Admittedly, I had a similar impression 
That said, last go around I built a successful blog, it was on the back of interaction, too... I was "visible" in 100's or related niche forums and groups, and an active commenter on similar blogs of quality... eventually had a following of about 18K, which regularly meant 3-4K page views on a new post.
RE: Engagement, Community Building and Social Media — It's Up to YOU!