You Know You’ve Made It As A Blogger When…
It’s often hard to gauge the ’success’ (if we can use that word although we really shouldn’t) of a blog. To some, 10 regular readers is a success yet to others only 100,000 will suffice. It’s all relative. And even then, rewards can vary and are often very subjective. Professional bloggers are successful because they make enough money to earn a living; I’m successful because I get the occasionally flattering email or comment that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Regardless, success is hard to measure. But there is one way…
Here are the steps, in ascending order, of knowing if you’re blog is successful:
1. You get automated spam comments advertising viagra, dental floss or facelifts
Receiving that first comment in your spam folder is such a lovely feeling. Finally you know that the world of the Interweb has accepted you into it’s emotionally scarred bosom. Enjoy this first moment and soak it up, it will never feel the same again.
2. You get automated spam emails from people looking to advertise their online casino or Flash based MMO on your blog
Now you’re warming up! Not only are the spammer targeting your comments section with automatic spam but they’re now sending you direct emails too! Those clever devils. Advertise for an online Chinese casino on my blog? Sure, thing! Need my bank account details to send me my massive cheque? Of course!
3. You get personalised spam comments from trolls
What’s that? Someone took several minutes out of their lives to think up poorly worded insults and badly written slurs? This is the sign you’re truly starting to make it as a blogger so savour every moment of it. Take a screenshot of those comments and email it to your mum for her to see your new found success.
4. You have your own nemesis
Ahh, now you’re starting to get really popular! Your own personal stalker who can’t write their own original blog posts and instead has to counter everything you say with their own parasitic rebuttal. The nemesis is rare and few and far between so count yourself lucky if you’re one of the few with their own personal stalker. And remember, underneath that veil of pretence is someone who admires you deeply.
5. You have your own parody
Whoa! Jackpot, baby! Imitation is the highest form of flattery, as they say. Very few bloggers have had their own parody before and it’s truly a sign of greatness when it happens. Highly sycophantic, incredibly funny and very flattering, just be wary that the person parodying you is probably fantasising about wearing your skin as a mask.
I reckon I’m just starting to edge into #3 and I’m looking forward to achieving the next few steps over the years to come (one can only hope). Where does your blog reside?
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lol ur blog sux! iv ben reading it 4 mnths an u nevr maed a gud post!
No honestly, I enjoy reading your blog, and this was another post with an interesting take on the subject matter.
I am not even at 1 yet, but thanks for the one comment you gave me. ^^ I am not too fussed with making it big, but it’ll be interesting to see what I will do if I ever start getting comments regularly.
I always enjoy reading your site! I would comment more but your comment system doesn’t seem to work in Firefox and it eats my comment. I have to use IE to get it to work.
If you’d like, I could start being your eternal nemesis and you could skip on ahead. (I’d get to skip two of the steps in the middle, so I come out ahead in the deal.)
Deal!
I think I am at #3, and working on #4.
#4 is a biggie! It’s a real sign you’ve become a blogging superstar
Coming soon…. my website gets remodeled into We Try Pitfires. Quickly followed by a rebirth. Chris is no more, I shall be called Jordon, completely and totally anti all things MMORPG and lover of all things Russia.
I really need a nemesis…
I was kinda hoping my nemesis would have the good taste to go for We Fly Messerschmidts and keep the theme alive
He’s also have to be German, naturally 
Stuck at a meek #1, with the only readers happening to be my friends and guildmates. Good enough for me I guess. All I want to do is write
Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have trolls all over your site soon enough!
I’m still at #1 too haha. We should stick together and be each others nemesis, then we can be real successful bloggers like Gordon here.
Ooh, from #1 to #4! You sir have an evil deal.
I wish I had an angry bone in my body that would incite the flames of wrath and pageviews.
Hehe, yeah being aggressive, insulting and provactive does seem to have a knack for helping with blog promotion
Oh, and linked to you from my blog, hope you don’t mind
Of course not!
I parody myself does that count. I have split personalities too. I act like I get guest posters, but it is really just me in a thong.
You could be your own worst/best enemy/friend
I was going to offer to be your nemesis cause I’m free and all that, but I see Eliot beat me to it.
If you want, I can be the stalker… I haven’t stalked anyone in ages.
So tempting…
We’re around #3, but mostly from Aurdon’s hard work, I think. He does cool things like make the site more Google-search friendly, so we get some extra readers from random people searching “death knight gear” etc.
Anyway… we get the semi-polite troll now who says “I remember when this site was full of useful guides and patch info, and now all we get is a bunch of whiny rants about your failguild, why can’t you kick this Rhii girl and go back to being a MAN’S BLOG??”
And yes, that’s a paraphrase of a troll comment we actually got. *sniff*
LOL yeah I’ve had similar posts. Always make me smile
Where do you live? I want to wear your skin as a mask
My address is The White House, Washington DC, America. Feel free to come visit anytime!
Nice…I have NONE of those.
OMG…I SUCK!!
No, actually, I had my time in the spotlight when I BLEW UP my blog…literally erased EVERYTHING, then started a blog all in Russian propaganda format..
Those were the days.
Now, I just get to write what I want, when I want…and no one cares.
Life is good.
I really did your blog openedge1 and have you on my RSS reader. You’ll always have a loyal fan in me!
I remember long long ago (2 months) when OpenEdge’s blog caught my eye. I followed his RSS feed and commented on a post. Shortly after I see my blog on the “Bloggers that Matter” section of the site. You gave me my first burst of inspiration and have me as a follower for good
I’m firmly in 2 at the moment after a year of blogging.