OK, on Friday I posted The Role of Language in Happiness, discussing relevant ideas, offering examples, and focusing on the positive. This post received the second greatest number of Likes on my blog site thus far (the most ever in the first day). On Sunday, two days later, I posted Living In Your Back Story, presenting empirical observations about how people tend to have conditioned beliefs based on negative experiences from the past running in the background of their minds, causing preventable distress, unhappiness, and ineffectiveness. Although the content of the back story article may be more relevant to healing and spiritual growth, its chosen words and examples were from the darker side of the scale. This post also confronted the reader directly, asking them to consider this phenomenon within themselves. It received the least number of Likes, none. So far it seems like posts with darker language, revealing examples, and reader confrontation generate the least Likes; and post containing positive language, poetic renderings, and general education (not specific to the reader) generate the most. This could all be coincidental, unrelated, or random; but it seems to be holding true on my blog so far. One interesting fact is that the number of Visitors and Views are essentially the same. Only the Likes vary. Does this suggest that people find it interesting, but do not want to be identified with the topic? Maybe because it would seem like they had the types of issues being discussed? Or is it because the mellifluous moments acoustically painted by belletristic brushes of inspiration make the reader feel good? Do feel-good or positively inspirational posts lead to more Likes than darker, didactic, or reader-confronting ones? Are people more interested in entertainment than evolution? What do you think?
What good are Likes, anyway? The idealist in me would like to believe that, if a reader takes the time to read and Like an article, they may be more likely to remember and benefit from it. My life is about helping people heal and grow. I want to do this in the broadest possible way. This is why I will soon be upgrading my blog site in an attempt to reach a wider audience. In the meantime, I am doing my best to notice what people like, and which writing style works most effectively. For example, the post that received the greatest number of Likes ever at my blog is From Agony to Ecstasy, Part 5: The Scrub Goddess. It is a colorfully atmospheric, sexy allegory revealing my beliefs regarding the rhapsodic radiance experienced during lessons learned while purely in spirit. It combines beauty, bliss, sensuality, palpable descriptions, and higher level learning. Is this the answer to my question? What was my question, anyway?
Aside from the usual posts about successful blogging, what have you found helpful? Has there been a particular style your readers have responded more actively to? Do you share more about yourself and your own life? Have pictures played much of a role in your success?
You say “Backstory” gets less likes than “Happiness” but is more relevant to healing and spiritual growth. And your purpose is to help people heal and grow, So the challenge is how to spin the darker, more confrontational material into a story that gets more enthusiasm, right? I’ve seen stories like that, they have heart and soul. I want my blog to be successful so I need to tap into my heart and soul and channel that into my writing. And what I’m asking the others to do when I’m being confrontational, I need to do for myself, and write about that experience. Yep, easier said than done, I need some practice for sure. Thanks for inspiring me to work that out. – Aaron