Pet Peeve of the Day: Don't Try to Drive Me

I hereby define the single most common, and irritating, question addressed by “wannabe” gurus the blogosphere over: “How do you drive traffic to your web site?” My hackles have been raised well and proper by this blatant disregard for the humanity of people.

I can't argue that many people exhibit a herd mentality, especially in emotionally fraught times. Clicking through blogs for ideas on marketing yourself and making some pin money shouldn't be one of those times. Why do people insist on using the phrase “drive traffic”?

Personally, I check my mental “ignore” box for any source at which I read that phrase. It reveals the attitude of the writer toward their audience—that they are writing not for intelligent people attempting to improve their skills but for sheep to be herded through and fleeced.

I favor the idea of attracting readers, of drawing people to my blog through the content itself. Should I decide to trick or somehow force others to visit this page (something implied in the phrase) I wouldn't be able to enjoy any of my ill-gotten gains. Doing so goes against what I consider to be the whole point of blogging.

For those of you who blog about your passion, who enjoy the enterprise(s) and thrill to find that others have crossed your path (and perhaps joined you on your journey), keep doing what you're doing. I love to read posts and articles by people excited by sharing what they enjoy, either their success or their struggles. The connections created make the web more than the sum of its parts. My virtual hat is off to all of you.