile, sorry about that. I’m still hoping I can be one of the speakers for Fashion Camp NYC next year 🙂

  2. I’m with you V…I’ve been trying to make time to read your post, it’s insightful and is on target…photos and quick news bites are what’s easy, I would love to make more time to read all the interesting bits and pieces that are written from the heart and full of interesting opinions…I think it’s time we all need more of…or better management of what time we have.LOL…I hadn’t blogged in a while but after going throught the McQueen catalogue again, I was moved to share my thoughts on his life and my own!

  3. Thanks Louise 🙂 Frankly I’m a slow writer XDD I’m looking forward to reading your new post on McQueen. I’m sure it’s gonna be amazing ^^ Let’s forget about Rumi or BB and build a healthy blogging circle together. Love xo

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