This question is so open-ended it’s not even funny, but I think all the time about this – what am I worth as a blogger? What is my value? Thinking about these questions isn’t any easier when you’re constantly faced with rating mechanisms, blogs that rate blogs, and lists of the “best,” the most “influential” etc…there are popularity contests going on all over the blogosphere. I KNOW the truth is that all of this is mostly subjective – there is no objective way to “rate” blogs, a blog is such a personal thing (if it’s written right). But it doesn’t make it any less sucky to learn that you’re NOT influential, or in the top 100 fashion blogs, or whatever.
Yeah, I’ll admit, and you can probably tell anyway, that I’m a little jealous, but I do sincerely congratulate those blogs who ARE always in the top whatever # lists (some of them anyway, let’s be honest, some I have NO IDEA how they got there. connections?). At almost 37, I know better than to measure myself against ANYONE – ever – but I still do it sometimes. And I hate it. Then I take a step back and do positive affirmations (LOL – yes, like Stuart Smalley) and remember that I am incredibly successful and happy doing what I’m doing – what more do I need? Significant & public recognition is nice, but I also get “recognition” when I receive a payment from an advertiser, or a large affiliate commission, and comments from my readers.
How do you deal with self (blog)-worth questions like this? How do you measure your value as a blogger?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Grechen, the list of most influential blogs was actually fairly objective. We contributed a small part of the overall score that gave points for things like frequency of updates, quality of content, design, etc. But it's mostly a way of looking at numbers in a way that makes them mean something. Keep in mind, influential isn't the same as favorite or even best.
There are a lot of personal favorites – blogs that are a daily must read, further down the list. They may not be as influential as the ones in the top 99, but it definitely doesn't mean they have no influence – or that they aren't good enough (or smart enough, or gosh darnit, liked by a really engaged bunch of people).
Those "top" lists are a traffic grab for the lister in my opinion. Nothing like a popularity contest to draw clicks.
Its always best to compare yourself to yourself I think – whenever I am feeling like a blue blogger I try and focus on all the positive comments I am lucky to get, my favourite readers, and how far I have come since I began, or since last year at the same time, and all the ways I have improved at blogging. It reassures me that I am on the right track – for me.