what do you want

Go ahead I'm listening.  Don't let my facial expression distract you.  Yeah I'm a little tired and have heard much of it before but it's OK.  I still have an open mind.

When I started blogging in 2006 I had a mission.  It doesn't apply anymore.  I consider it accomplished but not to the level I thought it would be.

What?  Do you want to know about that mission?

For those new readers who don't know Lisleman read this if you like and come back.  I'll still be here.

(damn! - I can't link either now!  Sorry about that.  This is the correct link for the mission background.  Good thing I checked.)

But I can't dance, I can't jog.
The only thing about me is the way that I blog.
I can't dance, I can't sing
I'm just standing here selling

...

Oh you're back!

Don't pay any attention to that noise you heard.

Yeah this ICB blog is new compared to A Few Clowns Short.  I learned a few things about blogging over all these years.

Lesson 1 - most visitors don't bother to comment.  But you are different right?  You have a word or two to leave me.  Right?

Lesson 17 - A shoe shine boy on the beach makes more money than a blogger.

Why am I still here?  Because you are.  The interaction between regular visitors is a fun experience for all involved.

I like comment sections that have exchanges which are often called threads because they connect back to a source comment. They become conversations.

Imagine this - You attempt to start a conversation and immediately you get, “conversation will continue after approval”. A big conversation killer don’t you think?

I don’t understand why some bloggers control their comment sections in that way. Sure I get some comment spam and I need to clean it out. I don’t worry about “approving” a comment before it is visible. If blog readers have not seen comment spam then they must not have read very many blogs. You can control the spam with other techniques (DISQUS system does a good job).

Is there a secret to entice readers to share a comment and return for future posts?

I am not sure what works.  I have found the patience and many return visits to their blogs certainly help.  Most of my comment sharing readers are bloggers.  That's fine but don't any non-bloggers read blogs anymore?

Of course the content is king.  What type of content interest you?  Yeah I'm talking to you.  

If you are still reading, then I'm doing OK to have your attention this long.


I do wonder if I understand "my audience".  You can attract an audience by strange actions and loud noises.  That doesn't mean they will stick around.  After your arrest, you'll never see them again.


What do you want?


Me - 

checking everything is in place,

you never know who's looking on.