Well, the "aughts" are over. Or as BBC 3 called them, the "noughties". I distinctly remember thinking as a child of the 80s that neither I nor the world would live to see this decade. Wow.
Since New Years is really just the celebration of a digit change, I figure I'll play along and start off 2010 with some numbers:
With this post my blog enters its 6th year. This after just celebrating its 4th anniversary. (Incidentally, I just realized that I am also personally entering my 5th decade. If that isn't mortally frightening, I don't know what is).
A long time ago I signed up to google analytics, which monitors your blog and tabulates all kinds of stats. I haven't looked at it in years. But tonight as I finished up some work I thought I'd have a gander.
Turns out that in 2009 I had 22,721 visits. Since 22,000 of those are probably me checking in on things, I'm not sure what to make of that figure. However, this is apparently up 95.89% from 2008! Really? Not sure what to make of that, either.
In even more banal news, the average time of visit is 48 seconds and my "bounce rate" is 82%. I don't know what that is.
I wasn't going to do this, but while we're at it, here's the top 10 ways visitors get here:
1. Direct (like, typing in the address?)
2. Google image referral (do I need to be more careful about image use?)
3. Google/organic (?)
4. Kramer's blog!
5. Nathan' blog!
6. Blogger referral (what is that?)
7. Matthew's blog!
8. Dale's blog!
9. My Yahoo referral (that'd be me or my wife coming from our home page)
10. Forrest's blog!
Wow, this is way too much information, isn't it? I sort of prefer being surprised everytime someone comments or mentions that they've been reading along. I don't think I'm going to look at google analytics again any time soon. That said, its nice to have a sense of who your community is, or where they're coming from anyway.
While we're talking statistics, I do notice that I've had an increase in posts every year, topping 2008's 94 posts with 104 in 2009. I kind of doubt I'll post more than that this year. Mind you, I'd have said the same thing last January too, especially after we just had twins. But here we are.
Mostly I keep coming back because
a) I like to articulate or share thoughts if people care to listen,
b) I like to hear back from you people,
c) its a fun way to keep track of thoughts, movies seen, music & books, and
d) to keep track of and interact with you.
So here's to 2010 and the new decade (whatever it's called)!
And here's to us (whoever we are)! I really am humbled by your readership, but more than that by your friendship and presence in my life, however you choose to interact. Thanks.
. . . And now I have that dirty taste in my mouth like when I've looked at church attendance charts, demographic target groups, and growth projections. Eghad! Let's concern ourselves with quality rather than quantity, shall we?
And all God's people said: "Amen."
Sunday reading
18 hours ago
15 comments:
Are those your unique visits or total hits? Very different numbers.
Funny that looking at this stuff makes you never want to see it again, I love these kind of stats. Direct is anyone who came straight here, so I come here from my favorites list every day, that's Direct.
Your blog is insightful and relevant and willing to talk about things in ways many won't. You deserve the readers you have and more.
Thanks. I'll strive for that, and look forward to more chat with you Tanti!
I think the visits are total hits. I actually kind of love these kinds of stats too, but more when it has to do with other people. When it comes to my own stuff I just feel like I either avoid it awkwardly or ridiculously obsess about it. Thus, opting for the former. I suppose when one ventures one's thoughts or arts into public, and considers even making a living at it, then one needs to find a healthier balance between those two. That might be worth striving for.
Just for the sake of it, I'll be the jerk who says this. 2010 is the last year of this decade, not the first year of the next ;). And yes, keep posting, lots. I love your blog. I also love that I'm posting this in the tub on my iPod :).
Working at a LIbrary for 5 months gave me an overdose of statistics. But I am also glad to have the experience.
Usually internet stats are really unreliable. (p.s.) Still, though they are a ballpark for sure. Congrats on all the decades, and visits, and all that.
Im glad that my blog helps people get to your blog.
Colin, I think I disagree. Ín 2000 the decade was in its first year, was it not? Thus 09 its last, so that when it hits 2010 it has reached 10 and now is into a new 10? Am I wrong?
Forrest: Stats in the library? Do they keep track of most-checked out book and such? They should!
Back to Colin: Posting from the tub? Wow! Not sure I want to visualize that, but I imagine it is a first. Just be careful: I dropped my ipod in the toilet once.
The first decade was 0-9, then 10-19, then 20-29 etc... Not sure what Colin is talking about. Probably affected by your prune hands, "well you know my name is Colin, and I like to do drawrings"
That would have been awesome to be alive in year one, and to have been calling it zero all that time.
Statistics: hard, reliable machine-spunk.
People can count to -I can't remember- maybe seven, and everything after that lacks meaning. Some philosopher's idea. But surely 22,721 is meaningless.
I think we like those statistics because they expand our consciousness a little. We see things like a machine. But it lends itself to in-authenticity, because machines are inauthentic.
I'm way over my head.
Just throwing in my two cents and trying to say more than the usual "great post!"
Great post!
Ha, awesome. Numbers are so abstract, and yet we use them to motivate. I like what you've said here about machinery of inauthenticity (though I had to read it twice).
I always wonder whether to bother saying "great post!" or just leave it unsaid, when I have nothing other than that to say. I have said "great post" often enough that I'm beginning to err on the side of silence in theses cases, lest the words cease to have meaning.
Anyway, great comment!
happy 2010 jon. i love your blog. you're a great blogger, but also a great commenter on other blogs, i think (a seldom lauded but truly rich gift). i have lots of people asking "who's jon coutts, anyway?" okay, not lots, but some.
anyways, keep blogging. my favorite posts of 2009: no crying he makes (bad words ii), out of the comfortable quiver, and guilt.
The year zero? You're kidding right? There was no year zero, only 1BC then 1AD. All decades begin with one and end with ten.
yeah i'm kidding about year zero colin. but i hadn't really fully taken into account your 1BC-1AD comment. its a good point you are making there. hmmm. but i think at some point we have to let 1 mean the end of one, whether that does injustice to the back-count to the first century or not.
FreeWay: favorite posts! cool. i often can not resist commenting, and am so often the only one who does, i wonder if i say too much. glad someone is not opposed to it. i actually wish i could see more comments on others blogs, and figure someone has to say something, even if it is just to acknowledge reading it and give a gut reaction!
Freeway: do I know you? I'm flabbergasted by my inability to place you.
Don't know the pastor of the FreeWay in Oshawa? :)
Sorry, I had logged in under my work email. It's me, Dale.
ah yes
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