Ah, summer. The season of family getaways, outdoor picnics, ice cream, and sticking to your chair. Unfortunately for some of us, it's also the time of year when our blog traffic takes a bit of a dip.
Obviously this doesn't happen to every blogger. Depending on your niche or location, summer might actually be a great time of year for you! Or if you're new, your traffic may be naturally increasing throughout these months in your first year. But based on my experiences running a few different websites over the past 10+ years, I've discovered that it's not uncommon to find yourself in a bit of a summer traffic (and motivation) slump. The good news is that your decline in traffic probably isn't because you're doing anything wrong: People are just busy doing stuff. Vacations and picnics and ice cream and whatnot. Things usually start to pick up again in the fall, but in the meantime, here are a few tips for dealing with the slump.
1. Don't freak out.
As I said above, a sudden decrease in traffic between June and August is most likely not due to any action on your part. It's nice outside so people are spending more time away from their computers. Eventually it will get crappy outside and people will once again huddle together in the warmth of the glow of their screens. Which brings me to to my next tip ....
2. Make sure your website plays nice on mobile devices.
The mobile version of your site doesn't need to be AMAZING, but it needs to like ... actually work. I use my phone and tablet more during the summer because I don't necessarily want to haul my laptop with me on vacation.
3. Keep posting regularly.
I think a lot of bloggers tend to post less frequently in the summer because they're busy doing stuff (ICE CREAM!!!) or just feeling kind of unmotivated. The heat definitely does weird things to my brain, man. I think it's fine to take a break and/or slow down your posts a bit, but it's harder for your traffic to rebound if you completely disappear. There are no rules as to how often you "should" post, but keeping a regular presence on your blog is good.
4. Write about seasonal things.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but summer's a good time to write about summery things. Perhaps document your vacation, an outing you had in your hometown (Example: My Coney Island day), or all the ice cream you've eaten recently. Parenting bloggers, this is a good time to write about back-to-school stuff. Beauty bloggers, announcements for fall collections are starting to come out (yeah, I know, early). Foodie bloggers, please post lots of pics of frozen things so we can all mentally cool down. You get the idea.
5. Now's a good time to fix stuff on your website.
If you have website upgrades or design changes you've been meaning to do for a while, now's a good time. For example, I still haven't finished the Wordpress version of my site I've been working on FOREVER—hopefully I'll get it done by the end of summer. In the meantime, I just installed a Pinterest script and Instagram/Twitter widgets. Why did I never find the time to do it before? Who knows. Anyway, even if your site doesn't need a major design upgrade, you can use any spare time you might have to go through old posts and update them and/or make them more Pinterest-friendly. Updating your tags and categories is also a good thing to do.
6. Make new blogging friends.
I think most of us have blogging friends, or at least people we exchange comments with regularly. Why not take some time and reach out to new people? There are lots of bloggers just starting out (yes, even in the summer) and I'm sure they'd appreciate the interaction. You might even make some new blogging pals out of it.
7. Have a nice summer!
Because at the end of day, you are probably not going to die if your website is a bit sleepy for a couple of months. Go outside and eat some damn ice cream already.
Have you experienced a "summer slump" in traffic (or motivation)? If so, how do you deal with it?
my blog definitely suffers over the summer! good tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think the summer lull is all too common, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI've definitely hit a wall; from discouragment to the fact that I just started a new job and am transitioning to a new home, its been CRAY! I really want to be posting but there's like half a million other things to be doing :(
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel, but sometimes you can't help it when regular life gets in the way. I hope I don't have to move soon, but I know the next time I do I'm not going to be glued to my computer as much in the weeks before! Blogging will probably be easier once you're settled into your new home and job so it's OK to take a break if you need to.
ReplyDeleteThis is sweet :) Also I want ice cream now.
ReplyDeleteI am actually trying to update my blog right now so I am happy to hear it is a good time :)
ReplyDeleteBut writing about summer things...
I hate the heat, maybe I should write about how to get flexible enough to fit into your fridge :)
Nice tips Rebecca! I admit even I've been trying to spend less time on the computer, not that I'm doing anything more productive when I'm off my laptop. Summer just makes me feel like lazing about and not doing anything that requires thinking, haha. Alas there's work to be done and you've really reminded me that I should finish up by review. Are announcements for fall collections coming out already? I must of overlooked them somehow.
ReplyDeleteWanting ice cream is also normal. You should have some!
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting idea. Fun Fact: In the original draft of the script for Back To The Future, the time machine was attached to a refrigerator. But that idea was nixed partially because people thought kids would crawl into their fridges, get stuck, and die (a legit safety concern). Anyway, maybe if you figure out how to get into your fridge you'll achieve time travel?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yeah, the fall stuff is just starting to come out. But I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of it over the next month. Anyway, lazing is definitely what I've been doing too ... I'll go for a walk, get baked by the sun, and then just want to watch TV. Super-productive!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you know this but it is my life goal to create a functioning time machine!
ReplyDelete*crawls into the fridge*
Narrator:
"And that was the last sign of life anyone saw of Moi Sanom"
P.s: yes in my imagination I have a narrator, I may or may not be a little obsessed with narrators... Everyone should have one!
Who wouldn't want a time machine? Hopefully one with built-in narration, because a live narrator would probably add to the weight too much. :P
ReplyDeletethat is a great idea!
ReplyDeletebesides having an actual person running around you and narrating is a little creepy!
In my head they were always a disembodied voice :)
Great job! I actually find that I have more time in the summer for blogging, but I just feel so unmotivated. Guess Ill have to start writing some summer friendly posts!
ReplyDeletegingercatqueen.blogspot.com
Yeah, I know the feeling. I've had plenty of time to blog lately but I just feel way more lazy than normal. I blame the heat.
ReplyDeleteI have been blogging for six years and every summer I have to be reminded about this slump. I get extremely motivated and all "eff this I'm shutting it down" and then I realize you know what? Just relax and post less. People are def out there enjoying summer! Nice to know I'm not alone in this!
ReplyDeleteThere's something weirdly comforting in knowing that other people experience it too. Not that it suddenly makes your traffic go back up, but I guess it reinforces the "Wait, I guess I'm not doing anything wrong" idea. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Rebecca. I am actually guilty of missing some of my summer fave blog reading as well. Just catching up haha so no wonder the same happens to most of us bloggers. There is just so much temptation out there in the summer in terms of pools, outdoors, and hess ice cream always ice cream :) XOXO, Elif
ReplyDeleteThanks! I wouldn't feel *too* guilty about spending more time away from the computer ... after all, there are only a few months out of the year when pools and ice cream feel right! ;)
ReplyDelete