Stupid Blog Tricks- The Difference Between The Best & Most Popular

Dad bloggers get paid to blog.

Welcome to another edition of stupid blog tricks where we share the top secrets of the blogosphere with you. Unlike internet marketers we don’t charge you for these. There are no e-books to purchase or seminars to attend. Instead we provide you with with this valuable service for the incredibly low price of….free.

Today we are here to discuss the difference between your best and most popular posts. If you have been blogging for more than a short while you have probably noticed that your best posts are not always your most popular. It is a curious phenomenon that some scientists have compared to why people enjoy watching The Jersey Shore, The Kardashians and The Bachelor. Fortunately for you I have as much training as any of those people and more importantly am willing to share my knowledge with you.

The answer to your question is that there really isn’t any significant rhyme or reason as to why your incredibly well written and thoughtful post about how you became a father is ignored while some throwaway post about why people from cleveland heights are crazy is read daily. Here in wild, wacky and woolly blogosphere logic is ignored, reason is laughed at and up is down.

And since you asked here is a list of posts that the powers that be say are quite popular. If I had made the list I might have included some of these or I might not have. Either way it doesn’t matter because Stupid Blog Tricks doesn’t charge you for our valuable free services. So here is a list of 65 posts that stats say are popular.

I have highlighted a few of them that jump out at me as being among my favorites. This isn’t a complete list by any means. There are plenty o’posts that should be included but sometimes free is free and you get what you pay for.

  1. Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog
  2. If You Died, Who Would Take Care Of Your Children
  3. And Justice For All
  4. The Best Cover Letter….Ever
  5. Wind and Waves
  6. Dear Angry Blogger
  7. The Easiest Way To Get Comments On Your Blog
  8. Whiny Bloggers Quit Because It Was Work
  9. What Does Your Blog Say About You
  10. Bad Blogging
  11. Facebooking Proves That Time Doesn’t Heal All Wounds
  12. Five Minutes
  13. One Slightly Used Pump For Sale
  14. Becoming a Dad
  15. What The Hell Happened to Courtesy
  16. 10 Things I Hate About Commandments
  17. The Song of My Heart Has Gone Silent
  18. Some Questions Should be Answered By Mom
  19. Dad’s Dilemma- The Private School Paradox
  20. I Hear Music
  21. She Wore A Red Dress
  22. Clubbing In The Blogger Era
  23. Simple, Yet Powerful
  24. Writers Write Right
  25. Things I Have Learned From Blogging
  26. A Father’s Failure
  27. Bourbon, Blogs And Business
  28. Stolen Innocence
  29. Dear Russian Spammer
  30. Be A Better Parent Through Blogging
  31. August
  32. The Difference Between Sick and Tragic
  33. The Many Layers of Hell
  34. A Fire In The Sky
  35. The Price of Passover
  36. And then the world shifted
  37. When Simply Awful Became Simply Wonderful
  38. Real Men Don’t Cry
  39. Forgotten Treasures
  40. The Broad Shoulders of Fatherhood
  41. A Detour
  42. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Play Baseball
  43. It Was My Favorite Toy
  44. The Flying Clown
  45. These Words Are My Tears
  46. The Radical Honesty of a Life I Don’t Love
  47. Preserve Your Memories
  48. The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants
  49. Don’t Read This Post
  50. The GermoPhobe
  51. Shine A Light On Our Soul
  52. The Joy of Defeat
  53. The Blogger I Want To Be
  54. Sounds of My Youth
  55. Instant Messenger
  56. What I Dream About
  57. We Were Alone In The Stacks
  58. A Little Digestive Distress- Chicken Vindaloo
  59. Almost 6000 Words of Wisdom
  60. I Can’t Play The Guitar
  61. Becoming a Dad
  62. That One Perfect Moment
  63. These Pictures of You
  64. Where Am I
  65. Johnny Was A Hero
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38 Comments

  1. Erica Allison May 6, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Hi Jack! I think we all have different reasons for writing our blog posts and it’s something I’ve been discussion a lot lately. I have clients that I work with who are contemplating blogging and then with my own blog, I hope it helps my clients and/or leads to new ones. Plain and simple, that’s one reason I write. the other, is for personal growth and development and because I like it. Most often, when the two reasons come together, life is good. If I ever feel like I’m writing just to have something in the queue, then it’s a disaster and I’m just ‘dialing it in’. That stinks. I admire your super diligent blogging schedule and could in no way keep up with that. But that’s ok – what works for you, wouldn’t work for me and vice versa. It’s the beauty of the blogosphere.

    Happy Weekend to you, Jack!

    • The JackB May 6, 2011 at 7:05 pm

      @EricaAllison:disqus Hi Erica, I think that if you don’t enjoy writing a post it is going to be that much harder to make it good. It is not like filling a blue book with information for your final exam. You are right about the beauty of the blogosphere being its diversity. I find people to be fascinating so this is an amazing way to meet people that you might not ever encounter.

  2. Erica Allison May 6, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    Hi Jack! I think we all have different reasons for writing our blog posts and it’s something I’ve been discussion a lot lately. I have clients that I work with who are contemplating blogging and then with my own blog, I hope it helps my clients and/or leads to new ones. Plain and simple, that’s one reason I write. the other, is for personal growth and development and because I like it. Most often, when the two reasons come together, life is good. If I ever feel like I’m writing just to have something in the queue, then it’s a disaster and I’m just ‘dialing it in’. That stinks. I admire your super diligent blogging schedule and could in no way keep up with that. But that’s ok – what works for you, wouldn’t work for me and vice versa. It’s the beauty of the blogosphere.

    Happy Weekend to you, Jack!

    • The JackB May 7, 2011 at 3:05 am

      @EricaAllison:disqus Hi Erica, I think that if you don’t enjoy writing a post it is going to be that much harder to make it good. It is not like filling a blue book with information for your final exam. You are right about the beauty of the blogosphere being its diversity. I find people to be fascinating so this is an amazing way to meet people that you might not ever encounter.

  3. Seattledad May 5, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    My most popular is any one a spammer thinks he can get a comment published on.

  4. Seattledad May 6, 2011 at 5:03 am

    My most popular is any one a spammer thinks he can get a comment published on.

  5. le chef May 5, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    I gave up on followers and comments a long time ago, because of this very reason. I’ll write what I’m feeling at that time, and love it or leave it, it’s sent off into the blogosphere. In the end, it’s how I feel about it that counts.

    And … Backpacking Dad … THAT, is hilarious! Maybe I’ll try the fake vibrator review.

    …OK, let’s be honest, no I won’t. But it’s still a hilarious idea. ::off to read more::

  6. le chef May 5, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    I gave up on followers and comments a long time ago, because of this very reason. I’ll write what I’m feeling at that time, and love it or leave it, it’s sent off into the blogosphere. In the end, it’s how I feel about it that counts.

    And … Backpacking Dad … THAT, is hilarious! Maybe I’ll try the fake vibrator review.

    …OK, let’s be honest, no I won’t. But it’s still a hilarious idea. ::off to read more::

  7. Kyle Bradford May 5, 2011 at 9:17 am

    Happens to me all o the time. I can write, what I consider, a grand slam beauty. Then nothing, doesn’t make much sense to me but oh well.

    • The JackB May 6, 2011 at 12:40 am

      @ChopperPapa:disqus There is really no explanation for it. It is similar to trying to figure out why some people are popular. Just one of those weird things.

  8. ChopperPapa May 5, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Happens to me all o the time. I can write, what I consider, a grand slam beauty. Then nothing, doesn’t make much sense to me but oh well.

    • The JackB May 6, 2011 at 8:40 am

      @ChopperPapa:disqus There is really no explanation for it. It is similar to trying to figure out why some people are popular. Just one of those weird things.

  9. TwentyFourAtHeart May 4, 2011 at 10:05 pm

    My most read posts are not necessarily the most commented on and vice versa. I’ve given up trying to understand the Internet. It never fails to surprise me when a “throw away” post catches fire …
    There really is no predicting it.

  10. TwentyFourAtHeart May 5, 2011 at 6:05 am

    My most read posts are not necessarily the most commented on and vice versa. I’ve given up trying to understand the Internet. It never fails to surprise me when a “throw away” post catches fire …
    There really is no predicting it.

  11. Marianne Worley May 4, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    You are spot-on with this post. I have had exactly the same experience. The posts that I put my heart and soul into are invariably NOT the ones that garner the most readers or comments. Sometimes I’ll read a very thought-provoking post and I’ll need some time to mull over before I comment. Maybe others do the same thing as well…But I’m still pretty new, so I’m very happy with a single comment!

    • The JackB May 4, 2011 at 11:31 pm

      I am forever amused by the ways in which blogging works. People simply fascinate me and blogging provides the perfect place to observe them. You never know what you will find.

    • Stacey Herbert May 5, 2011 at 3:21 am

      Hey again Marianne, and of course you too Jack. There are some posts that we write, that were not that emotionally and personally connected to. When they don’t illicit a big round of applause ( comments), we go ok, no biggie, I’ll do better next time. The kicker is, when you have written from your whole heart, and shared with honesty, and at best you get a damp squib. Personally speaking, I know my ego gets a little bruised when that happens, but we have to suck it up and move on I guess. There’s no accounting for taste, interests of what will resonates with others. I guess what I’m saying is we can only do our best,and not focus too much on our hoped for outcomes.

      What is your number one fav post of all time Jack? The one you would save if all others burnt, or had a file corruption : )

      • The JackB May 6, 2011 at 12:41 am

        @caa5cf6b01b96252cda3efee836c0908:disqus Your comment about ego is true and insightful. Sometimes ego is a wonderful tool for blogging, work, whatever but it does have a downside to it as well.

  12. Marianne Worley May 4, 2011 at 10:46 pm

    You are spot-on with this post. I have had exactly the same experience. The posts that I put my heart and soul into are invariably NOT the ones that garner the most readers or comments. Sometimes I’ll read a very thought-provoking post and I’ll need some time to mull over before I comment. Maybe others do the same thing as well…But I’m still pretty new, so I’m very happy with a single comment!

    • The JackB May 5, 2011 at 7:31 am

      I am forever amused by the ways in which blogging works. People simply fascinate me and blogging provides the perfect place to observe them. You never know what you will find.

    • Stacey Herbert May 5, 2011 at 11:21 am

      Hey again Marianne, and of course you too Jack. There are some posts that we write, that were not that emotionally and personally connected to. When they don’t illicit a big round of applause ( comments), we go ok, no biggie, I’ll do better next time. The kicker is, when you have written from your whole heart, and shared with honesty, and at best you get a damp squib. Personally speaking, I know my ego gets a little bruised when that happens, but we have to suck it up and move on I guess. There’s no accounting for taste, interests of what will resonates with others. I guess what I’m saying is we can only do our best,and not focus too much on our hoped for outcomes.

      What is your number one fav post of all time Jack? The one you would save if all others burnt, or had a file corruption : )

      • The JackB May 6, 2011 at 8:41 am

        @caa5cf6b01b96252cda3efee836c0908:disqus Your comment about ego is true and insightful. Sometimes ego is a wonderful tool for blogging, work, whatever but it does have a downside to it as well.

  13. Columbiarose May 4, 2011 at 11:19 am

    I read you because you can write well and I enjoy your style. I have no idea whether you are a popular blogger. I read blogs for two basic reasons: to enjoy good and thoughtful art and to (try to) better understand what stuff is popular and why. These are rarely the same posts. In a world where Trump can claim that Obama was a poor student, and large numbers of people aren’t sure if it’s morally ok to feel positive about the death of OBL or to watch a wedding of an heir to a monarchy, I don’t expect to find a clear answer explaining or predicting popularity. I do, however, regularly find good writing in the internet haystack. Kind of like a treasure hunt and the prize is free.

  14. Columbiarose May 4, 2011 at 7:19 pm

    I read you because you can write well and I enjoy your style. I have no idea whether you are a popular blogger. I read blogs for two basic reasons: to enjoy good and thoughtful art and to (try to) better understand what stuff is popular and why. These are rarely the same posts. In a world where Trump can claim that Obama was a poor student, and large numbers of people aren’t sure if it’s morally ok to feel positive about the death of OBL or to watch a wedding of an heir to a monarchy, I don’t expect to find a clear answer explaining or predicting popularity. I do, however, regularly find good writing in the internet haystack. Kind of like a treasure hunt and the prize is free.

  15. Backpacking Dad May 4, 2011 at 10:32 am

    My most popular post is a fake review of a vibrator. It took me 5 minutes to write, and most of that was spent taking pictures.

    I don’t understand the internet.

  16. Backpacking Dad May 4, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    My most popular post is a fake review of a vibrator. It took me 5 minutes to write, and most of that was spent taking pictures.

    I don’t understand the internet.

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