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washington post: be more than a blip

November 3rd, 2007 @ 12:58 pm | miscellany | Post a Comment

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I might be quoted in the newspaper, but the article didn’t come out that weekend and I never said anything again. Feeling nervous about using my real name, I wasn’t sure if I actually wanted it to be published or not. (Some people skydive. Others get tattoos. I live on the edge by giving up online anonymity!)

Anyway, the article is in this Sunday’s Washington Post Sunday Source section and you can now read it yourself here. It’s all about how to increase traffic to your blog. In it, I fessed up that I have no life because I spend all my free time commenting on all of YOUR blogs. Luckily, my loyal readers can’t think I’m too lame because I know that’s how you all spend your time too!

6. COMMENT EARLY AND OFTEN.“Spend about twice as much time commenting on other blogs as you do writing on your own,” says Capitol Hill resident Janet ——, 26, who has blogged at http://www.loveisblonde.com since August 2005 and turned five daily readers into 500. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love getting a lot of comments. It’s great to get so much positive feedback, and I feel like I’ve made some great friends through blogging. But it also means I spend a lot more time on my computer replying to comments and commenting on other blogs in return.”

comments

  1. Congratulations! And really, it’s not like they gave out your address or last name…so I think you’re still safe.

    written by Katina

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

  2. I feel the same way about putting my name out online. Although, I just started blogging. Hey, look at me, commenting on your site and taking your advice. I’ve been lurking for awhile, so I guess today is as good as time as any to delurk.

    written by BethanyWD

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 2:09 pm

  3. Congrats!!! I think you’re awesome for coming to other blogs and commenting - it’s so nice to see someone even with fairly high traffic like your blog come and see the blogs of those who have commented; it’s rare! You rock, Janet!

    written by Janssen

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 2:45 pm

  4. Congrats! I am one of those bloggers who after six days have their entries say “0 Comments” at the end, haha. At the same time I know I have myself to blame because I can be such a lazy commenter.

    written by Viviane

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 3:21 pm

  5. There is no doubt that when it comes to commenting you are the best of the best!

    written by Nic (bridehood)

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 4:59 pm

  6. Congrats! How cool to be included in an article like that!

    And I agree…you’ve got to put a lot of time in reading and commenting on others blogs to get them to come to you. But the connections are totally worth the time!

    written by Erin

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 5:56 pm

  7. You are so famous! I get all my hits from your! (Seriously!) Next stop, USA Today… or something! :)

    written by alison

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 6:11 pm

  8. YOU are going to have so many readers now. I’ve been reading for a long while now and you crack me up all the time.
    Congrats on being quoted!

    written by kassie

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 7:04 pm

  9. Thank you for linking!! I actually remembered to look for it when you first mentioned it and I was bummed I couldn’t find it.

    you are so famous.

    written by Operation Pink Herring

    November 3rd, 2007 @ 10:29 pm

  10. Woo! I will now click over and learn how to be more than blip. Enjoy the inevitable spike in the stats!

    written by RA

    November 4th, 2007 @ 12:08 am

  11. You are a celebrity now! hehe That is so exciting.

    written by Lindsey

    November 4th, 2007 @ 12:22 am

  12. I saw and I was so proud! And our ning community got a shout out! Hooray for you and for us!

    written by Lisa

    November 4th, 2007 @ 1:02 am

  13. that’s so cool to be included in a story like that. congrats!

    written by cady

    November 4th, 2007 @ 9:15 am

  14. Congrats for getting REAL props! I think the article should have had one more way to get noticed: HAVE A MAJOR NEWSPAPER FEATURE YOU AND YOUR BLOG IN AN ARTICLE!!! :-)

    written by Nilsa S.

    November 4th, 2007 @ 11:41 am

  15. Congrats! I hope you celebrated!

    I think 500 is about to increase a bit!

    (That’s a lot of exclamation marks, but you deserve them.)

    written by She Likes Purple

    November 4th, 2007 @ 12:14 pm

  16. Congratulations, Janet! You are amazing and you gave good bloging advice…

    written by Princess Extraordinaire

    November 4th, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

  17. You are simply fabulous! Great work for making your mark in the DC blog world!

    Yeah for the new kitty next door! Is Andrew going bonkers?

    written by alexa

    November 4th, 2007 @ 2:30 pm

  18. You’re such a big shot now. Congrats!

    written by angela

    November 4th, 2007 @ 5:49 pm

  19. Congrats on being featured in the Washington Post today. I hope you will comment on my Blog http://shashi.name and let osme of our fame rub off on me :)..

    Seriously I am a volunteer for the PodcampDc April 18 to 20th. it would be great to have you on board. http://www.podcampdc.org

    Shashi

    written by shashib

    November 4th, 2007 @ 9:47 pm

  20. i hope you don’t take what say as rude but I think the increase in traffic also has to due to a person’s attractiveness. With that being said, I think it’d be easier for a cute blonde to increase her traffic vs. a pretty good looking guy.

    But to keep the traffic, yes, it takes more than a pretty face.

    written by B

    November 5th, 2007 @ 2:11 am

  21. Cool article! And yes, all of us bloggers are suckers for comments.

    written by Larissa

    November 5th, 2007 @ 3:16 am

  22. That’s so cool! Congratulations!

    “Some people skydive. Others get tattoos. I live on the edge by giving up online anonymity!” I’ll quote you on this, okay? :D

    written by Lisa

    November 5th, 2007 @ 1:51 pm

  23. hear hear!

    congrats on the article :)

    written by Michelle

    November 5th, 2007 @ 1:55 pm

  24. Brush with fame!! If you get too famous and need a life double, I am at your service. I can lure the blogging paparazzi to Starbucks while you sneak around the corner and get some shopping done. Or something.

    written by Laurel

    November 5th, 2007 @ 2:24 pm

  25. yay, you’re famous!

    written by Jen

    November 5th, 2007 @ 3:18 pm

  26. That’s awesome! I think we should have some sort of DC/Maryland/Virginia blogger thing. I’d like to meet some fellow bloggers from the area!

    written by Dirka

    November 5th, 2007 @ 3:25 pm

  27. I’m delurking because I started a blog a few months ago and my site meter was depressing me. It was like high school and I had no friends. I never thought to comment on someone’s blog and they might comment on mine. Like my mom told me back then, “you can’t make friends if you don’t be a friend.” Whoda thunk it?

    written by Kim

    November 5th, 2007 @ 5:33 pm

  28. Congrats on the article! And I agree completely, ever since I started my blog I realized how much I love other people’s blogs and love commenting so much, it’s just so fun! And a great way to meet new people. :)

    written by katelin

    November 5th, 2007 @ 5:34 pm

  29. Nice work, Janet!

    And you’re right, of course. I’ve met heaps of people by stalking, er, introducing myself through their comments. Nifty!

    written by alyndabear

    November 5th, 2007 @ 6:11 pm

  30. I second Kims comment. I’ve been lurking around, but never commenting. Then I realized you have to be a friend to make friends.

    written by Monica

    November 5th, 2007 @ 7:54 pm

  31. I enjoyed the entire article, there were some really good points in there! Congrats on your big debut!

    written by brittny

    November 6th, 2007 @ 6:20 am

  32. Wow. I’m so impressed! If only I didn’t regularly get too bogged down in work and do things like flaking out on those Charleston recommendations I was gonna send you, let alone commenting, I might have more blog readers!! :(

    written by suz

    November 6th, 2007 @ 11:17 am

  33. I never really had any blog anonymity, since mine started out as something I did to make my friends laugh and just grew from there(plus my name is in the title).

    Still, when I read the quote that The Post used from me, reality set in, and I came to terms with the fact that I am indeed a computer geek!

    Nice blog. I’ll definitely be back to read more.

    written by ListenToLeon

    November 6th, 2007 @ 3:51 pm

  34. Interesting article! You are one of my blogging inspirations–from 5 to 500…if only that was me.

    written by Lesli

    November 6th, 2007 @ 6:24 pm

  35. Holy crap…you is famous. And awesome. But we all knew that.

    Yes, commenting is the secret. I learned it from Amalah back in the day and it’s worked for me (and you)!

    Also, The King was quoted in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago (about house building) and I never dared link to it. Maybe I should.

    written by Isabel

    November 6th, 2007 @ 7:51 pm

  36. That’s AWESOME!!!
    I didn’t know you had 500 readers a day (I’m impressed when my stats hit 60!) and now it makes me feel extra special when you comment on mine.
    Way to get noticed. That’s awesome.

    written by Laural Dawn

    November 6th, 2007 @ 8:38 pm

  37. Congrats on the quote and it’s so true, thus my comment now ;)

    written by Tara

    November 8th, 2007 @ 3:07 am