I just noticed that I’ll be very active this May, since my draft has a lot of posts in it. I also have to edit the T(a)LK collab, my wrap up for April and work on my tea time post. It’s funny because I used to only do review in this blog.
Disclaimer: this is just my opinion. I re-read it, and it comes off as if I’m a know-it-all, and I’m not. This is just my honest opinion, and you should take it with a grain of salt. This is just something I truly learned as I browse wordpress.
Also, I remember last year, when I posted my anime review tips, a blogger, who acts like a know-it-all, actually re-published his own tips about blogging he wrote a long time ago, and I remember how pretentious his post is, hence the disclaimer. I act like a know-it-all in my reviews, but not in my anniversary posts.
2. The Blogger Dilemma
One thing I learned browsing WP is that a lot of bloggers want views, but they don’t know how to get it. I realized that not everyone is like me. Of course, a review blog like mine will get hits no matter what. When Toonami aired a Masaaki Yuasa film, my review of the obscure anime blew up. Other bloggers don’t thrive like I do. Some would do episodic posts, first impressions, even reviews, or they mostly ride the wave of the current trend. Some really good editorial pieces are often left unappreciated, while a stupid top five list with barely any words gets insane feedback.
Then I realize, and this is tip to everyone, your first audience is your fellow bloggers. You want comments, likes and a healthy discussion about your posts? Then you should comment, like and discuss on other bloggers’ posts as well. You see, a lot of readers follow a certain blog. If you comment or like, they often click on your profile (update your gravatar) or your blog, and they could be potential audiences for your post as well. I know it sounds stupid, but the ani-community in WP is close knit, especially the audience that reads it. You want views and comments? Then make the effort to give some as well.
I know there is an attitude that as long as I write good, then the right people will come. This is true, because I thrived on this idea for a long time BUT I’m a very different case. My review especially, since I oddly get on the first page of a goggle search for an anime review. I don’t know why, really. But for first impressions, anime reviews, episodic posts and heartfelt editorials, these need an extra boost. You’re just a drop in a sea of similar content, and not just in WP but in other blog sites as well. So you need to get yourself out there and shout out that you exist.
Now, I do know some people overdo it though, basically treating you as a stat for their blogs. It’s your choice to play their game or not. It’s not a bad thing, really. It’s just really weird sometimes that they put effort in something so fleeting. I used to be part of the myIGN community (username: Karuhi) where bloggers really fight for comments. Drama about feminism is created to garner more likes and views. The myIGN feature is now dead, and all those stats are just code now barely accessible anymore. All their effort is basically gone now, and it’s kinda depressing. But again, follower count and views can be satisfying to see grow but I personally don’t interact with people that’ll treat me as a stat. I’m too good for that, but that’s just me and my untrusting nature playing a part in that as well.
But for any new bloggers out there, say Hi! to the established people of WP and get noticed.
Full List
1. The Diversity of the Anime Tag
2. The Blogger Dilemma
3. Collabs are fun
4. Friendly yet Reclusive
5. MAL Synopsis
6. Episodic Review is a Hard yet Interesting Adjustment
7. Dramatical Murder and Yosuga no Sora
8. The Special Secret Relationship of the Fans of the Original Source and the Anime Staff
9. The Faithful Adaptation of a Bad Anime Paradox
10. Hurdles and Setbacks Makes Life More Interesting
The Pantless Anime Blogger 
Very true! I always try and do my best to comment. Towards the end of the day I find I have less to say mostly because I’m tired lol. I have really enjoyed this community and I’ve found tons of new anime to watch which has been great!
oh yeah, I find myself often not having the mood to read posts and yet I still do it and it turns into a massive waste of time, lol. I often put them off on a day when Iam not tired and I have time to waste. xD
NIce post!! 😀
Indeed, getting views tends to blind bloggers, well not only the bloggers but all the people who are content creators. I admit, I do get clouded at times XD, but I keep on reminding myself to just enjoy sharing my thoughts. Hehehhehe.
And yeeeee, its important to connect with the other bloggers. I suck at this, but at least I am trying. Overthinking tends to crumble me while commenting. 😦
Anyway.
Can’t wait to check out more of your “Top Ten” 6th Anniversary special. 🙂
xempre mas toxic ang stat culture sa twitter, kung saan i uunfollow ka pag di mo cla ni-refollow, lol. at ganun din ata sa instagram at youtube. di p nmn malala ang WP scene, pero dati n xang medyo toxic. di n nga lng active ung mga tlgang toxic n tao. hehehe
and it’s not required to interact with others, so we shouldn’t force ourselves. You always have a reader in me, so don’t worry xD
Hahahahahhaha char!! XD
Indeed, toxic people is everywhere in the social media. And bruh, they are also here in WP. Seeing my follower count going up and down every once in awhile gives me anxiety. Insert me overthinking again. LOL. But they are there, always, the toxic peepz. We just need to learn to ignore them. Hehehehehe
oo nga, and2 din cla. ung nag follow sau tapos unfollow agad pag di k ng re-follow. naku, alam mo agad pag stats lng tlga cla sau.
and i know what you feel, I used to overthink about it as well, lol.
You already know my stance on this (lol), but for this particular post you bring up an interesting dichotomy of worlds with regard to who we (anibloggers collectively) treat as our primary audiences. While it is true that our primary — most of the times even exclusive — audience are also fellow content creators (making for a sort-of give-and-take symbiosis), I also reserve the notion that the writer himself is also their primary audience, and that writing something that you yourself would read is equally important in trying to get others to read it too. It’s an odd balance, as I’ve come to learn as well.
also, *Hi!* (xD)
lakas ng hugot mo!!!!! hahaha but yeah, it’s true, you should always log for yourself. I just learn that effective likes and comments comes from an active interaction with others.
and I do know your stance on this, since we both share the same outlook on it. I am just really careful others don’t see this post as a negative post targeting them, since it’s not. It’s just my opinion, lol.
pero alam ko may matatamaan. bahala n cla.
and Hi!!!! *waves*
I completely agree with you! I never saw my followers (or the people I am following as stats), but I remember a time where I tried to read and comment in everything, just because I felt bad for not doing it when they took their time to read, like and comment my stuff. Of course that didn’t go well! There is way too much content in WP for the time I can put into blogging and nowadays I only read the posts that interest me.
However, the last few weeks I’ve been having a crazy life and feel really tired when get home so I stopped completely in my liking/commenting roll and basically that reflected in my stats! I’m happy to not think much about it as I did some months ago and it’s all cool! I’m just happy to be able to have time to post something up!
Regarding the Google first page, I have a couple of posts in there – none of them are reviews. It’s incredibly difficult to end up in the first page with a review since you have big websites that do that for a living, so it’s just impossible to have the same SEO than them! Two of my posts that are in the first page is the one about my thoughts in Shounen-ai and the first episode of Hunger Games: Anime Edition. I think why ended up like that is because both of them are something different than what was getting out in the ani-blogging community at the time and I just ended up having a lot of hits. In reality the shounen-ai one really blew off when I got one of the worst comments ever – I replied and posted it on twitter and that just made the Post to start having even more hits.
Nevertheless, there are some cool tricks to increase the SEO of our posts (that I will talk about next week in my place) – you probably know them all at this point thought xD
omg, i tried to do the same. I used to hate people just liking a post, since I bet they don’t read them, so I make an effort to commenting as well, but it burned me out, lol. I eventually just like a post to show support and comment on posts I can actually say something about.
and yes, it’s also true that just a few weeks offline or even a few days can kill your stat, which means it’s really much better to find people that you know will always support you, hence not treating you as just a stat.
I get most google searches from obscure anime. Some anime are never reviewed, so I often get in the first page.
and omg, I saw your comment fight in that post. It’s hilarious how misguided the person is and kudos to you for not backing down *thumbs up*
and lol, I’ll read your SEO post since I honestly never learn any I only know to keep title posts simple like “anime title + review” xD
Basically that was also my strategy! The thing that I really hate is when people like the post without even opening the post! That’s just the major NO! It really pisses me off >..< But well, everything passed and it made my post to go up in the google search, so thank you hater I guess ahah
Ahahah well, I've learnt a lot with my job and by writing for a Portuguese website which uses Yoast that tells you what is missing from the post, so I figured why not give this insight to the rest of the people out there? XD Although it's going to come from someone who if you search for its name "Arthifis" it will appear "Did you mean: arthritis?" ahahah
yes, me too. i really don’t like people just liking and not reading. I personally avoid it. I’d click the link and read as possible since I do like the posts of most bloggers.
and congrats!!!! it’s very satisfying to see your google searches blow up, especially in such an interesting way xD
i feel your pain, lol. when you google TPAB, you’ll get Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly (TPAB) as well. hahaha
Yah, I’ve seen that a couple of time… Likes that come so fast after posting it’s very obvious they can’t have read the post. And a couple of times, it’s been some pretty big names.
That and it also happened to me having more likes than views lolol
likes for likes and comments for comments work extremely well but I find that on my blog – the pisodic posts (that get way less likes and comments) get way more views. Someone pointed out that people may be finding them while tryong to watch the shows online and that explains the view boosts. since those people don’te really like or comment posts – it also explains that disparity.
I know yu guys all did your inter game posts in one so maybe you didn’t get the same results but I frequently got 100+ more views on those posts than my regular stuff that had way more likes and comments.
Also I’m bad at commenting…See above for reference. How else can I boost my views senpai?
you also have a “.com” blog, you bought your domain and that does boost traffic. When I had a “.com”, I easily make 2000 views a day, and after I could no longer pay for the domain, the views went down to 200 a day,
But it is true, depending on your post title, it can help with the SEO google stuff.
and lol, you get more views and comments than me! I should ask you for some advice. haha
I never got close to 2000 views…Does it? I bought a domain because I wanted to play with themes I am a SEO moron. I honestly have no clue what I’m doing. Up until your last post – I never even used the #anime tag…. I need help
yeah, buying a domain boosts them stats, but it doesn’t mean your posts aren’t good! they’re awesome.
and you don’t need to have anime in your tag, I think just having the word “anime” in your post does the trick.
That was a good point about how after something gets some exposure, your views can blow up. This year, my review for Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman I did last year barely got any views, but the numbers skyrocketed after Devilman Crybaby was released. You’re certainly right about liking and commenting other people’s content.
reviewing or just doing psots about obscure anime can pay off in a weird way, but it’s all a waiting game. When Makoto Shinkai blew up, my awful reviews of his work was constantly getting views, lol.
I certainly agree. That anime was an example and for some odd reason, my review of Atomic Falafel (an indie Israeli movie) started to blow up a few months ago for some odd reason.
I can totally believe that about Shinkai. Seems like the both of us feel like hipsters since we both have known about his early works. Hahaha!
“Then you should comment, like and discuss on other bloggers’ posts as well.”
Though this is common advice, it doesn’t generally work that way. The community, as a whole, isn’t very good at reciprocating comments. (At least, as seen from the POV of my blog.)
Ahahaha, this is true. Some people just don’t bother even if you actively comment on their blog. I think its fine, since it shouldn’t be an obligation. Some people appreciate the interaction though, and they’d go out of their way to support your log the way you support theirs. It’s all about finding the right people and the right post to comment in, I guess.
It’s hard to comment on your posts. I don’t really want to be the guy who nitpicks at the things I disagree with (and I understand you purposefully take hard stances on things in order to force discussion), so I just read and like most of the time. But I will try harder moving forward.
yeah, lol. I often take a losing stance on something just to get a discussion, but I do understand reviews are hard to comment on, especially mine since its stupidly long. I also intentionally make info mistakes waiting for people to correct me, but they never do. haha
editorial stuff like this got you to comment, so maybe I should do more of these if I want some sweet comments xD
Oh, I was responding to DerekL, sorry!
Ehhh your methods might draw in people but they do seem a touch disingenuous, unfortunately.
ah, i reply using the notifications bar, lol. I’m sorry.
I don’t reply to this many comments!!!!! i just auto reply, hahaha
and yeah, my methods dont work at all
I don’t actually intentionally take hard stances… (Not that often anyways.) That may just be my no-nonsense take-no-prisoners style of writing. Do we really disagree that much? Is there nothing we agree on?
What I do sometimes, if I can’t find something in the post to comment on, is reply to another commenter.
I don’t comment as much as would like to, but I push myself. To me, comments are the living beating heart of a blog… as much, if not more as the post itself. (But then when it comes to blogging, I’m seriously old skool. That was the way it was back in the day.)
Ah, got it. Hmmm there are things we do agree on and it’s really my own fault I don’t go out of my way to bring them up. Reaching out to others is hard. Especially when you comment and all they give you is a like which is basically participation trophy. I know you’re not as dismissive but I don’t know. What I do know it’s more me than you. Sometimes I just don’t comment on any posts for days.
Responding to other people’s comments could work, yeah. I know you’ve brought this up before. I did that here, even. Kind of feel like a third wheel whenever doing so, though.
Mmm understood. I plan on catching on blog posts as a whole after work today and will try my best to leave comments for all. It’s the least I could do.
I’m probably one of the worst with this one. I don’t know why I don’t comment all that much on people’s blogs… maybe because I read posts at night? Oh well, I should try every once in a while lol.
lol, it’s OK cakes. It’s not required to comment on other blogs anyways. Blogging should be fun first and foremost
Lol I know. I like blogging and it is a lot of fun 🙂 I only comment when I feel like it and so far, it’s been alright. :’)
If I didn’t interact with the community I feel like I would get far fewer views then I do, though have been getting a lot of outlook subscribers of late…
Personally I don’t care how many people click and look, I am simply keeping track of my journey into the world of anime and making it fun! I interact because it’s fun and I appreciate those that interact with me in return. It’s nice, not worrying about views and likes.
Yeah, your first true audience should always be yourself, like Leap said. But, I do know getting some high view count can be satisfying in a way xD It’s not really a must, since I don’t chase after it as well, but I do secretly want it.
But you’re right, quality over quantity even in blogging interactions 🙂
Yeahhh the wordpress analytics thing is kind of dangerous. It’s pretty cool to see where your views are coming from and how many, but I think I sometimes get a little too into it.
there’s nothing wrong obsessing with stats. I used to be worried about them too. xD
Thank you for this tip/
Honestly my reason for blogging is strange even to myself. I liked writing and manga so I did both at once here. If there are only five people reading my post, even then it’s awesome.
I’ve never been concerned about likes too. To me one comment is a hundred times worth a like… I guess this is a very childish way of looking at it but it’s the way I do haha.
I personally spend almost twice or thrice the time reading and commenting on other’s blog than sitting on mine 😅
But sometimes it works in reverse. “Maybe they are only commenting on mine because I had commented on theirs?” is something I’ve thought about more than once and it did make me sad, the fact that it was a courtesy visit more than for my content haha.
Still, in the end it’s fun talking to people which is the reason I’m here blogging so yeah.
This series is really interesting!