Granada Nicaragua
Analyzing blogging metrics is different than indulging in blogging metrics.
Case in point; a few moments ago I checked my backlinks pointing to Blogging From Paradise Dot Com:
Cool. 84,000 links point to my blog.
Ten seconds after analyzing the metric I wrote this blog post.
10 seconds. That’s it.Â
Did I indulge in the blogging metric?
Did I spent 45 minutes:
- celebrating?
- obsessing?
- ruminating on pattern-spotting?
No I did not. I invested 10 seconds of my time to think about the number: 84,000 backlinks. I proceeded to do what drives organic traffic: create targeted blogging tips. Sometimes I create blog posts. Other times I create off-site content. Either way, I lose myself in the process to let the outcomes manifest organically. This is enough for me. It may not be enough for most bloggers but their fear of scarcity has nothing to do with how I think, does it?
Easy?
Is this easy to do?
Is it easy to think this way?
Yeah; after conquering your metrics-indulgent fears it gets easy to do.
But looking in the blogging mirror is step #1. First, own a metrics obsession. Time yourself. Use your phone. See how often you gaze slack-jawed at numbers. How much time passes as you twist the numbers? Feel free to spend 45 minutes today turning over numbers to spot blogging patterns. Judge yourself. Judge your blog. Make connections. Establish correlations. Condemn yourself. Find bloggers who share the same grievances. Bitch and moan at Google. Go ahead; you’re entitled to do it. This is all good. I condemn no one from taking this route.
But during that 45 minute stretch I just influenced a few more bloggers to point backlinks to Blogging From Paradise Dot Com. Why? I invested those 45 minutes into the process of creating content. Investing those 45 minutes in obsessing over metrics-outcomes robs you of 45 minute’s worth of:
- content creating
- organic traffic driving
- income generating
Staring at Numbers Does Not Inherently Increase Numbers
Staring at numbers for a long stretch of time does not increase the numbers. Bloggers wish that it did; but it doesn’t.
Creating targeted content for a long stretch of time increases numbers beautifully. No one can create content while staring at statistics. The mind completes one task at a time. Multi-tasking is a myth; only one thought occupies the mind at one time. The insane believe differently but only because their internal madness creates the illusion of simultaneous thoughts residing in the mind.
Staring at numbers for a few analytical moments suggests patterns. Mentally record the trends. Chart a new course if necessary. Stay on track if necessary. After analyzing stats for 5-10 minutes, dive back into creating targeted content. Creating targeted content drives organic traffic. Invest most time towards creating content. Publish blog posts. Publish off-site content. Succeed by losing yourself in the blogging process not by getting lost in blogging outcomes.
What Is Indulging?
Seeking pleasure or pain from statistics is indulging.
Patting yourself on the back for one minute is OK but the minute is pleasure-seeking for yourself. Congratulating yourself for a minute, 2 minutes or 10 minutes never puts money in your pocket because it is not creating content for other human beings.
Say, “OH COOL!”Â
Embed an image to social media if it feels inspirational. Spend 3-5 seconds to do that.
Immediately get back to creating helpful content.
As for pain-seeking, pleasure is pain. I know this sounds confusing at first but the emotions are identical, however trickily masked.
Anyway, the obvious form of metric indulgence is beating yourself up for doing a shitty job. The pity party begins. Maybe the pity party attracts other self-punishing bloggers to you for a joint co-miserable-a-tion. Grievances are aired. Complaints fly left and right. Hours pass. Tomorrow you decide to spend 1-2 hours ruthlessly analyzing your pathetic statistics.
Add up your 2 complaining hours today and 2 obsessing hours tomorrow.
What did the Blogging From Paradise Guy do during those 4 indulgent hours of statistical flagellation?
I published 2 blog posts. I published dozens of posts for:
- X
- Threads
- Blue Sky
Do you kinda see why 84,000 backlinks point to my blog?
Do you understand why most bloggers struggle to land a few backlinks?
Blogging feels so frustrating for most until few read a post like this one with eagle-eyes. Allow the light bulb to pop up above your head. Frame statistics as a quick indicator not a long-term pit stop.
I view checking stats like flying by a mile marker at 80 MPH. No indulgence. I spot my progress – or lack thereof – then proceed based on my quick and simple analysis.
Taking a super duper long, torturous, indulgent statistical pit stop prevents you from creating content to drive organic traffic.
Give almost all work to the process and a tiny bit to the outcomes.
Succeed by helping people with content not by obsessing over how you appear to be helping yourself with numbers.
