The numbers game is something anybody who has any sort of online social media platform will understand. And no, it’s not a real game. The numbers game is a term used in the social media world. Almost every social media platform now has follower counts and like/comment counts which everybody can see. And blogging is no exception to this.
For a really long time when I first started blogging I paid alot of attention to the numbers I was getting. It was a big deal to me that people were liking and commenting on my content. But I let it consume me, and that was my downfall. The numbers game can very quickly consume your online presence. Before you know it, your intentions change and you then start making content for the masses instead of what you want to enjoy.
So, here is my advice to you.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE JUST NUMBERS ON A SCREEN
When I started my blogging journey, the first 6 months I spent obsessing over how my posts performed and how much content I could publish in a week. My original followers will know that I used to post 6-7 times a week. And it wasn’t just quick, unplanned content. It was scheduled, well thought out planned content. Honestly though, I did it because I loved it. But it just wasn’t sustainable. Anyway, when these posts were published I watched them like a hawk. They had to get a certain number of likes by a certain time otherwise the post was a flop. Thats how bad it got.
Now looking back I realise how ridiculous that was to think. As I have grown my blog and started posting 2 days a week, I have become so much more relaxed in the way I do things. My posts don’t perform as well as they did and my view count is lower but I am so much happier in what I do now. I no longer sit and watch the likes on my post but I embrace whatever likes I get on it. I realised that those likes and comments you see on your screen are just that. Likes and comments on a screen. They mean nothing more and nothing less. I’m not more successful or a better blogger if I have more followers than someone else and vice versa.
Coming to this realisation was big for me and I hope if you’re struggling to see past the numbers that you get through that feeling too.
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MORE FOLLOWERS DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN MORE SUCCESS
With the rise of social media and the numbers game, so many people have it engrained into their minds that more likes and comments = more success. Which is not the case at all, and I’ll explain how I know that. When I hit my first 1,000 followers, my engagement and likes were at an all time high. I was receiving the highest likes and comments and it was pretty consistent too. I slowly realised that posting as often as I did was not sustainable at all, so I cut down my posting. Slowly from 6-7 days a week to 3 and now to 2 times a week. During this time my likes, engagement and views reduced. Which, duh of course they did.
I’m telling you all of this because when my views started to reduce I actually become more content in the engagement I got. I stopped feeling like I needed more likes and more followers to be deemed successful. When I had more engagement I hardly worked with any brands or made any money from blogging. Ever since my engagement reduced and I posted less I started regularly working with brands and making money.
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THE NUMBERS DON’T MEASURE YOUR WORTH OR VALUE IN LIFE
Your value in life is not measured by the numbers game so many play on social media platforms. Those numbers don’t show how much hard work and effort you put into every single post you publish. Imagine putting your confidence and self worth into a number on your computer screen that you have no control over? Put it into perspective. You don’t need that kind of pressure in your life.
I have been there myself. Posted content that didn’t perform well and felt like a failure. But every time I had those thoughts, I remember why I started. I remember the passion I had behind me when I decided to sign up to WordPress. And it wasn’t to get X amount of likes and comments on my post. It was for me and nothing else.
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Do you feel as though the numbers game is getting out of hand with social media? Do you care about the numbers your blog posts receive? What advice can you give to others to overcome those feelings of comparison and care about numbers?
Olivia x
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olivialucieblake.com 
I have to admit, I get pretty excited when I hit certain milestones but I don’t obsess over the numbers. Some of my most well-thought-out and best written posts have the lowest views and that’s okay. I’m still proud of them.
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Milestones and goals are great to have and I don’t think they are bad at all! Its the obsessing that isn’t a positive thing.
And same here too. I write it and I am so proud and expect it to do well and it doesn’t. But thats okay too!
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That’s so funny cause it happens to me too 😂…The most thought of usually gets the lowest views…
“Yea, this should wow and… what’s going on? Can’t anybody see what I did there with that twist?”
It’s an irony. I’m learning and trying to relax these days. Especially being a Christian blogger.
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It is interesting, isn’t it? I think we just have to have faith that we put the message out there and the right people will see it.
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I needed to read this. I wouldn’t say I watch my content like a hawk, but the numbers are definitely something I concentrate on and wish I didn’t. The start of this was to be an outlet for ME, so really that matters more than the numbers. But I can absolutely relate to seeing a decrease over time. I loved this, thanks for sharing!
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Numbers do matter, but they don’t matter enough to obsess over them and for them to make you feel like a failure. Its when we associate our success with numbers that I think we need to take a step back. Over time im sure you will learn to accept whatever engagement and interaction you have!
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Your words; “I wish I didn’t but I do…”
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I sometimes find myself looking at my numbers and wishing they were higher. But then I remind myself why I started blogging in the first place. It does seem like more followers = more success but that’s not the case. Unless you’re goal is only based on numbers than yeah. Thank you for this post and this reminder.
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Honestly it really isn’t at all, and from my own personal experience I had more engagement when I had less followers. But now I have more I have more opportunities to do other things. Theres pros and cons to both honestly
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This post couldn’t have come at a better time. As a new blogger I have been obsessing over my stats. It’s ridiculous given that I started this journey to overcome the fear of others reading my writing. It was so bad that I only shared my blog site with two friends and three family members. Thanks for the great advice!
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Im glad this post could help. Numbers don’t mean anything in the grand scheme of life do they!
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Very relevant advice..
Stay blessed always 🙏🌹🙏
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Thanks so much!
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I’ve moved my blogging on to be less about numbers and more about engagement.
Receiving a comment from one person saying its had an impact on their life means more to me than a 1000 views.
I also have developed a blindness to likes due to its overuse – people clicking the button without reading the post just to be seen!
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YES TO THIS 🙌🏼
You hit the nail on the head. Helping one person is far better than likes and comments. And yes thats so true, alot of people like without reading aswell.
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Hmmm… impact 🎯
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Numbers were always big for me but whats most important for me now is making my blog my business so I try to have fun with it but also bring content that can help others or entertain others like me!
What i also noticed is that when I first started I posted whatever I liked and thats when all the comments and likes came in. it really is most important to do what makes you happy
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it should always be fun! Which is why I always remind people to think about why they started doing this. Their WHY should be remembered often
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I have a very low number of followers, and it’s always the same two or three that comment, and I do appreciate their engagement. Some friends who always used to comment when I put my posts on Facebook stopped commenting at all when they started to follow the blog, which I find odd. I’m still wondering whether to continue blogging but posts like this one do help, so thanks Olivia.
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Think about why you started Paul. Was it to get others to comment or like your content or was it for a bigger reason? If blogging isn’t for you anymore then I’d say do whatever makes you happy but if you’re wanting to give up because of lack of engagement it won’t always be that way.
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Appreciate your advice Olivia, I do enjoy blogging with is of course the most important criteria so I just need to do it a little more often. Thanks again.
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The numbers used to bother me a lot especially when I compared myself to other bloggers. But, I am slowly but surely letting go of that. I just want to write content that I think might be valuable or just meaningful to me and share it with my community. If it helps out and leaves an impact I appreciate the comments. I honestly prefer an engaged readership to the number of likes and followers I have. However, I’m still working on cementing that mindset.
Thanks for sharing this post.
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It can be so hard to find that mindset because numbers are constantly thrown in our faces. But you will get there 🙂
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I first stated blogging I saw a few bloggers always talk about hitting their numbers and everything was numbers. I quickly realized that I just wanted to blog to have fun and make my blog about me. I don’t always have the highest number of views but like you I am much happier.
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I noticed that too, which is why I rarely set goals for my blog anymore. Yes, I make money from this but I don’t want it to become like my 9-5 job. I want to do this because its fun and I enjoy it. I don’t want the pressure that comes with it
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I agree with James. Engagement matters more to me than likes. When I started out blogging I didn’t even have 1 follower to my name. Organically it began to find its tribe and although the number is small, I love knowing that the people that follow my blog were impacted by something I said at least once. Numbers will drive you crazy. I choose to be authentic with every post and comment I post on others pages and let God do the rest.
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I love this 🤎 Numbers will drive you into quitting most of the time too. Because if you set your heart on seeing your numbers grow, you’ll only be disappointed when they don’t and that will bring feelings of defeat or feeling like you’re not good enough which isn’t the case.
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I choose to be authentic too 💪
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great advice! Numbers do not equal values. Start adding values. Stop checking figures.
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YES! Love that
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I found that when I was blogging quite a bit more often than what I do now, I would obsess quite a bit over the numbers, and that would undermine the enjoyment I got out of researching and writing about topics that were important to me.
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Thats the same as me, as I have started posting less I care less about the numbers
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Yes, it really does undermine the joy from the post.
I mean you can write what you love and feel it’s silly because of the views.
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Great post! I’ve recently started with a new domain, as I aim to concentrate less on numbers and more on why I started a blog in the first place: because I love writing.
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Thats exactly what you should do 🙌🏼
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Thank you Olivia,
I’ve learnt so much from this post and it’s encouraging knowing you’re not alone in your “craziness”😅 and it’s solvable.
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Oh for sure, you are not alone at all in how you may be feeling!
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The number game can really be a headache. I have also advised myself and am now more relaxed.
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It really can!
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i’m guilty of looking at the stats & numbers way too much! it’s tough because it seems like that’s the only way to measure progress. but over time, i’ve learned success can be defined in other ways. i feel successful because i enjoy what i do. i’m grateful for the loyal readers i do have. sure, i’m proud of the numbers too. but i don’t harp on that as much. i think when you look at the numbers too much, you lose the love & enjoyment blogging brings.
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I think every single blogger out there has become obsessed with looking at stats. I don’t think there is anything wrong with using those numbers to measure your goals and success. I think that down fall is when we use those numbers to measure our self worth, or ability to write. Our brains automatically think that less engagement and likes must mean we didn’t do a good job or that nobody likes our writing. When thats not the case at all.
I go through various phases of having those feelings. You’ll come through the other end. Always remember why you started friend 🤎
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Though I hate to say this, but yes the older version of you is how I have been feeling about my published content until now but now I realize that I’m doing all of this for myself and for feeding my soul. Thanks a ton!
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Yes! It should always be for you, first!
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I like that a lot! I just started blogging and when I think about why I wanted to do it in the first place it was to have a place where I could put my story and thoughts down in words. To help me gain clarity rather than popularity. And I hope I’ll never forget that
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This is really amazing. Nice seeing this information
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I’m not obsessed over numbers in the slightest, but I have noticed a dip in my interactions over the last months. I am partly responsible for that too – I’m bad for not interacting with bloggers much too. I’m going to take the advice of trying something new and see how that goes – I’ve got an idea for a new series I haven’t seen before in the blogging community that I want to try 😊
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