Kingston, New York, USA
73,000 backlinks point to Blogging From Paradise.
No wait a sec; this other service says 70,000 backlinks point to Blogging From Paradise.
Let me check another backlink checker.
30,000 backlinks point to Blogging From Paradise.
Huh?
What the heck is going on here.
Lemme spend the next 3 hours of my blogging day attempting to figure out the true number of backlinks….
I italicized the beginning sentences of this post to indicate the fictitious nature of the episode. I do not persistently check statistics because I do not possess 3 hours to review the:
- subjective opinions
- narratives
- business motives
of individuals who design backlink checking services.
If you have not figured it out yet guys, every blogging statistic you ever check is a suggestion offered by someone with a business motive. Alert, active minds clearly see that the lion’s share of stat checking services immediately want something from you like your email address or money.
When people who want something from you claim statistics you need to understand that their systems and stats will vary.
Why?
Each possesses a different agenda carefully designed to get your email and/or money via a premium subscription.
Some will inflate your backlinks and others will lessen your backlinks with the goal to get an email address or premium sub from you. The inflation or deflation is typically subtle. Others ask for nothing but plaster their site with advertisements to get a click or 10 clicks from you.
Do you think I’m bullshitting you?
Look at every single backlink checking service on page 1 of Google.
I rest my case, folks.
Either they ask for da email or money or they unleash a tsunami of advertisements on their free site to squeeze ad income out of ya.
You will plummet down the rabbit hole of blogging stats if you attempt to find the one true stat from this sea of metrics.
What Is this Rabbit Hole Ryan Speaks Of?
Minus the douchey 3rd person reference, the rabbit hole of blogging stats is the endless parade of metrics spit out by a dizzying array of services that may be:
- similar
- identical
- wildly different
which appear to pull you down even deeper into more numbers.
Of course, you are consciously or unconsciously choosing to travel down the rabbit hole. A number on a screen cannot force you to do anything.
But that number can trigger fears in your mind which scare you into taking this time-wasting journey.
Why does this deep dive waste your time?
People who report stats may carry a somewhat helpful intent but since most everyone wants something from you in return for checking the stats you will never, ever, ever get a true number.
What About Google Console?
Google set up Google Console to help you drive blog traffic through Google which puts billions in the Google coffers.
These numbers may be close to accurate but why would you waste much time going down the rabbit hole now that your waking mind understand that statistics are designed for MORE, for the entity reporting stats?
Once MORE enters the equation, egoic, self-centered, fear-based interests enter the fray which will always skew the numbers and muddle the truth.
How to Frame Blogging Stats
Perceive blogging stats as quick check numbers to see what direction you appear to be headed in.
Perhaps you can check 2-3 different services for 1-2 minutes to see your ballpark metrics.
Proceed – after the 1-2 minutes – to travel in a seeming successful direction or to appear to move in a different direction based on those estimates.
Avoid falling down the blogging stat rabbit hole by adopting this frame of mind.
I Have Love for Stat Service People
Stat checking services are largely reputable, credible and trustworthy.
But the numbers will always vary to provide you with a distraction opportunity.
Most folks who design these algorithms are honest.
But the numbers cannot be the pure truth solely because vested interests create fluctuations.
Everyone has to work in the world.
Everyone seems entitled to run a business.
Developers who design stat algorithms generally do a solid job reporting at least close to honest metrics because few wish to fully sacrifice their business credibility for selfish interests.
But since there is virtually always a GET ask you clearly see the ego, fear and some stat deviation entering the fray.
I never intend to condemn these folks. I even check stats myself for a few seconds, rarely.
Yet I never travel down the metrics rabbit hole and keep stat checking at a few seconds because I see that no one service offers the true stats, or the metrics gospel, or the end all, be all. Every one wants at least something from me so no one can be 100% truthful in reporting metrics.
That’s why the numbers change between services and that’s also why I spend a few seconds spit balling based on perhaps 1-2 or 3 services, making a ballpark estimate.
This is likely the best strategy for discerning what is possibly close to the true statistics.
Never waste hours trying to figure out the one true stat.
Love only gives.
Love never asks.
Once the ask-get rears its head, fear and dissolving of the pure truth rears its head, too.
It’s just how it is.
Never make a big deal about it.
Estimate and move on.
Easy peasy.
How Do You Know that Your Blogging Strategy Is Working?
If you:
- love covering your blogging niche
- love helping people through your blog
- notice slow and steady numbers increases
then your blogging strategy is working.
Slowly and steadily keep having fun with helping people and slowly and steadily watch those numbers increase as your success expands.
That’s it.
It’s a done deal.
You will succeed.
One Important Note
Along the blogging journey, you may need to stop doing what feels stressful and does not increase the numbers slowly but surely to do only what feels fun and increases the numbers slowly but surely.
This is an advanced technique you only access with:
- blogging experience
- guidance from professional bloggers
So, while many bloggers drop down the blogging stats rabbit hole, I published this post to warn you NOT to choose to jump down the blogging stats rabbit hole because I have 16 years of blogging experience and have been doing this full time for quite a while.
After reading this post you may say to yourself:
“Crap. I am plummeting down this stat checking rabbit hole for minutes or even hours which feels stressful, and certainly does not make me helpful for other human beings. I’m just staring at numbers on a screen which is not creating content for other folks. I did not realize this. I guess it’s time to double down on what I love doing and what brings slow, steady, numbers gains to patiently increase my blogging success.”
Can You Trust the Little Numbers Gains Growing Slow and Steady?
Not 100% based on the idea expressed in this post.
But you can tend to trust slow, steady gains and most importantly, your love of helping people in your blogging niche, to gradually accelerate your blogging success.
This post is not a condemnation.
It is not a DO NOT TRUST ANYONE type deal.
I merely intend to invite you to trust your love of helping people in your niche combined with even the tiniest metrics gains – checked infrequently – to be your inner guide (largely) toward slow, steady blogging success.
When you love what you do the success really does take care of itself.
When you feel afraid you will choose to journey down a rabbit hole of numbers pulling you in 101 directions.
Would you rather distract yourself as a form of self-sabotage or have fun helping people and enjoy the slowly increasing success you will experience?
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