Last June, I wrote Where Have All The Blog Link-Ups Gone? and mused about the apparent diminished interest in them. Included in that post were some stats on blog link-ups that I’d found by poking around on the InLinkz website.

After I’d published that post, the idea of doing an update a few months down the road came to me which is some of what I’ll be sharing in this post. Along with a review and comparison of the statistics included in the earlier post to more current ones, I’ve also got some other data points to offer for your amusement. Additionally, there are a couple more “ah ha” types of observances I want to offer up as food for thought plus a perspective from a blogger who recently decided to stop hosting and participating in link-ups.

Back in June on the day that I did the tally, I’d found that there were 191 open parties hosted on 150 blogs with a few of those blogs running more than one weekly link-up. As of earlier today, that same query showed there to be 170 open parties hosted on 137 blogs, equating to roughly a 10% drop in both counts. For the previous stats, I’d also queried on the counts of parties/blogs for several of the 33 blog categories which I did today as well. The prior results are listed first followed by today’s results;

General – 33 parties/24 blogs; 28 parties/19 blogs
Home – 41 parties/33 blogs; 40 parties/29 blogs
Fashion – 26 parties/21 blogs; 21 parties/19 blogs
Motherhood – 22 parties/16 blogs; 19 parties/11 blogs
Beauty – 17 parties/13 blogs; 16 parties/12 blogs
Crafts – 102 parties/77 blogs; 90 parties/68 blogs
Lifestyle – 62 parties/49 blogs; 62 parties/48 blogs

So it’s not my (or your) imagination that the number of link-ups is shrinking. In the earlier post, I’d noted that blogs identifying as fashion-related accounted for only 14% of the blogs hosting link-ups and that apparently, crafters really like to party. It appears that fashion-related blogs dropped to below 13% and that crafters are still in the majority. Beauty and lifestyle were relatively unchanged. The query filters also allow for the selection of parties by the number of entries in ranges of “any”, 0-20, 21-100, and over 100. When setting the number of entries filter to “over 100”, the previous results showed that only 16 of the current 191 parties met that criteria and as of today, there are 25 that do. Narrowing down the list to those in the category of “fashion”, the previous results showed that only 3 of the 26 open parties had more than 100 entries and today there were also just 3.

While poking around on the InLinkz for more information, I found that I could get a list of the “guests active in my link parties”. (If you also host via InLinkz, you can get your own list by clicking on Guests in the blue navigation bar.) By sorting my list on “latest entry”, I was able to determine that I’ve had 78 “guests” attend my link parties since I restarted the link-up at the beginning of 2021. About 20 of those guests have only “partied” with me once and another 16 have joined in less than 5 times. That means only 40 or so of my guests are including my link-up in their regular routine. I want to give a shout out to Shelbee at Shelbee On The Edge, Nicole at High Latitude Style, Jennifer at Curated By Jennifer, and Nancy at Nancy’s Fashion Style for being among the top attendees of my blog link-ups.

At the end of the “Where Have All The Blog Link-Ups Gone?” post, I hadn’t drawn any real conclusions in my exploration of link-up stats primarily because I didn’t yet have enough prior data to compare against. Now that my link-up has been active for over a year, I can offer some information about its growth. Six bloggers joined my first link-up in 2021 adding 11 links; in 2022, 26 bloggers joined the second link-up submitting 58 links (explanation as to why I didn’t use counts from the first week are forthcoming). Purely from a statistical view, participation has increased well over 400% which is great but yet the numbers are still small. Is hosting a link-up worth the effort?

Several of the comments left on the previous post were quite enlightening. Anne M Bray, who you’ll find over at Spy Girl said that she found publishing blog posts on a fixed schedule, which is optimum for getting high link-up participation, to be challenging. Other bloggers, like Jodie over at Jodie’s Touch Of Style, post nearly everyday and find that they don’t have the time for hosting a link-up or even participating in them. And in another camp are the bloggers like Mireille from Chez Mireille and Suzy at The Grey Brunette who see hosting and participating as a great way to find new blogs to read and follow. I’m with Mireille and Suzy on those points.

As for why didn’t use the counts from the first link-up this year to compare against the first link-up of last year, it’s because I changed the day that the link-up opens. When I first started hosting a link-up five years ago, they would open on Thursdays. When I restarted the link-up last year after more than a year off, I opted to have them open on Saturdays. The thinking behind that choice was that there would be little competition that day and that I was filling a void. What I found was that it would be two days before I was then adding my link to other link-ups and by then my link-up was no longer fresh. At the start of the new year, I made the decision to switch the link-up to Mondays. So far it seems to be working out well.

Regarding my participation in blog link-ups, I can tell you that I clocked in 1082 entries in 2021. While InLinkz does not make it easy to report on the actual number of link-ups I joined (I’d have to hand tally the total), I can estimate that 1082 entries roughly equates to about 20 a week. Figuring that I would’ve been bringing one or two links with me to every party, that would be about 10-15 parties a week. There are 24 link-ups on my current list but I don’t always get to each of them every week so my estimations seem about right. Some of the traffic to my blog does come from the link-ups I join but I also get hits from just leaving comments on blog posts.

And this brings me back to the question “is hosting a link-up worth the effort?”. Given the diminishing numbers of blogs hosting them, it would seem that many bloggers have decided that the answer for them is no. Earlier this week, Carrie over at Curly Crafty Mom shared her thoughts on the subject in Why I Quit Link-Up Parties. She’d been hosting a fashion link-up on her blog for 6½ years, with and without co-hosts. Her reasons include the overall dwindling of participation and interest in link-ups and the apparent diminishing return on the effort of hosting and joining other link-ups. A review of the stats for her blog has shown Carrie that there has been no change in traffic to her blog on the days when she now publishes a fashion post in comparison to when she was still offering a link-up.

Carrie also included a shout-out to my “Where Have All The Blog Link-Ups Gone?” post. So before I’d even had a chance to read her post, I’d had an inkling that she might have mentioned mine as I saw a few hits on that post on the day she published hers as well as a similar number of referrals from her blog post. I hope that you’ll take a moment or two to read her post in full and even visit a few of the other blogs that I’ve mentioned above.


Pausing now for a word from our sponsor. Just kidding, there’s no sponsor. It’s simply little ol’ me, putting my thoughts out into the internet along with some tidbits about the outfit I’m wearing. For instance, I’m again wearing the thrifted denim jacket (Old Navy) that has appeared a couple times on the blog recently. The gray jeans (Lands End) were also a thrift store find. I took out the hemstitching to lengthen them a bit and create a raw edge look. The top was bought at Macy’s several years ago and the loafers (Naturalizer), as well as the pendant necklace (Lucky Brand), were secondhand purchases made on Poshmark.

And so I’ll end this discussion with my reasons for choosing to continue hosting and participating in link-ups. I like being part of the blogging community and supporting other bloggers. Selfishly, I hope that my efforts are returned whether it’s directly or indirectly. My awareness and knowledge of so many topics and issues that affect me and you has grown exponentially since I started blogging because of other bloggers. We are so much the same and so wonderfully different all at the same time. Helping you grow helps me grow as well.

Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Note: This is an unsponsored post. However, some or all of the links to clothing items (if present) are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.

Photos: MMPerez

37 Comments

  1. Rena, great post! I can’t begin to participate in all the link parties I’d like to. So I try to alternate. When I first started blogging 12 years ago, I tried to participate in a lot of them every week. I have neither the time nor the energy to do that now, so I’ve narrowed down the number of them and the frequency I participate. I’ve found such wonderful blogs at linkups. I probably would not have found Fine, Whatever if I hadn’t seen it on someone’s linkup.

    • Rena

      Jean, I’m so glad that you did find my blog because that’s likely how I found yours. It can be a challenge to a good link-up party guest because I’m not the type to drop a link and run. I also read and comment.

  2. Rena, this has been an interesting post. I began my blog in July 2021 and have tried to participate in many link parties. I’m still not sure if I’m doing the credit thing right. I know some people say to grab the code on their link, but I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do with it. Instead, I just have another heading and paragraph listing where I link up. I did read somewhere that blog readership is down as most people are turning to other platforms. I think that’s the case with fashion bloggers…Instagram, specifically Reels, seems to be the place now! I think it’s because Instagram, as compared to blogging, is easy, fast, and more seen. I, however, like to read blogs. It’s how I found your blog many years ago. I didn’t realize, at the time, the importance of commenting and subscribing. Like you, I find link parties are the way to go to discover new blogs (I’m sure that’s how others are finding mine). Thanks for the brain workout with the statistics! And, I’m glad you’ve decided not to stop doing a link party!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

    • Rena

      Marsha, I’ve also found some of the requests/instructions to be confusing so I think that your method of “giving credit” is just fine. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve done a lot to “help” the blogger by adding to their traffic stats and leaving a comment. I don’t post link-up codes/graphics on my blog anymore nor do I offer one.

  3. Great post and thoughts. I love your science approach to writing the post and arguing with data. I love linkup parties and started hosting mine about the same Carlie started Thursday Fashion Thoughts. Indeed Ann Bray is right that there is a lot of pressure to get a post out on a specific day of the week. I agree 100% with you that hosting a linkup is a service to the community. Therefore, I really appreciate the commitment of all hosts. However, I can totally understand that after a while they feel burned-out.

    • Rena

      Nicole, I knew that you’d have a similar outlook to mine.

    • Rena

      Elaine, it had occurred to me that some readings might not know what a link-up is. I’ve got a “how to” post in the works so I’ll be sure to include an explanation in it. But briefly, in a link-up post you’ll see a section at the end (or a reference to a link) that opens a window in which you can add (copy/paste) the URL for a post from your own blog. Once you’ve completed this, an image with a link to your post will then appear on the host’s link-up post.

  4. thestylesplash

    You’ve done some very thorough research and the results are interesting, although perhaps not surprising given how Instagram has changed how people connect and interact. When IG was new it was a place to reach a different audience and direct followers to your blog, but now it has evolved and almost replaced blogging with the added benefit of reels and stories. It is hard work hosting and joining in link ups, I do struggle to be consistent with my varied work pattern. I still like to discover new blogs through link ups so I’ll stick with them, but it will be interesting to see how IG and TikTok change the landscape over the next few years.

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

    • Rena

      Emma, I also try to use my IG to direct followers to my blog but that doesn’t seem to work lately. Your diligence as a link-up host is appreciated and I’m glad to know that you plan to stick with it.

  5. I like your casual double denim outfit! I like wearing blue denim jackets with my grey jeans too 🙂

    It’s interesting reading your linkup party stats – I use linky tools as it’s cheaper for link ups and I can’t get those kinds of stats! I do enjoy having my blog link up though 🙂 Given that I have kids and can only blog when they are asleep or otherwise occupied I rely on scheduled posts – I can write a post or two a night and schedule it. Right now I have the next 2 weeks of posts scheduled and waiting to go – I’m not too bothered about trying to catch up and share outfits closer to when I wear them as I find, as you pointed out, with the linkup that having it go live at a set time works and if I didn’t have the posts ready there is no way on a Monday I’d be able to get my post out on time, with school and work and sports for the kids, haha! i find that US fashion bloggers seem to post their link ups in the evening my time which works for me for joining link ups, but there are some like yourself that post what is the early hours in the morning for me and I don’t always get time at the computer in the morning if the kids wake up earlier than expected so I can’t regularly join those ones.
    It’s a part of blogging I hope sticks around as I like finding new blogs on link ups!

    Hope that you are having a lovely weekend! We had a playdate yesterday and today is the last day of the summer school holidays 🙂

    • Rena

      Mica, I commend you for being able to write your posts so far ahead of publishing. Even retired with no littles to care for, I’m terrible at having posts written in advance. I’m glad that you see the value in link-ups and will be sticking with them.

  6. mireilleftm

    Loved the update and your thoughts and thanks for the shout out. I spend about 30 minutes each day now linking up usually to two link ups Monday thru Friday and I am glad you moved yours to Monday! I did find that the Ageless Link up does give me a lot of traffic on the blog. I probably wouldn’t read as many blog without the link ups (I forget about some during the week as there are only a few I plug in the address for) so it is a nice way for me to do some blog rounds.
    http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    • Rena

      Mireille, Mondays do seem to be working out better for both participation and for my own writing schedule.

  7. Anna Marcus

    Your research was a revelation to me, I have no idea about the stats as I have never hosted a link-up party but I do like to participate in them. Funny that you mentioned how the Saturday link-up wasn’t working for you. I tend to stay away from my gadgets over weekend and so do other bloggers, I would imagine. What I like about weekdays parties that being in Australia 8 hours ahead of Europe and USA gives me the chance to be the early gust at a “party”. I like your all blue outfit. Enjoy your week
    https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com.au/

    • Rena

      Anna, I’m a stats geek thru and thru; I had to myself back so as to not make the post entirely a snooze. I’m glad to have you among my regular party guests.

  8. Gail Is This Mutton

    Really interesting post Rena, as was Curly Crafty Mom’s. I’ve been running my linky since 2018, and one of my goals this year is to attract more bloggers. On Twitter there are daily “blogger retweet” accounts which I’m trying, but it means leaving comments and I already aim to do this for all the participants in my link-up, so it takes a long time. I find that if I post a selection of suggested reading at the weekend on Facebook, these posts get more hits. I’m keen to give the bloggers who participate some value. But I wonder, with the diminishing stats, if linkies are on the way out, which would make me sad. I think a lot of bloggers got the idea that Google penalises you for having the links, but InLinkz treats them as “no follow” so that’s not correct.

    • Rena

      Gail, interesting that you mention the Google penalty for link-ups because I hadn’t known about it until recently. In my research, I’d found a blog post from several years ago where someone mentioned that but it did appear to be mostly an issue of follow/no follow as well as the requirement of adding link-up codes back on one’s own blog. I think that “experts” and ad groups are advising bloggers that it’s a waste of time but I have no evidence of this.

  9. Cleverly put together statistics Rena. I do enjoy taking part in link-ups and like most discover some interesting sites I would never have come across. It is important to value the host’s time and submit a comment, I imagine a link needs quite a bit of admin so thank you so much.
    I don’t do fashion shots so I’m not usually on such a tight schedule as many others thank goodness.
    Pamela
    http://www.style-yourself-confident.com

    • Rena

      Pamela, I’m so delighted that you’ve become one of my regular link-up party attendees.

  10. Cute outfit, Rena! And those shoes are amazing! Fabulous post! Thanks for the shout out! I am with you as well that I enjoy link parties because they make it feel more like a community to me. And even if I don’t get a chance to read everything, I like having all the thumbnail links in my post for ease when I am ready to sit down and start reading. I will keep going with my link parties I guess until I reach a point when I don’t feel like it anymore! But until then, I enjoy these virtual gatherings!

    Shelbee

  11. Thank you for taking the time to research the phenomenon of blog link-ups. I read your original post, and I’m glad to see the follow-up. Thanks for continuing to host a link-up each Monday.

    • Rena

      You’re most welcome, Carol. And thank you for your support of my link-up.

  12. I totally agree with you, Rena — it is all about the blogging community. I think you hit the nail on the head there! Fascinating reading 🙂
    Hugs
    Suzy xx

    • Rena

      Suzy, I’m glad that you liked the post. We’re in it for the long haul, right?

  13. helenfern

    I like your style!! I couldn’t comment on the other post you shared – not sure why. Thanks for sharing at My Big Fat Menopausal Life’s Share the Wealth party! Hope your week is going well – and may the rest be full of smiles!

    • Rena

      Thank you, Helen. As another link-up host, I’d like to hear your thoughts about their merits.

  14. I loved hearing your thoughts on this Rena. You wouldn’t think that joining in these parties would be very time consuming, but for me I always liked to read and comments and then look around the party. Thanks for the shoutout.
    But even if I’m not linking up, many times I still love to read and comment. I just don’t look around the party much, so I feel like I shouldn’t include my link.
    You’re so right, that it’s a great way to meet others!!
    OXOX
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

    • Rena

      Jodie, same for me in regards to taking time to read the post and leave a comment. I don’t like to “drop a link and run” although I might add my link and then read/comment later in the day just so that my link(s) is at the top of the list.

  15. Interesting read Rena! The link ups have gone by the way side in my genre and I believe it’s because IG has taken over. I don’t mind hosting or participating and the reason I do so is because I like to find other blogs. It is how I found some great blogs as a reader many years ago and I still read many of the same ones.
    I was happy to find your link up but haven’t always participated because I’m an early east coast blogger – ha – and once my Monday starts I’m not likely to get back on until Tuesday and then I see I’m a day late. This may sound crazy but I feel rude being late! Duh, the link up is open for a reason. Sometimes I need to get out of my own head.
    Anyway, I like link ups, but I don’t like hosting ones with themes – they stress me out.
    Okay, I’ve revealed enough of my crazy for one day.
    Thanks!
    xo,
    Kellyann

    • Rena

      Kellyann, interesting perspective that not joining on the first day is somehow rude … I hadn’t thought of that. And you can share your crazy with me anytime. Personally, I find some link-ups to be a bit confusing with the themes and the “requirements”. I’m no dummy so if I find the directions hard to follow, then I just take a pass.

  16. I can see how the dwindling parties and participants would be especially demoralizing when a blogger has monetized their blog and are trying to supplement their income. My reason for blogging and reading blogs is to be among women with similar interests. I haven’t been disappointed and have formed some lovely friendships. This is not as dependent on the number party participants; it is dependent more the sincere interest of the bloggers who are willing to write and interact.

    Interesting post, Rena!

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

    • Rena

      Michelle, demoralizing in that the lack of participation (and therefore implied reach) is evident by the low number of links added? I’m going to reach out to you to discuss this further. Thanks for the feedback and I’m glad that you see the value in link-ups like I do.

  17. First off, cute outfit! Love the leopard loafers! I have been hosting the linkup party since 2015 and yes there is a night and day difference in participants now. i do like to connect with other bloggers and find this a good place, but I was nodding my head on both what you and Carrie had to say. I am consistant with it, but if I were to work full time – it would be tough to keep up. I love the scientific way you presented it. I also agree with Emma, as IG , at the beginning was different from blogs. A photo and small caption. Now, it has almost taken the place of, with longer formats. It will be interesting to see where blogs go from here. I do enjoy visiting!
    thanks for linking Rena
    http://www.elegantlydressedandtylish.com

  18. This is the first time I’ve read your Blog. You appear to be a very fun person, and I like that.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts … and I hope the Link Ups continue 🙂

    I have been Blogging for 18 years, & posting to Blog Hops for 14 years on homesteading, crafting, Faith, politics, Home Education, ect.: whatever I’m engaged in at the time.

    Most fashion related posts appears to have more than 1 person helping with the post – that is hard to do when a person (such as myself) is a widowed Solo Lobo; I’m pretty sure a stranger wouldn’t be interested in taking the time to help with snapping pics of me striking various poses 😉 That said, I hope to be able to particiape with posts at some point in time.