This blog turned two years old yesterday. No party, no cake, no balloon animals. I had in fact forgotten the event until WordPress sent me a cheery note of congratulations.
Once I was reminded, the milestone did make me think. I thought hard about this blog, enabling me to ignore several more pressing topics that would have required greater effort and focus. The automated reminders at WordPress saved me when I needed them, and I’d extend my thanks if they cared.
After two years this blog has published a couple of hundred posts, has collected a couple of hundred followers, and draws a modest readership on the days I post something. That generates a few comments and a few “likes.” All of which is fine.
However, my last post has led me to wonder whether perhaps I don’t understand my audience. I cross-posted that item to the Humor section of a public blog forum. I figured that my audience consists of people wanting to laugh. I was unprepared for the volume of hits on my post. It exceeded my normal volume by a factor of 50. It shocked me.
My post’s ratings on the forum were a bit more positive than negative, but one fact really astounded me. Out of the thousands of people who came to my blog from that forum, not one signed up to follow the blog. Maybe the post was poor, and I’m not denying that possibility. But maybe I’m kidding myself when I think the “Humor” folks are my audience.
I’ve decided to ask you, the people who spend time reading these posts, to please help me out here. I am in the most emphatic manner possible not asking for an ego boost. But I would appreciate suggestions and ideas about who my audience really should be and where I might go to find them. Who would like this stuff, and where are they?
Thanks to everyone who has read and supported this blog. I’ll try to remember the party next year. No clowns and balloon animals, though. Hookers and vodka—maybe.
Photo by Vnon via Wikimedia Commons.
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It may be that the people that seek a humerous blog have another kind of humor in mind.
For myself, it’s not the humor per se … it’s your observations of life. Granted, you usually take a more humorous tack for those observations but not the slapstick, rather a more thoughtful and acerbic one.
Hey Bill! Happy Blogday!
Even though I don’t get a chance to visit with you and Kathleen very often, I read all of your postings. The voice in your blog sounds like you are sitting right here in conversation. I definitely think you fit the Humor category, but if you want to branch out try hitting up those Life Coach people.
A bit of down-home pragmatism might calm them right down.
Best always,
Terry
Is there a category for people who like to think in non-pretentious ways about stuff that they hadn’t thought before in new ways? I’m not saying this well. You are funny. In fact, my husband sent me a link to your princess post with the note: this made me laugh out loud at work, trough I encouraged him to tell you that as well. Your kind of humor is more observational, darker than average satire, and full of fun phrases you can’t repeat in front of anyone’s granny. That’s what keeps me reading– the “I never looked at it that way” party. Also phrases like rat-pill. No one swears as well as you, even with 100% granny safe words.
Yep big fan, love the humour though slightly off centered. Finally humour I can understand. :O
I found your blog about 4 months ago, when I was searching for advice about how to handle a particularly nasty work situation. It was the blog about not underestimating the power of accessories. It was so surprising, refreshing & funny – I felt so much better after reading it. I saved a link & revisit from time to time (especially when I wake up in the middle of the night, with something worrying me & can’t get back to sleep – I wonder what you’ve been up to & know that reading about it will probably help me feel more positive). Sometimes I try to read your blog to my husband & even though it’s difficult for him to follow because I’m laughing as I read, he enjoys the humor too.
Thanks for your humor, wisdom, whimsy, & refreshing perspective on life.
I guess you need to just add a few more tags to your post such as observations, or funny, etc and see who you get. You never know what people are looking for.