Do you ever wonder why some of your more thoughtful posts on MyLot are complete failures, while your "silly recipe" posts get 35 comments?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205698)
Walnut Creek, California
July 30, 2018 12:36pm CST
I recently did a heartfelt post about a product that is excellent for polishing guitars, even though it is actually a car polish. I also mentioned that it was a really good car polish.
I originally settled on an ambiguous but well-known Sasha Cohen (a comedian) quotation for the title, and waited for the thanks and comments to roll in. The post got a total of five comments.
I sometimes wake up before my muse does, and so I'll write a useless (but fun) post about what I'm having for breakfast. It might get 35 views.
Are you ever frustrated with your stream-of-consciousness posts getting lots of comments, while your better-thought-out or more (potentially) helpful posts get no attention at all?
I'll link my post that was an abysmal failure (with a newer, sexier title, thanks to a MyLot member). Can you tell me why it was a failure? Was it the title? The picture? The subject? The Randomness Factor?
For the record, I'm just grazing for breakfast today.
At a recent gig, I noticed that the back of my Collings OM-1 guitar was looking kind of scratched up. I don't wear a belt, but I suppose it could just be wear...
34 people like this
37 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 18
I have learned certain subjects have broad appeal here and what subjects will have low appeal. I will do low appeal ones just because I feel like it.
8 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
30 Jul 18
@TheHorse Carnauba wax...used on one car and all my bikes but don't know how it'd work on wood
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
30 Jul 18
Nope...I've been here long enough to realise 2 things...it is what it is and one great response makes more of a discussion than 10 crap ones
There are so many factors involved in a discussion getting responses...title, content, time of post, followers etc etc.
Best thing is to post what you want and hope for at least one good response.
There are so many factors involved in a discussion getting responses...title, content, time of post, followers etc etc.
Best thing is to post what you want and hope for at least one good response.7 people like this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Jul 18
@lovebuglena But over time, it should equal out, shoudn't it?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43074)
• Staten Island, New York
30 Jul 18
Seems that time is a factor for sure in getting responses. Sometimes you post a discussion and you get many responses right away. And sometimes you post a discussion but hardly any interaction for a while.
4 people like this
@Aquitaine24 (11653)
• San Jose, California
2 Sep 18
@LadyDuck You could vary things a bit so you get different countries as well.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
1 Aug 18
if "The time you post is important," then what time would that be?
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
1 Aug 18
@hereandthere I never post in the morning my time because all the American users sleep. The best time is after the US user from the East Coast wake up. Check you time according to their time zone.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98823)
• India
31 Jul 18
@TheHorse That is not how it should be Pony ji. Thoughts that are deep and others hesitate to express themselves about ..help them come up with their problems, may not be direct, but indirect, and possibly find a solution through interactions. The handicap may be ours or theirs...either party benefits. Why not?
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
30 Jul 18
More people are online in the mornings, as I have noticed, so I miss many discussions on this messed up sleep pattern because I am waking at noon and going to bed at 4 am. I would like my old schedule back but this is job related so I have to deal with it.
But more people are interested in eating that cleaning your guitars 
Just sayin.
But when I asked about what smells people likes, I got only a couple men to respond soooo, who knows.
Just sayin.
But when I asked about what smells people likes, I got only a couple men to respond soooo, who knows.4 people like this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
31 Jul 18
@andriaperry But of course! Like Spring sunshine!
@thislittlepennyearns (58134)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
30 Jul 18
I don't mind that much how many comments I get on my posts. Some get a couple and some get a lot. If is what it is.
4 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 18
That is the best approach and one I learned early here.
4 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (58134)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
30 Jul 18
@JohnRoberts I can't stand when a user complains publicly about how it isn't fair that the discussion they posted didn't get very many responses.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45484)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
30 Jul 18
I have no interest in guitar nor car polish as I have neither. And I'm not a fan of Sasha Cohen, so would not have recognized your title as a quote of his.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Jul 18
@BarBaraPrz I'm not as funny as Borat. Chris Rock? Key and Peele (my current favorites)? Hmm.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Jul 18
My most popular discussion got more than 60 responses, but I personally think that it is one of the least interesting discussions I have ever written It was a random topic. I didn't think much about it, and I never expected so many responses.
It was a random topic. I didn't think much about it, and I never expected so many responses.2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Jul 18
@TheHorse I asked: "What is the first thing you do when you get back to your home?" The people who responded described different kinds of activities. Many people mentioned the same things and it was hard to comment on the responses, because there isn't so much to say about this topic. I think it got many responses because it was easy to relate to and easy to write about.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215389)
• Chile
30 Jul 18
I agree. I am frustrated. Although, I must confess that the only posts that write and become a success are those in which I say that I reached my earning goal. Any other post, including those where I talk of people after a big earthquake, are posts that might get 3 or 4 responses
. Any other post, including those where I talk of people after a big earthquake, are posts that might get 3 or 4 responses2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 18
People don't want too serious here as the site is like a fun entertainment escape from the real world. People are very interested in personal experiences.
3 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
30 Jul 18
I don't get frustrated at all. I just don't expect anything I think. People like to respond on things they could easily relate too. And they could easily relate to a good morning, good afternoon, here's my recipe, here's what I ate today than a well thought of discussion. Probably they're in a hurry to earn a few cents, or some of them have very little knowledge in the English language that they prefer to comment on those they can understand pretty easily.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98823)
• India
1 Aug 18
Not always in a hurry. At times, preoccupied. Tomorrow is the case FINAL hearing, from yesterday Advocate has been sort of incommunicado, giving me tummy ache. This morning the hero calls me, and asks me why was I frantically trying to get in touch with him. I told him, please pick this case detail. He says ok. And just a couple of minutes ago, he calls up ..sorry maam, that case details are not available, pick the newspaper cutting and submit. That is admissible. More tummy ache.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
1 Aug 18
@vandana7 Some people are not preoccupied they just want to earn more few cents fast.
2 people like this
@anamika161088 (11868)
• India
31 Jul 18
Food is something that we all love.. We all can easily connect with it
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Aug 18
@anamika161088 Hmm. Maybe I'll do a weather post today. It actually feels nice and cool on my feet as I sip my first cup of coffee.
1 person likes this
@anamika161088 (11868)
• India
1 Aug 18
@TheHorse Agree.. Apart from food, weather seems to appeal much
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
8 Sep 18
@TheHorse Excellent and brilliant analogy. Those movies SUCKED but they made millions. And what about that stupid Sharknado stuff? It's gotten a cult following and has made millions. Does this mean that stupidity outnumbers smarts? And what does that say? BTW, stay tuned, I am going to let you know in a new post in about ten minutes that I flushed the toilet. It is likely to go viral.
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9311)
• Canada
30 Jul 18
I notice that happens with me also. The "philosopher" in me gets shunned while the superficial/mundane side of my Gemini nature gets all the attention. I don't think it is "Us" personally. I think it has more to do our readers and what they personally can relate to. I guess mylot isn't the best place for deep, imaginative thinkers like us to bare our thoughts on the levels of our souls. They will only go over the heads of the others or leave them literally speechless.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Jul 18
@JohnRoberts Food, animals and weather. I will remember that. So how's the weather there? It's hazy and warm up here.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 18
The site is an escape from a heavy world and people want a little oasis of fun. Food and animals and weather will always win out.
5 people like this
@lovebuglena (43074)
• Staten Island, New York
30 Jul 18
I hate it when I do a discussion where I am looking for people's ideas or suggestions on something and I hardly get any responses. And of course it is disappointing when I spend a great deal of time writing a certain discussion but get hardly any activity on it.
I get that there are subjects/topics that are not for everyone but still plenty of people should be able to reply as there are so many people in existence.
You write a post about what you ate, what the weather is, earnings/making money online, or something silly and meaningless and you get lots of responses. You write about something more substantial or meaningful and responses are few. What gives?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43074)
• Staten Island, New York
30 Jul 18
@TheHorse And to think that meaningless/silly stuff is more popular than informative/meaningful stuff is shocking and upsetting. Should I resort to only writing meaningless or silly posts, which is something I don't want to do? Maybe for my next post I will write about how I had a hard time taking a poop and see how many responses that will get.
and see how many responses that will get.
@JamilahPH (105)
• Brunei Darussalam
1 Aug 18
@TheHorse hhmmmmm... just may be..... for some people the things that we thought are new are actually not new thing to them?... or have read it somewhere that they have had the discussions on the same topics? Some people don't like to watch re-runs.......
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74554)
• East Tawas, Michigan
1 Oct 18
This is true, most of my writings get about 8-10 views. One day I wrote a stupid discussion about earning $1,000,000 and it hit the top of the ladder in about two hours, then sat in the Hot Discussions for two days! lol The ones I work at, noone bothers to read them:(
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205698)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Oct 18
Sigh. I was at my friend's house this afternoon, playing music and doing one of my "projects" with him (a sensory table for my friend whose grand-son is three). His wife was watching "Dancing With the Stars" as we played and worked away. If reminded me of the extent to which silliness gets more attention than real attempts at communicating. I hope that makes sense.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74554)
• East Tawas, Michigan
1 Oct 18
@TheHorse Yes, I've read silly, meaningless writings that soared to the top! Other discussions with depth and genuine meaning, are pretty much rejected by most members:( ' I walked my dog Kobe!' This one draws attention. 'Mental illness destroys lives' This one gets about 3 readers and whether they actually DO read it, I'm not sure. Most people don't want to communicate with others!
@manikarnika (3222)
• India
19 Aug 18
Yeah...This happens for me too.But why this is happening ? Also reveals expectation fails
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85269)
• Bangalore, India
31 Jul 18
I can relate to it. I have no answer to this. Even I keep wondering about the same.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85269)
• Bangalore, India
2 Aug 18
@TheHorse Maybe people feel more safe and comfortable commenting on silly topics than sharing their inner deep thoughts. I am just wondering if that makes them vulnerable to judgement bot others.
@dave121495 (1296)
• Philippines
30 Jul 18
@TheHorse just try to run into them. i don't know how to post it here either.
