Aug 26, 2012 / News

All About You: Key Survey Findings

Hundreds of you took the time to fill out our survey (thanks!), and we’ve been combing through the results all weekend. As we’d hoped, we got some really helpful feedback that will allow us to tweak The Daily Post in ways that will make it more useful for you.

Interested in what your fellow bloggers think? Here are some of the key findings:

  • The majority of you – 79% – post to your own blogs at least once a week. 15% of you are overachievers who post every day and make the rest of us look bad.*
  • About half of you are happy with your current posting schedule, but the other half would like to bump up the frequency. For the latter half, the most common obstacles to posting more often are lack of time and a perceived lack of anything interesting to say. You also worry a lot about boring your readers.
  • A quarter of you blog to become better writers and/or photographers, and another quarter like being part of a larger community. Lots of you are also interested in promoting your non-blog writing and making some dough, while some of you just want to make people laugh or create an enduring record of your experiences.
  • While you love blogging, many of you find it a bit difficult to attract readers, encourage commenting, and find other like-minded bloggers.
  • The vast majority of you want more blogging tips, both beginner and pro. You’re also fans of our new Freshly Pressed series and writing challenges, and want to see some more new features on using social media and marketing your blogs.
  • Two-thirds of you have no idea what Plinky is, and of those who do, most of you don’t use it – but lots of you remain interested in daily writing prompts.

We’re going to be taking a closer look at all this data and using it to figure out ways to enhance The Daily Post. In the meantime, leave us a comment here if you’ve got any other feedback or questions about either The Daily Post or the survey results.

Thanks again for sharing your opinions with us!

*We kid because we love.

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  2. Really, I am indeed so happy, for your conduct, of the survey @WordPress.com.
    I appreciate giving us some hope, on bringing-up improvements, regarding our concerns, wishes, and sometimes, future aspirations.

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  3. What I still find difficult is analyzing Just which categories are prospering and why. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see anywhere that tracks to total number of views each post receives. This was integrated into MySpace blogs, and was pretty much the only thing I appreciated about it after they tried to out-Facebook Facebook.

    Perhaps the answer is to create more than one blog. I think, eventually, I’ll have to do that anyway, once I get a new camera and have travelog and language study categories. At this point, I’ve decided to stay with one to develop some base of support before I branch out. But I’m thinking that this could be working against me, since I’m tending to post out of category a lot.

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  5. Thanks for the feedback. I did check out Plinky after I completed the survey 🙂 I’m glad that going by your results I am not an outlier!

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  6. Nice way of making dull statistics interesting..

    I think people skip Plinky because some find it difficult to marshall their thoughts to follow Plinky.and an apprehension that the prompts appear to be so mundane as not to attract audience..(self included)
    On your observation regarding readership ,likes and reblogs, I can vouch that it takes time and when it comes it comes in torrents.
    .I can also share that what I think to be read widely is not read and what I feel may not be interesting attracts traffic.
    After all people differ in tastes.
    I have this habit of using two languages in the same post..
    Surprisingly they have very good readership.
    I would like to add that i belong to that group who write for the sheer pleasure of it and the pleasure I get when i get likes and reblogs, is immeasurable.
    I do not know whether monetary compensation would ever replace that.
    Once gain, thank you for a nice post.

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  7. I’m curious since the DP Weekly Photo Challenge seems to be the most popular DP post: 1. Is WP considering replicating that format and forum style in the Grammar and Writing Challenge formats? 2. Will WP ever select for Freshly Pressed, on a weekly or monthly basis, people who participated in the Weekly Photo Challenge for a specific week? I found the findings interesting, informative. Thanks.

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  8. I would love it if you feature blogs and freshly pressed posts on social good, justice, change, volunteerism, etc. a lot if going on in this field and by writing about it and using our voice as bloggers, we can make a lot of positive change in the world.

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  9. I very much like the tips on how to improve the look of my blog and wonder if its worth paying for the upgrades?

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  10. I began a daily blog because there was a lot of encouragement towards the end of 2011 to do so. I chose to make it a photo blog because there wouldn’t be a need for more than a caption, although I sometimes have a lot to say. Originally I thought that each post would feature just one image but since I began I have sometimes linked to other ones taken on the day within the text, though I don’t always make it obvious that the link is there, readers who bother to read the “About/contact” page know they have to mouse over the text to find them. I hoped that having to get out there with a camera every day would mean that my photography improved but it can be a challenge finding something worth posting. Sometimes I come close to missing the midnight deadline, having taken the photo only minutes before posting it, but I have always managed to come up with something so far, despite feeling unwell, tired or lacking in inspiration (which can be worse than feeling unwell or tired). The weather in the UK has been a nuisance – first it was very cold and then it poured with rain – but I have learned to juggle an umbrella while using the camera and I own a very warm coat with big camera sized pockets. In January I despaired because I suddenly realised what a challenge it was going to be. It is now almost September and I wonder how I will get everything I want to mention into the next 126 days.

    The theme of my blog is the area I live in. It has changed a lot since I moved to it over 20 years ago and I wanted a snapshot of it. I also wanted to show the other people who live here and complain about it that there it has a positive side, although I haven’t avoided the bad things. Unfortunately I’ve found that there is quite a large older population who do not have internet access and the young aren’t really interested in what’s on the doorstep. “Hyperlocal” means little here. I’ve attracted the interest of a local newspaper and a local one but still get very few comments although the blog sometimes gets hundreds of hits if I mention it in the right place. I’ve found Twitter and Facebook links to it can help but it is usually down to the content of a particular post. I featured the opening of a new store and realised that they had put the wrong map on their site so added a link to the right one on the post. I get hits almost every day because of that.

    I love the theme I’m using – Autofocus – which presents some very dull photos beautifully and makes it look as though I know what I’m doing. Best of all is the fact that I have been able to do this for free so far, because things are a bit tight at the moment, but hope to upgrade at some point. Thank you WordPress for this great resource.

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  11. Hundreds of you took the time to fill out our survey ., and we have been combing through the results all weekend.Thanks for sharing this information aboutsurvey. This us great job. I really like this post.

    _________________________

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  12. No complaints, but a few 🙂 WordPress needs private messaging really bad. The spammers are using the likes button on just about every blog and that’s a little aggravating. I do not dig how people can “like” blogs on the reader without even reading the entire post. People can like posts all day without reading a full post.

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  13. I completed the survey and I’m very grateful that you came back so quickly with the stats.
    I enjoy “WordPress World” and have met some very interesting and supportive people through blogging which, if i’m being honest, I never thought I would.

    It seems that I was like a lot of others when I started blogging, in that I never thought anyone would really want to read what I was writing. I’m over 60, a grandmother, aspiring story teller, business owner, but how wrong can you be!

    It does take time to build up followers but it is such a delight when you find out that there are people who read your posts and take the time to comment.

    My thoughts on blogging are these:

    Make sure you keep your ABOUT page up to date
    If you are lucky enough to get comments on your blog, have the courtesy to reply
    Visit the blogs of people who visit yours – you find some wonderful people that way
    You will only get out of your blog what you put in to it – corny but true
    If you can’t post for while, let your followers know, don’t leave them out on a limb
    People love photos so try and include at least one in each post if you can
    Don’t get too bogged down in personal stuff – not everyone wants to know about great Uncle Joe’s bad breath!

    Having a WordPress blog is like having penpals all over the world, I think it’s a brilliant way of finding out what other people are thinking, what makes them happy or angry or sad.

    After my initial doubts, I am thoroughtly enjoying blogging, though I am one of the half who find that there aren’t enough hours in the day.

    Dee

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    1. Sure,there aren’t enough hours in the day,40again! This is not the only idea I share with you,of course,but it’s so pregnant and so un-avoidable! And then I know that if I’m busy ,it means that I’m well, especially being over 70 as I am. And better to be busy than to be bored,isn’it? Nice to meet you, Dee, see you soon!

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  15. I, personally, would definitely love to become a full-time [paid] blogger. It would be so life-fulfilling to combine my passions with a career.

    My blog consists primarily of news [local and global], celebrity gossip, and on the extremely odd occasion, I will throw in my own personal rants about my day-to-day life (note: I make sure to keep it in a completely separate division).

    The dilemma I often face is that I would love to be a columnist in two categories; gossip and advice. Everyone I know, even strangers, always seem to turn to me for life/love/career/social advice. Even my own parents (who are currently struggling with martial issues after being together for 35 years) have turned to me to be their “unofficial therapist”. Helping others get through life makes me happier then chocolate (and any woman would agree, that’s a big deal!).

    On the other hand, I love having the daily scoop of what’s happening and showing the world that although our role models are celebrities, they are still human beings. I choose to only write about tasteful events (I refuse to write about who’s dating who, if someone’s cheating, etc. I personally feel that those things should remain personal, no matter who you are or what your social status is), and do not overlap into religion, politics, or anything that can cause great friction. To some degree, I consider myself as a “fluff writer” with a profound twist, but at the end of the day, regardless of what people see it as, I’m doing what makes me happy.

    And I am extremely thrilled to be able to have a place where I can express myself in such ways, therefore, thank you, WordPress (and everyone who takes part in it). My only suggestion is to have more themes available, especially grid-based themes. All in all, WORDPRESS ROCKS 🙂

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  16. Well sorry to make you look bad! I post daily so yehey to me! I love all of you at WORDPRESS TEAM! 😀

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  17. A Word on “Plinky”. When the Daily Post changed their Blog Theme, I thought Plinky was no more. In the old Theme it was much more obvious. This new Theme layout threw me completely and It was only recently that I ‘finally’ found the link to “Plinky” and this theme has been going a while now.

    Thinking more now I remember that we had a “Prompt of the Day” inspired by the day’s Plinky prompt – I lost that too when the new Blog Theme came into existence.

    So in a nutshell DP, “Plinky” is not at all easy to find. I also took it off from my Gravatar as a link because I thought you were no longer using them.

    “Bring Back Plinky-Please”!! 😉

    Like

  18. This whole thing is so new to me! I want to become a better writer and I only hope that people on here will help me grow and learn! God bleas

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  19. Thanks! I think the single BEST feature to promote readership of blogs is to change that ”Like” button (and thus importantly differentiate WordPress from facebook – which no blogger seems to enjoy too much) and replace it with ”Recommend” or call it ”Press” – the blogs with the highest number of ”Presses” or ”Recommends” should feature as a part of reader recommended Freshly Pressed – this would benefit ALL parties!
    THANKS!

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  21. please address the TERRIBLE customer service of the support forums.

    I go to great lengths to find answers on my own before asking for help there. On the few occassions I’ve been unable to figure something out and requested assistance, I’ve been sniped at or received answers that proved the respondent hadn’t actually READ my question.
    Useless and waste of time are how I’d describe my forum experiences…and I highly doubt I’m alone in this feeling!

    Like

  23. WP is huge ocean within the glass of impersonal audio and vedio gimmicks asking the clienteles to pay without sufficiently friendly in its teaching; guidiance and systematic learning procedures…Hello, the world has 7 billion people many like us struggle for days and hours learning to read, understand and familiarised WP…your teaching guides must be improved and translated to various languages…to openup your usability….I am at lost….struggling to master WORDPRESS b’cos I have 1.4billion Huaren (Chinese); 1.5Billion Hindustan (Indian) and 500M
    PAN Asean to affiliate and link on WP…asap. Pls. reach out to me…I am prepared to do anything to master WP ASAP in any place, any time and work with WordPress right now…You
    are not serious enough in doing business…there are 3.5billion souls want to use WP now…You fellows are moving like snails b’cos USA is a rich & powerful country…lack global vision. I wish to help you to develop multi linguistic instant translation works…contact me at s_q_m@yahoo.com Now. Sorry Matt, alone your dream remains dream but with us the world over…you can be Bill plus Warren.

    I wish to help WP to expand Huaran & Hindustan global market…

    Like

  26. i’m blogging anew to get stuff out of my system, and i haven’t really told anyone i know about it. so when i did find two likes and comments on my posts i was completely surprised and surprisingly touched. so maybe it is nice to have other bloggers read my posts and comment. it’s a new feeling and i think i like it.

    Like

  27. I think it would be nice to have the option to choose either category or date display in the URL. I know this is a plugin on self-hosted WP, so it doesn’t seem it would be difficult to do. I suppress the dates on my post and would like to remove it from the URL slug too. It would also help SEO.

    Like