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A few observations:
- There seem to be just as many blogs in the challenge this year (or more) but fewer actual comments on the posts. I noticed this even with the blogs I was visiting.
- Short posts with a consistent theme and an accompanying photo usually had the most interaction.
- Unique themes pulled me in: haunted places, fake book covers, pop culture themes.
- I enjoyed several travel themes this year featuring gorgeous photos of far-off places.
What helped my success in the challenge:
- Choose a theme. Something somewhat universal (I've done TV, authors, and now memorable characters).
- Keep the posts short but try to offer a few insights or facts.
- Pose a question at the end to engage readers.
- Pre-post! I wrote and scheduled all of my posts by April 1 (minus a few tweaks) so I could spend my blogging time in April visiting other blogs. If your posts are short and keep a similar format, this is not that difficult..
Thanks to everyone who commented or followed my posts for the month. As a thanks, I'm offering a giveaway with a few different book choices! See the Rafflecopter below. TWO winners will be chosen. Let me know in the comments which book you prefer if you enter:
Send: Patty Blount (Contemporary Young Adult)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posts
Great followup post - and fun giveaway!
ReplyDeleteoops, I posted before reading the instructions above! :) I did participate in the A to Z and man, I'm so glad I had all of my posts written and scheduled ahead of time, because my April went NUTS and I didn't have as much time as I had hoped to get around to other blogs. If I'm a winner - I'd love to read SEND. Thanks!
DeleteI did participate in the A-Z --my third. I didn't get anything new out of it, nothing like the first where I turned it into a book. But I always meet cool people like yourself. I too noticed there were not as many comments in comparison to last year. I left comments EVERYWHERE, so I don't know what their problem was. I suspicion maybe, just maybe people weren't visiting other blogs like they should.
ReplyDeleteAs I was a minion I also schedule my posts well in advance. I must say I didn't notice the lack of posts, however, if a blog is too long or it is difficult to find where to comment, people won't bother. By the way, you can pick up the I survived badge on several blogs to display on your page.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting today Stephanie.
Your reflections here are good to read, to see how it was for someone else. Next year I'm going to do as you did and get my posts done before so I can spend more time visiting, reading and commenting. Some blog posts were very interesting but way too long to read every day. Even if I didn't respond back to a comment on my blog post in the beginning, I ALWAYS went to the commenter's site and read their post and left a comment myself. I really don't mind, for myself, if the blogger I'm visiting doesn't answer me back. I prefer them to come visit me and leave a comment! My third year as well!
ReplyDeleteGreat wrap up post. I think your "path" to blogging success sounds like a solid one. I hope to work ahead next year so I can focus more time and energy on the visiting portion of the challenge. Overall, it was a great experience for me.
ReplyDeleteI mainly only blog a few times a week, or sometimes only once. Blogging every day for a month is fun but I can't keep that up when I want to write books!
DeleteCongrats on completing. I noticed tons more visitors than commenters too. I understand how commenting can take a lot of time compared to visiting and (hopefully) reading. I tried to make my comment process easy, but some of them were a bit tedious. Yours is easy, btw! I kept the number of blogs I visited every day manageable so I could make sure I had time to post, but when I visited random blogs, I didn't always comment. This part of the process was almost as complex as the posts!
ReplyDeleteMarlene at On Writing and Riding
Hi Steph .. thanks for connecting - it's good to meet ... even if after the event! You're in my reader now ..
ReplyDeleteI had to "ask" nicely for people to kick me over the 500 mark .. I thought it wasn't going to happen - that nobbled a few and I'm not rising 517 - thankfully ... the numbers haven't really interested me - providing content that I'm happy with and then that others find interesting is more important ... but I did want to get beyond that half a thousand mark!
Anyway it's good to be here .. and YA may not be my scene - but I'll be around and be as supportive as I can .. all the best - Hilary
It depends on what you want from your blog. Right now I'm connecting with other writers and book fans. The numbers are fun though :)
DeleteHi Steph ... I'm glad you're connecting with other writers ... but the numbers are fun though .. I agree .. cheers Hilary
DeleteGreat reflections post :) I missed the blog doing haunted places, nuts! That would have been a cool theme to follow throughout the month.
ReplyDeleteI like your reflection post. You were certainly prepared for the challenge. Smart. I plan to pre-write my posts for the next challenge. Loved the haunted themes too, and found some unique themes. Hoping to find more of these blogs that I missed reading. Thanks for stopping by me earlier. Michelle@ http://www.writer-way.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWere there fewer comments this year? I hadn't noticed. The haunted places one sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteGreat insights! Congrats on continuing with The Challenge through the years. I always aspire to pre-scheduled posts...but the the co-host pre-Challenge prep work always eats all my time. Maybe if I start now... ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words at Life is Good today, and for pointing out some of the negatives. It helps us to hear those. One that I don't think I included in my Reflection is that man, it just gets harder and harder to comment with so many different methods now available...
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
Writing and scheduling posts ahead of time helps.
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice a drop in comments, but fewer people returned comments and follows. Very sad.
Thanks for participating!
My experience not only of the A-to-Z Challenge, but blogging as a whole, led me to the conclusion that short is sweet. Especially when people are trying to visit multiple posts in a short space of time, you're more likely to get a visit and maybe a comment if you don't impose on their patience for too long. So I definitely agree with you on that. And I too noticed relatively few comments compared to the number of participants, and the visits and comments seemed to decline as the month went on. I think you're right about giving readers something to latch on to, whether it's a question, or an engaging theme, to persuade them to leave comments. I often found myself visiting pages and struggling with something to say in the comments because the topic didn't really lend itself to comment. I noticed some people made use of a "like" button (though I don't think all blogs have such a thing) as an alternative to a comment. I find that an acceptable alternative--at least they're letting you know they visited and enjoyed it, even if they can't think of anything to say.
ReplyDeleteYours was a fun theme, Stephanie. Congrats for completing the challenge! :)
Oh, and if I should win the giveaway, I'd like SEND. :)
DeleteI was happy so many bloggers went the short post route. I also enjoyed some blogs about far off places I'll never get to visit in person. Congrats on finishing.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a Challenge well done, Stephanie! :) I was new to the challenge this year but I did notice a *lot* more views than likes or comments in my stats, but maybe that's just people browsing my post and not having anything to add or say *shrugs*. I visited a lot of blogs that seemed to just ramble for a whole post because they didn't have a theme or a clear idea for the letter of the day. Can't wait to see what's next for your blog, at any rate! :)
ReplyDeleteC.E. Darrell
I agree with a lot of what you said; I knew it would be difficult to read more than a handful of blogs with my busy schedule so I gravitated toward pop culture themes. And I tried to leave a question at the end of each post but that was difficult for letters like X and Z. I definitely have to schedule more of my posts ahead of time next year (and not getting sick would help, too)
ReplyDeleteAlso, Rhonda Albom @ Laugh Quotes had some amazing travel photos. Not sure if you saw her blog during A to Z but hers was one of my faves.
Congrats on finishing your 3rd challenge!
How sweet of you to offer a giveaway! I enjoyed getting all your comments right at the end of the challenge. Two of us mentioning Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer during the challenge---what are the chances? Haha. It's very nice to meet you, now I've got me an unfrozen caveman to visit. ;)
ReplyDeleteI really agree with you on the pre-post scheduling. I didn't finish writing all mine by April 1st, I only got through about half, but I did have all the content fully planned out - it really made a difference I think to both the quality of my content and reducing the stress of the challenge month itself.
ReplyDeleteSophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - A to Z Ghosts
Fantasy Boys XXX - A to Z Drabblerotic
Hi Stephanie, thanks for stopping by my blog, I'll enter the rafflecopter draw in a mo, either book will be good for me. If I don't win and you'd like a book review anyway do contact me via my blog. Thanks Rosie
ReplyDeleteOh be still my geeky heart! I loved your posts. Scrolling through them now only because I just found yours AND I lost time somewhere along the A to Z path! I think it went off with my Muse on some elaborate date in a far off land, sipping ambrosia and eating chocolate all the time...leaving me alone and wondering what to do. :) Seriously, there were over 2000 participants and I just felt so overwhelmed! Thanks for visiting and commenting on my posts! <3
ReplyDeleteJamie Dement (LadyJai)
Be Positive in Life and Writing
Caring for My Veteran
You've made some interesting observations - much appreciated by a newbie at the challenge, this being my first year. :) Thanks again for stopping by my site. :D
ReplyDeleteThis challenge seems so fun -- I want to try to participate next year.
ReplyDeleteJen @ YA Romantics
This was a succinct, and helpful wrap-up post. Looking forward to visiting you often in the coming months!
ReplyDeleteHi Steph ... I agree with your comment on my Reflections post .. we just deal with the extra niggles of different platforms, different ways of doing things .. and generally get on with it - good to meet you and thanks for coming over to comment .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteGreat reflection post. congrats on completing the challenge - and yes short consistent posts with a themse seem to make the challenge more managable. :)
ReplyDeleteHello there.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on completing the challenge! Thanks for sharing. I'm just stopping by briefly as I drive around on the 2014 A-Z Road Trip…don't forget to wave when you see me go by! (lol)
Entrepreneurial Goddess