Evangelical Outpost has an interesting post called Lessons of a Recovering Statistics-Addicted Influence Seeker.
Statistics-addicted? this seems to be a feature of the generation of self-publicising bloggers. And, yes, I know, I am one of them. I have a Sitemeter link which means I have an account which means that I can see how many people look at my site, when they look, what they look with (op. sys., browser, screen size, shoe size), where they come from, who they had dinner with etc. It’s all logged. Wu-hu-ha-ha-ha-Ha-HA! Graphs, pie-charts, bank accounts – I can see it all. All the time. Whenever I like.
Influence Seeker? What? Like … power? Bring it on! I want to change things, make a splash! Double Wu-hu-ha-ha-ha-Ha-HA!
Here are some things I have learned:
- The less I write, the fewer the number of people who read. Temptation: write more. Influence! Influence!
- Blogosphere activity is growing at about 10% a month. How do I know? When I hit a certain level of traffic per day according to TLB (I have passed through the same point several times over the last year) I find my traffic ranking drops. Either there are more blogs or people clicking more. But not many extra clicks at Doggie’s. And yes, it’s sad that I know this.
- Registering with the League of Reformed Bloggers is a complete waste of time. Showing the list on your blog gets you lots of links out and in, but not much extra traffic my way. Is every Reformed blogger sitting patiently waiting for everyone else to read their great stuff, just like me? Hate aggregators. Huff.
- I like interaction. I like seeing what happens. OK, most of the time nothing happens. But sometimes it does. So that’s really why I do it. If people comment that’s good. It makes me think. Perhaps I get some people to think too. All-round benefit.
Bored now. I wouldn’t read my blog.
Doggie's Breakfast 
“If people comment that’s good. It makes me think. Perhaps I get some people to think too.“
And that’s why I hang around here – stimulating discussion.
“I wouldn’t read my blog“
Well, no, because you (a) already know everything that’s written here and (b) agree with most of the opinions in the posts 🙂 IME, it’s the commenters that keep me interested in writing the blog – as you say, the interaction, causing each other to think more carefully and deeply than we otherwise might.
Keep up the good work!
pax et bonum
“If people comment that’s good. It makes me think. Perhaps I get some people to think too.“
And that’s why I hang around here – stimulating discussion.
“I wouldn’t read my blog“
Well, no, because you (a) already know everything that’s written here and (b) agree with most of the opinions in the posts 🙂 IME, it’s the commenters that keep me interested in writing the blog – as you say, the interaction, causing each other to think more carefully and deeply than we otherwise might.
Keep up the good work!
pax et bonum
Thanks John. Encouraging as ever! 🙂
Thanks John. Encouraging as ever! 🙂
Not to be selfish, but my blog is all about me. I started to give myself an outlet for writing. I use it to help get my sermon thoughts together or just to get things off my chest. The major temptation I have to write more is for my own benefit.
That said, I have a sitemeter and I enjoy checking to see how many have stopped by to read. The comments and interaction (at my site and others) really make me think. There’s a lot of good and bad to it — like most everything else in life.
BTW, I’m the guy with the shoe size 13 (US) who had the peanut butter & jelly sandwich for lunch… 😉
Not to be selfish, but my blog is all about me. I started to give myself an outlet for writing. I use it to help get my sermon thoughts together or just to get things off my chest. The major temptation I have to write more is for my own benefit.
That said, I have a sitemeter and I enjoy checking to see how many have stopped by to read. The comments and interaction (at my site and others) really make me think. There’s a lot of good and bad to it — like most everything else in life.
BTW, I’m the guy with the shoe size 13 (US) who had the peanut butter & jelly sandwich for lunch… 😉
Hey rev-ed,
I knew that already!
Hey rev-ed,
I knew that already!