When I offered it (for months I might add), people PLUMB ignored me-when all they would really be doing is submitting their same FB-like commentary on various subjects-to OSF. That’s it.
After months of leaving that open, I still continued to build on the blog (write and post), but after about 6 months, I closed that option down and still referred to it as a blog mag. I said “eff it. I will do it myself.”
Still however, I left comment sections open for people to post there as, my goal in this was not to just read my slant, I wanted to see what other people had to say about stuff in the celeb and real world.
Needless to say, that was ignored too. People felt like the had to chose between myself and other indies (one in particular who was NO competition to me in any way, shape, or form). Others felt like they weren’t going to be instrumental in growing me. And well, some felt like they were/would be doing me a favor I guess as, the Internet is oversaturated with wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many people who think they are famous and truly believe they are “networking” and socializing by posting or praising for RT’s and shine. As the star that they’ve told themselv
es they are, they refused to jump on to something “new” at the time. (But when I grew and circulated and celebs got word of OSF etc, as my comment section was closed by this time–I became enemy #1 and “selfish.” WTFever).
Either way, I knew my own pen was strong enough to grow me, so “growing” me certainly wasn’t my goal. I simply wanted a different kind of blog for the Internet (versus the indie standard: post blog, readers fetch, comment, repeat). Unfortunately, they blew that (by blowing it off), then when we blew up… (you know the rest of how that story goes).
At any rate, needless to say, after eight months of leaving the comment section open—I shut it down (and still continued to build on OSF each and every single day).
A year and a half in, I looked up and before I knew it—I had a total blog post count as that of some indie blogs that had been in the game for 5-8 years. I shocked myself. But more importantly our engagement #s double and triple some of your more veteran major and indie blogs (who have daily time on site minutes from 1:15 to 5 mins max even WITH comment sections open and “powering” up their blogs). We’re do something right. Check ours out:
Furthermore, OSF doesn’t have to be bothered with “feeling drained” or dealing with the salaciousness of gossip and being typebranded as a “gossip blog.” We take pride in that (and being held accountable for every word post on the site).
So in:
- doing away with social media numbers (to attract)
- doing away with the comment section (to rely on to power up my blog)
- knowing what edge/leverage over majors and indies I had (as just explained) it forced my readers to engage in engaging content-period-which stands at the forefront of OSF and hides behind nothing else
…all that became my niche within my niche
And because OSF readers are conditioned to engage in engaging content, I don’t have to chase firsts (like TMZ has on lock already), and (via our channels like the People and Us Weekly’s) I am still able to be a multi-niche blog comfortably, without having to compete with them because we select blogs within those channels exclusive to our reader demographics and interests, first and only.
Having explained all that; that enabled me to do what I do.
Readers know they are there to engage in engaging content-period. I don’t feel rushed, or pressured (or competitive) because I am not typebranded, but rather: am multi-niched (and more importantly), I have a niche within a niche (uncontested or similar to any other indie blog in that regard).
Without having to depend or rely on anyone else or anything other than my pen, all that afforded me the option to open any engagement exclusive to podcasts and my upcoming radio show (and via all the “Tell” tabs atop OSF).
Readers can make the choice to participate or not, either way, I’m still niche’d, growing day by day (due to posting engaging content to attract–that’s the power that powers OSF. Period).
Will I ever reopen comment section?
