Thinking out loud here!
Today I want to touch on Linkie parties. Are you a link and run type of gal? Or do you STOP and take the time to visit some others as well?
A lot of the larger linkie parties, the gals link and run. Which means, hey if you want to come visit me great, I may visit you back.
I try to at least visit a couple of the participants. What I am finding though, is I get very little comments from these parties. Which tells me, who cares you joined anyhow. Now I ask, should I waste my time on some? Some parties are more intimate, like Marty's, Jenny Matlocks, those are just a few great examples of a REAL linkie love party. ( Oh and did I mention me?)
You can always count on a wonderful support system of visitors and comments.
And you can always count on those lovely ladies visiting you.
In fact I have not even participated in Jenny's now in a week or so, just because I can't go visit all the participants and I feel bad if they come over to my blog and I do not return the favor, as most of those participants are not my regular following, so I normally do not even see them, except for that special day of participating with Miss Jenny. So Miss Jenny that is why you have not seen me. Time is a factor these days.
Now don't get me started on a few hostesses, as I already know how you gals feel about that one.
Some I have never even seen at my blog or comment once, in 9 months.
I know, I know, they get hundreds of participants, so it may be impossible.
The majority of my comments, are all from you lovely loyal followers....which I DO LOVE YA!
It was like a light bulb went off, and I said to myself, do I really need to link to so many parties? It takes so much more time to do so.
WE ALL love comments, that seems to be a motivating factor for posting right? wrong? We look for feedback, advise, praise, showing off something special, a tip a trick, etc. etc.etc.
Nothing breaks my heart more than going over to a gal who linked to 5 parties and she may have very few comments if any sometimes. She may be a new blogger and looking for some activity, more of a following, etc.
How I got a following? I commented on many other blogs, many, many other blogs, this in turn may have brought the gal to me.Now I just about have time to visit all you lovely cool cats. And again, I do visit a few participants when I link up to a party.
I did however, early on join those follow me, follow you blogs, and that was nothing but a numbers game. I rarely ever saw those girls again. I will say I did receive a few, lovely loyal gals from just that. So it is QUALITY over QUANTITY in my ever so humble opinion.
My topic is LINKIE PARTIES. And gals none of this post is an actually fact, I am only speaking based on my experiences. You may have other feelings and experiences, and that is what I want to know and get some feedback.
Now for me it is time to shorten my list of parties to participate in. I love the parties that I feel a connection with the gals, I respect your time and what you have posted, and I truly want to take my time to make that visit. I do not like to feel like a little fish in a big pond sorta speak....no one CARES that Debbiedoo's joined your party! Therefore you won't miss me anyhow!
Labels: linkie parties, Open Forum
posted by Debbiedoos @ 4:22 PM
67 Comments:
All those linky things can take a lot of time. I also wonder about people that I continually leave a comment on and they never comment back. I even paid for a online workshop, took the class, left numerous comments and nothing from her as a reply. Sometimes I think since they have not commented back I will stop following them. Then the next day out of the blue is a comment from them. Maybe they are mind readers and think we are mindreaders too, so they do not need to leave a comment! That's it!
Debbie
I at least comment on 5 people per party, but usually quite a bit more. I do You Capture each week and I would say I comment on anywhere from 50-80 particpants entries. That takes a CRAP load of time :) Crafting and recipe ones, I try to be honest and only comment on the ones I truly like/will use because I don't like leaving insincere comments just in hopes that someone will comment me back. If I know I will have to link and run, I don't join that week and save my link for when I have more time!!!
bec@theiheartblog
You are so right! I link to parties on occasion but it has to be something I really like then I will link it up as much as I can. I do love to find the parties though so I can go through each linked post. I really love looking through them although there are times I should be doing something else! :) I am guilty of not always leaving a comment but I do try to.
Have a great day! Chris
I'm so glad you "thought out loud" today! I really hesitated starting a "party" regularly because I didn't want to it to be just one more in the masses of parties out there. But, if I just do it for my own fun and enjoyment than its worth it even if only my relatives link up! I have finally started realizing after doing this blogging thing for a few months that I only need to "follow" someone when I really like their blog! And, I always try and visit other folks who link up at the same parties I do because that is the whole point, isn't it? To get ideas and share inspiration? That being said, I am trying to find some "blogging freedom" and not feel any pressure to grow numbers or leave a million comments and I try and limit my parties I link up with to ones that are really more my taste and style and not venture into foreign territory (like craft parties!)! Thanks so much for keeping it real, especially for those of us newbies! :-)
Vanessa
Debbie, thanks for the "tinking out loud". As a new blogger , I lap up every bit of info and advice. I have to say, that I did start to get the uncomfortable feeling that this is, like most everything else in life, a numbers game, and that the original idea has gone out the window. So glad there are the ones like you out there who is still keeping it real.I have told you weeks ago that that is what I noticed about you straight away.
You comment, and are interesed.
That said: I don't know how to reply to comments...
I have started to hit "reply" on my e-mails, but I'm not sure if the people receive it..
Can anyone help, please?
Yes, I agree I like quality over quantity, Debbie. :)
I only do one blog party (Jennys), and i usually comment on every single participant (about 65 - 80) and i rarely get more than 20 comments back ... and almost always from the same people ... so on this next round i am just scaling back the number of comments i will leave ... because it is so time consuming ... I am just happy to get feed back from my regulars ... so i am kind of destined to be a small blog forever, but as long as these wonderful regulars leave feedback, it makes my heart sing.
I don't post to linky parties often. I just don't have time right now with my life! I want to hang out more with the kiddo than do posts! I thought I wanted a huge following and be super blogger when I first started, but I got over that quickly. I do it for my family, friends, and my new bloggy friends whom I have connected with (oh say like YOU!!). I don't have many followers. I am just at 60 and that is o.k. with me. I used to go to one particular party on Thursdays and it is so big now, I can't even look at all of them! I enjoy what I do and don't want to stress!
Good thoughtful post!
And one more thing...I have actually kinda had my feelings hurt (long story!) already through this blogging thing and so I'm realizing that there is another side to it that I didn't expect!
Vanessa
I am one of those people I do what I want to do. I comment when I really like something and try to avoid commenting when I don't.
Unfortunately, that doesn't make a person popular. Oh well, I never have been popular.
BTW I love the photo you used to accompany this post.
I've stopped following people who host parties and NEVER comment.
When I join in it's because I feel I have something to add to the pot.
I don't expect anyone to follow me and am still surprised when they do. I reached 100 today! woo hoo!
I only follow when I think there is something worth following, same as I would want someone to follow me.
Quality rules!
I haven't been blogging all that long and I have done several linkie parties. I don't do it to get more traffic...I do it because I want to share something that I spent some time on and think people will be interested in. As for the huge linkie parties... I love looking all everyone's projects, but I till to only comment only on the ones that really inspire me to do so.
Oh yeah, I forgot to add...
You are the consummate hostess, with the mostest, I like peanut butter with my toastess, super stylin', always smilin'
THAT's DEBBIEDOOS!
(oh gosh, this is so lame, but you get what I'm sayin' right?)!
I think some people join so many parties for one blog post that I don't see how they can possibly comment on each one. I really don't like to join a lot of parties at one time because it does take a lot of time. I try to visit a few participants and comment back who comment on mine, but still can't get to them all. Just not enough hours in the day. I do get a lot of traffic from linking and some new followers. I do know what you mean about not hearing from some of the hosts. You are always good at commenting.
I have always liked the I heart faces party rules, which is to comment on the 3-5 posts before you. This way everyone gets some love and feels like they are being seen.
I would say that only about 50% of the links in my parties even link back to my blog...so I'm less interested in linking to them.
I always check mine, but leaving a comment is so time consuming with all the hoops you have to jump through with some blogs - half the time I'm hitting "X" because I think I'm done and only then realize I missed a secret word to type! Yikes!
I can relate to everything you thought out loud about :)
Oh, and I love your new profile pic and blog header :)
I don't join as many parties as I used to... mostly because it has started to feel like "what's the point?" ...I've been wanting to join one of your parties (because they seem, as you say, "more intimate") but I haven't had anything to post recently that I felt applied! Hopefully I will soon though!
As a fairly new blogger I am not sure what a linkie party is? Also, I rarely comment because I am just so in awe of some of the spectacular and committed bloggers out there. I have been reading your blog through an rss feed for a few months and totally love your blog. Believe me being a time poor Mum of an autistic kid I quickly remove blogs that aren't my style. But I just thought I would let you know you have a devoted reader in me who is not much of a commenter mainly because of lack of confidence and complete awe in your work. So remember us regular reader/non-commenter ones are here for you too.
Laura xx
Debbie good post girl! At first I tried to link to several parties a week and then felt badly if I didn't get to all those posts. I can not do that and have any kind of life. I now link to about 3-4 parties a week (one's I really enjoy)and I try to comment on as many posts as I can. I mostly comment on the folks I follow. Debbie I see you have over 1,000 followers...but you don't have that many comments ever do you? Nope...I have reached almost 300 (SUCH a surprise to me) followers and while that is nice it's my 'regulars' that leave comments. I do try to respond to comments if someone has email. I only follow blogs I really like and I try to be a faithful follower. So that is my opinion. I know many have said they have linked to large parties for months and never had a comment from the hostess. I can understand not every week, but never, after months and months? I link when I can and when I don't no guilt!
Sometimes I swear we share the same brain, which is probably scary for one of us(you, me?LOL). Anyhoo, I have been thinking about the same thing for about 2 weeks now. After feeling like a number(which is not me at all, I am about people) I decided to stop linking up to certain parties. In my life, I want happiness and joy and with limited time, I don't want to waste it linking up to a party just to link up to a party. I don't care about numbers, so I don't need to be seen. My thing is, you drug me here, or uh, I mean you started blogging and I loved you and your personality, so I joined in because you made it look like FUN!!! Some other large following bloggers don't make it look like fun, in fact I have stopped reading some of my initially favorite blogs because it seems they are really getting out of touch with their following. Ego is pretty ugly when not in check and that my dear is one reason why I honestly can say.... When I am having a bad day, or blog about my living room, I am almost always brought to tears by your kindness in your commenting on it and you always being here with feet on your porch or heads on platters, or (wait for it) ROOSTERS!!! In a nutshell, you are REAL Debbie and I value that more than you can know, so when able, I will always link to your partay, and apologize when I gots nuthin. Love you tons girl!!!
I totally get you only in fact I rarely do linky parties, well because, it takes alot of time. But now, I think I should actually do so, because it sounds like you get more quality followers, followers that are interested in the same things.
I think I found you through follow me Ill follow you but to be perfectly honest, I would only follow those I felt I had something in common with or those that had blogs with interesting content.
I think I will try linky parties, thanks Deb!
I think you are right. I usually try to comment on 3 people when I link, but, I like to pick who I check out not be told to comment on the one before you and after you. You know what I mean. Comments are what we live for here in the blogging world.
Brooke
My thoughts exactly! I also felt like I was wasting my time going to those BIG parties. Although, they do bring me a lot of traffic, but not much else. I put my stuff out there to get feedback and it was just not happening.
I think I need to find some smaller ones because, you're right, they are much more active. Thanks for posting on this topic.
I'll have to go back and read through the comments, I'm interested in what people are saying about this.
They are time consuming...and I would plan to participate and then be so busy I just couldn't get it all together and when I did...not that many visits, though I always visited quite a few of the other participants. And yes, at some parties the hostess NEVER visited me....I don't visit those blogs so much anymore...but I do know they are busy.
So as for me, I just decided I would forego trying to participate in parties and only do it when time allows! I do go and visit several parties though, yours included, even if I don't participate. I learn really cool stuff! lol
Lou Cinda :)
I only join a few parties that really interest me (like yours), and I try to visit all of the other participants. If a party is too big, I usually won't do it, as it is a little too impersonal for me and too hard to visit the others. The reason we link up is to share our ideas and meet new people, and if the party is too big, if defeats the purpose.
If I'm going to go to or link up to a party I feel like I better be a good party participant and spread the love. It is impossible to visit and comment on everyone's blog. I just don't have that kind of time, but I do visit a lot of party linkers and comment to let them know I was there. I can tell you like any other blogger would tell you, positive comments are wonderful to receive and sometimes inspires me to do more.
-Danielle
Oh I get so scared when Debbie says she is thinking out loud. But this is a good one. I always try to comment on the links around mine. Then search favorite pictures and comment.
I don't care about people linking up. I read you. And I like you. So, you can write anything and I can only grow to love you more. I connect to the few people I read and if they ever go missing, I care.
When I began getting followers, I wanted to become a famous blogger that gets read like a newspaper, but then I realized newspapers do not get comments. They just publish. That is good and bad in a way. BUT the other part of newspapers never having to slog over commenting back if they don't want to feels like such bliss! ;)
p.s. Can I say that I feel really hurt when people who follow me do not comment though I leave faithful comments on every post of theirs? I am tempted every second that I am on blogger to stop following them. (Do you know that I did that once to the same lady I am referring to and she commented saying, "what happened? Have I hurt you?" She has left me confused and hurt and yet I can't tell her because she is a so-called friend. I now follow her again. Complex.)
Debbie - I hear you. I participate in both of Jennies parties and that is it. I try my darndest to hit each poster each week. From time to time i miss a few - but I tell you there are often 80+ and I don't get 80 comments on mine. That is ok, I like to visit the others anyway...just because. BUT, Like I said I only do the two parties...so it is not so bad!
Good luck on the parties you choose play with this fall!
This is an interesting post. I only link to a party if I'm certain I can visit everyone who signed up. Actually, the only linky I've ever done other than mine (hmmm...that sounds bad, doesn't it?) has been yours!
I really enjoy Alphabe-Thursday and Saturday Centus and I do visit every single person that links to them.
I try to visit as many blogs as I can and have time for but I don't stress when I can't.
My blog is for me. And I know that sounds kind of mean. But it is my motivation to write every single day and that's what I started it for and what I use it for. I've met wonderful people and I don't take any not-so-kind-hearted comments to heart...because it is what I want to do.
I can never have the most popular blog...all I have to share is words...and lots of them.
I feel so bad when I read other blogs where they are worried about trying to please the majority. It never happens.
I just stay true to me and am happy when I get visits. I suspect even if I did not, though, I wouldn't be changing how I do my blog.
Thanks for the kind words about my linky's though.
My favorite linky is Saturday Centus. I look forward to it all week. They are short, fun reads and it is a great participatory crowd.
OK, 'nuff of my two cents here!
I appreciate your candor!
You are lovely person. Make sure you have enough time for you and for creating that pilot program I've been nagging you about!
I go back and forth on the amount of parties I link to (right now it's getting out of hand). Reason I like to link to so many parties is because the host has a great site, plus, I love a lot of the projects that link up to them. I don't check out every item listed, but only the ones that catch my eye, which I may possibly want to do in the future. I also try to comment on each linky party, but sometimes I forget (my bad). I really am not bothered if a host comments or not, but I am impressed when they do (it's those extra little things that make you feel special). I've taken a break from linky parties, but am ready to link up again this weekend.
You've definitely made me re-think how many parties I really need to link up to...though it'll be hard to decide who makes the cut! Decisions, decisions!
I love comments. I visit who I can but yes it takes so much time! I try to visit those that catch my attention, by title, project or faithful followers, I just started a link party and it is so slow going, I feel tempted to give up already.
I do feel honored every comment I get because I know how much time it takes, I think there is a lot of comment to receive a comment, I always try to visit everyone that ever comments on any of my blogs. I think I am tired just from writing about comments...oof.
DebbieDooooooo!!!! Great post. I looked at linking up to some of those parties...uh...first I'd have to figure out how much of my home,soul,things I want to share. I check them out sometimes but I am a kinda "I really like ya" kind of person. So, when I DO join as a follower, man, baby...I PLAN ON following you- good post, bad post, ugly post, HAIRY post...I'm there for the long haul.
I don't care so much about numbers-although numbers are nice-I like to feel connected and I want any body that signs up as a follower to feel connected to me...and my family...my life...my likes...exactly as I do when following someone else. Wow! That was wordy...
Anyway, I think that kind of settles it for me-I work and have limited "play" time so I will continue to post for family and friends and anyone else that happens along for the ride.
Thanks, Debbie, for addressing this issue. It is a good one! Hugs- Diana
I do agree with you, although I must admit that I fall short sometimes. I will sometimes get to looking through pages when my toddler wakes up from his nap. I always swear to myself that I will come back and comment and I forget to. The one thing I liked about wordpress is that I could respond directly to each comment, but that's not an option on the blogger.
I host Thrilling Thursdays @ Paisley Passions and I am happy to say that I visit EVERYONE who links up. Most weeks I comment on EVERY single link up. Some weeks I only comment on a few, but I always try to comment on all of them when time allows. Even when I don't comment, I ALWAYS visit. I am always THRILLED when they link up, so I want to show them my appreciation by visiting and commenting back :)
Debbie, it's always good to hear your thoughts. Like most everyone, I appreciate comments on my posts. It takes a great deal of time to create a post, and it is nice to know that someone is out there reading it. The only way I know who visits is by the comments they leave. I know it is time consuming to leave specific comments, but I find that an interesting part of blogging. The friendships I've made through this process mean a great deal to me.
As for the linky parties, I originally felt that they were a great idea because it delivers your blog to those who are interested in a specific type of post. There are so many parties out there now, that I want to link to those I know and that fit the topic of the post. It is nice when the host comments, but I know some parties have gotten so huge that it would be impossible. I find that I don't link to the really large parties much these days. One just gets lost in the sea of participants. I've come to think that the best way to have a consistent following is if one is part of a blog roll. Since adding a blog roll to my sidebar it has really helped me keep up with my visits and comments. That said, I don't always get to it immediately, but I do try to visit, comment, and return emails as timely as possible.
More than you wanted to hear, right? ;-)
Thanks ~ Sarah
Great post, Debbie (as usual)! I find that I don't link up as much as I used to. I try to comment on as many people's links as possible. Life is unpredictable here with four kids and my oldest having multiple disabilities (including Autism...which makes everything unpredictable). Now, I visit and comment when I can. I find that I like the more intimate parties better (like yours) because I actually get to know people.
Hi Debbie! I hear ya, Darling! I know how it is to visit someone's blog over and over again and never hear from them once! I too understand some have zillions of comments and they can't go to see everyone. But they could try to come every now and then. I've quite postings on some lovely blogs just because they never ever even said hi after a few months. I think that's a bad blogger. You can certainly tell who come regularly to your blogs.
I love the parties and try to visit everyone. I have to stop that! :)
And here I go getting ready to have a kitchen party - but it's just a one time thingy! :)
I really try to return all the comments to my posts unless I'm out of town or something and just can't.
Now I have no where the following you do but I guess I mainly comment to the blogs who talk to me. I have my favorites of course and always go see them
I want to tell you something, you have always been so sweet to comment to me and I really feel honored and appreciate you so much.
I have really made some heart connections in blogland! You're a true sweetie,
Shelia ;)
I started a gardening blog and never had a comment or follower for 6?, 8? 10? months. It didn't bother me at all. I was just keeping track of my garden and happy to learn a new skill (blogging). Then I started blog for vintage stuff and creative projects and that was pretty quiet too. Until I joined one linky party with any regularity but visit several. I am more apt to comment than share my own links and that's what works for me. I feel blessed to have met some wonderful people than I would never otherwise have known.
At the end of the day, it is what it is.
Loved your post...I try and visit as many blogs as I have time..and nornally that is at least half of them....but I too have been thinking some of linky parties are all about numbers...and am going to link to just a few...I love finding new blogs..
Hmm. How to respond? I am starting to weed out the linky parties to just the ones that I enjoy. There are some other large linky parties I used to do, but I didn't have that much in common with the other participants, so it wasn't fun to comment back on the other participants posts.
There are a couple parties that I can't wait to come around each week (Vintage Thingies and your Garage Salen party) because I love to see what other people post and am anxious to put my post up. Those are fun.
I have not done one of the "follow me" type linkies because I want people to follow me because they want to actually come to my blog on a semi-regular basis. I don't want people to follow me just in name. Of course, I don't have a zillion followers either.
I have my favorite linky parties and join when I have something to share. I love to visit blogs and see how people are so creative. When I link up, I will visit & comment on a minimum of 3 other people if I don't have much time and more if I do. I like to visit the ones who came late to the linky party because they tend to get less comments. I always try to visit bloggers who comment on my posts, too. I have stopped linking up if the host doesn't bother commenting to any of the blogs who link up.
Oh my, it could so easily become a numbers game and a chance to get your feelings hurt, or you can just do this blog thing for your own enjoyment and fun. I really love doing the Table Top Tuesday parties. That is something that is of great interest to me and something that was always so hard for me to do, so I love to visit every single person that links to the party to see what they have done and I am always so inspired. I have learned so much and now I feel so much more confident in doing a table vignette of some kind. I also really enjoy the Cloche parties, just because they are so different. I don't really link up to too many other parties because I just don't do a lot of crafts, cook or some of the other things. I try hard to visit the people that comment on my posts, and I sincerely hope they don't have their feelings hurt if I can't comment on every single post they do. I think we all have a family and a life that has to be taken care of too, so keeping my blog fun is really important to me and yet I really don't want to be rude either. It really can be a tightrope walk. I think most people are like you and realize that I comment when I can and if I don't you know that I just missed that post because of life and time. Thanks for mentioning me in this post. I sincerely appreciate it. Also, thanks for the gracious comment about my new "do". Hugs, Marty
My blog is new, so I have joined in on some parties to get to know the blogging community and find people with similiar interests. I don't plan on joining more parties than I can keep up with, and I do try to look at some of the other people who link up and at least acknowledge that I saw that people commented to my posts. I may not be able to get to everyone, but I try to at least let people know I notice they are there.
Just seems odd to me to have a blog that is supposed to connect to people and yet you make no attempt to interact with others. When I see people like that, I tend to question what the motives of their blog is in the first place.
BTW, I found your blog from another blog from a while back that recommended you. Can't remember where it was.
Hey Deb, love that you think out loud and post what's on your mind. I mean tablescapes and crafts are great to blog about but so is life! You know im fairly new at this and have learned a few lessons very quickly. People are not always what they seem. I linked up to more than usual posts this week and I agree you dont get feedback, people just post and thats it. I on the other hand start at the top and work my way down, I will admit once Ive hit 10+ I start looking at the pics or titles and decide from there. I have 5 kids and cant let it consume me. But as you know I always respond with comments to people that comment my posts. I also check my favorite (including you) daily on my blog list and see if anything new is happening.
I have learned as well thats Followers is an empty title...half of the people with 2000 followers host giveaways and the 1st rule is to become a follower. Im proud to say the followers I have have elected on their own to follow me. I then visit their blog and will do the same to sometimes be polite but I can say almost always because Im really digging their blog.
My regular parties are Susan,Marty,Stephanie Lynn and yours of course every other Wed. I recently found Tatertots/Jello but alot of the craft parties are huge and you get alot of competition over who had the idea first. REALLY? do you know how many glass lanterns and wooden pumpkins of seen this week. Can anyone in blogland really stake claim on a craft? I say let's just all try and get along. Ive agree its Quality not Quantity and Im happy with the quality of visitors/friends I have just fine. Have a great night Debbie!
I admit, I link up to a lot of parties. It does take time but I work from home online and currently have no kids. I know once we do have kids, that will all change. When I link up, I try to visit a few people that catch my eye. I will admit that there are some times that I don't. I'll link up and think- "I don't have time right now. I'll come back and do it later." And I don't. That is pretty rare though. I know I always love to see people comment on my items so I always give that love back to someone else because I know they like it just as much.
I have thought about starting my own party and if I do, I will do my DARNDEST to visit and comment on everyone that links up. That is one thing that I do appreciate about you- you visit and comment!
I'm new to the whole linky party thing. I basically participate in just a few with no expectations. Hey it's a party right!
If you allow it,blogging and McLinkey will both become monsters and suck up all your time.
Moderation is key. Guilt shouldn't be part of the blogging equation. :)
Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog! I wish that all my blogland friends could gather around the chest with me as I pull things out piece by piece. So much more fun to oooh and aaahhh together! I always attempt to reply to comments or to visit and return the favor, I am getting better at it though!
If I link up to the linky, then I usually leave a comment to the host, though some don't bother to visit me.
I'm currently experiment the "number games". So far what I learned is that some left comment saying they are following me, but I didn't see them on my friend list. I'm learning a lot through this!!
I don't join that many linky parties, but I find that the bigger the party, the less likely I am to receive visitors.
I, myself, always try to visit a few of the blogs for the party I've joined. I feel it's only fair.
I have always had new visitors whenever I've joined your parties Debbie. Maybe being such a gracious hostess yourself, you rub off on your guests! :)
I've noticed the same thing Debbie. When I link to the bigger parties I get a lot of hits, but very few comments. Oh well! I've been so busy lately that I'm so behind on visiting all of my favorites blogs.
Debbie, very well stated. I read every single comment you had on this post. You are a wonderful commenter and I always appreciate your visits. I am torn about link parties. They take a lot of time and well it has all been said! hugs♥olive
I have found that I do get comments from a few people on the linky parties. I do forget to say I am stopping by from a party, so you may get a few and didn't realize it.
I'm with you, if I don't have time to visit a large majority of the party people, I won't join in. It is only the right thing to do to me.
If I would host a party, it is my responsibility as a hostess to "meet and greet" everyone that comes to my party. That is just etiquette and a fact. Whether it is a real party or a blog party!
Thanks for always keeping it REAL, Debbie!!! I so enjoy it!
You are a wonderful commenter for sure miss Debbie! I actually feel like crap when I forget to link up to your party! It leaves my mind I guess because you host your on Friday! I will do better! I promise!
I just plain appreciate all the linky parties out there! I do not get caught up in the numbers game. I join the ones I really like when I have something to share and appreciate any comments that come of it, even if it is only a few. My blog is definitely not growing by leaps and bound because of these but I really don't care, that's not why I joined. I am thankful for the sincere blogging friends that I have made and yes, I probably did meet some of them from the linky parties initially. Therefore it has served the purpose for me. I haven't joined the party to gain numbers. I am there to share and mingle. I don't try to comment on everyone but do comment on those that are appealing that I have had time to get too. I wish I had more time to visit from each party, but then I would not be able to get to those who are not part of the party that day that I still want to visit. I am also not one who would try to speak to everyone at a real party either if it is very large, it's all the same to me. You mingle with those you have a connection too within the time frame you have. Occasionally you meet a few new people along the way and it's great! The linky parties for me showcase some beautiful talents and blogs that I would not have otherwise found. I feel distressed by those who only follow others who will always comment back to them. I can't possibly sustain a high number of followers based on this concept, I just don't have the time. Therefore I'm good with where I'm at. So, I guess a much shorter comment would have been, linkie parties serve the purpose for me just fine!
Hi Debbie!
I joined a few link parties when I first started blogging and that is how I met many other blog friends. Then I hardly joined any for at least a year or more. Just lately I've started linking to them again and I must admit I'm having a blast. They are so much fun to me! I definitely can't visit or comment on as many as I would like to though. I hope that is okay. I really enjoy meeting new blog friends and seeing all the wonderful inspiration. That is the best part of them to me!
Happy Fall! ~Melissa :)
What I have noticed about linky parties is that the hostess may obtain lots of hits through links to her party, yet she receives relatively few comments in return. So I question, what is the driving force? Is it to promote traffic to her site? I suspect this is true especially of the hostesses who have blogs heavily burdened by ads. While I do participate in linky parties, I also appreciate the sites that never host them. These girls have wonderful sites and receive lots of comments too. I continue to participate in the parties I think are fun and share my interests, but I am backing off those that are just in it for the hits. Thanks for opening up this topic!
Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
Hi Debbie, boy you must have been reading my mind! I need to rethink the parties thing too. I only link up when I know I'll have the time to comment. I'm usually late for the party so I tend to start on the bottom and work up since they tend to not have as many comments yet. But I have to say even when I link up early I don't really get that many comments from some parties. I get my usual followers, which I love, that leave comments. I just don't get why some link and leave. I feel bad if I don't comment. I'd also like to say if you link up please turn off that darn word verification! If you want comments then make it easier for people to leave them. Hope that didn't sound mean. Thanks!
Well said! I haven't been linking lately because of lack of projects and the recuperating from surgery bit. Having said that, I agree with the quality over quantity. I don't care too much about the numbers. I just wanted a place to share some of my creativty and crafts with people. If I link somewhere, I will check out at least 5 of the other items that are featured. If you have a large blog reading list as well, it takes a lot of time!
Guilty! For a long time, I looked at posts and never knew I could comment. Then I didn't have an identity to post - or if I did, I didn't know it. (I know, sad, isn't it?) And lastly, I look at many things - I guess those are the "hits" many of you have mentioned - but I don't have anything to say. I never thought of just adding a "nice job" comment. I'll try to remember that in the future.
i love linky parties b/c i like to get inspiration from other bloggers. i comment on all the links i look at, which is a lot. i comment to the link party host, b/c sometimes there are lots of people linked and no one commenting to them for taking the trouble to host. i get very frustrated when i post something on my blog that isn't for a linkup, and hardly get any comments. why are people following me, then? followers see every post, not to mention subsribers via reader, so there should be comments no matter what, but that isn't what happens. most of my comments are people commenting back-and don't even get me started if people just email me back. come to the blog, i have come to yours, you know? do i need to pimp out every comment i leave with my blog name, or a recent post heading? it isn't that hard to click on the name of the commenter and be taken to their profile, and then click on their blog to leave a return comment. i suppose i understand if someone's in the thousands, but most are not. i love these posts, they sure get the fires burnin'!
Debbie, how timely, Yours is the only party I usually link up to because ....I like you of course and because it is a manageable amount of people and I visit most of them. Last week when I did the shelf redo I joined about 5 parties just to see what would happen and because I never had. Not much response, so I don't think I will do that again.
Carol
You are spot on Debbie! I have cut back to only 1 - 2 link parties and I do not participate every week. I was thinking about this very thing (and not for the first time) when I participated in a linky party earlier this week and there were over 100 participants. In the past the first thing I did after linking up was to comment to the host/hostess and the I took the time to visit every participant of the linky parties I joined. After all, that is the whole point, correct? But after doing that for a year and each time only receiving a few comments in return, I cut back. I wasted too much time doing visiting everyone and because of my schedule it usually took me two days to complete the linky rounds. Thus, I did not have time to visit my favorite blogs/followers. So this was probably the last week for me to join what had previously been my favorite linky party. I am not even going to address the issue about certain hostesses… Sure you can pick up followers from linky parties, but I am not about the numbers. I joined the parties because I liked what they were about. I have actually received more followers from the bloggers whose posts I have commented on and from people who read my comments other blogs.
Thanks Debbie for being you!
~ Tracy
I started linking to find new blogs and maybe new friends. I have found sevwral blogs that i really like and have joined,but it does take a lot of time. I don't get that many comments, but maybe I am just not interesting enough! My gripe is people who join my blog ,and I visit theirs and join,and they remove themselves from my blog- do you think they are just doing it to get followeres? Not nice. My thinking is if someone finds me interesting enough to follow, I will probably find them interesting too and will follow them.
I'm very new to the blogging world. I've been reading quite a few these past months but only w/in the last couple weeks uploaded my own blog. I linked to a few parties today and hope someone likes my post. I'm also new to the etiquette of blogging so I hope I'm not being rude. Please call me out if I am!!!! I need all the help I can get.
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