Blogging Statistics

Ummm.

Once I have enough subscribers, I may display my subscriber stats…

Posts about blog statistics? Well, if I’m seeking specific information (how many visitors can a fiction blog aspire to?) I might read it. Otherwise… skim straight over it while yawning vociferously.

When I visit a new blog I check out the comments health first to work out if the site is popular or not. If there is a robust conversation going on then I think in my own opinion that site is alive.

I have a nice amount of subscribers according to my plugin that looks at that type of stuff but I doubt that they all comment, in fact I know a lot of them don’t but I wish they would.

I like a bit of interactivity.

So stats are just numbers and I pay them little attention - but that’s just me.

I only look up the stats of a blog when I intend to advertise on it on entrecard. very simple stats actually: popularity, price and alexa rank. I disregard those stats when it comes to advertising on my friends’ sites.

But generally, i don’t judge a blog by its stats. I look at the content. My site is basically new and was even down for three weeks (or a total of 57 live days from Feb 19 up to today) so I don’t have the stats to boast of.

As to the others bragging about their stats, it actually depends. If you’re blogging full time in the “make money online” category and you’re flaunting your $1k per month earning. Some people might even laugh at you and say, “Go get a full time job.”

I do not look at the stats of a blog because I am looking at their information. I do not care if they are new or not, I like to give all an equal opportunity for a view. We all work hard at getting noticed on the web.

I recently added a page for my stats, so I probably don’t need to write about them again. I do find them interesting but I know that not everyone does. I think they’re a good way to reflect on how a site is progressing, especially if they can be linked back to things that might have affected the stats. e.g. if focusing on high quality content generates more comments and/or subscribers, that’s a really good thing to see.

Being only a reader I pay no attention at all to what’s on the sides of the blog. I read the post and if I like what I read I’ll check out the comments. If there’s a conversation that I feel comfortable joining then I’ll do that. If the post is REALLY interesting me, I’ll check the previous posts as well. There’s been a couple of blogs that I got hooked on enough to read the entire archive. All without giving a hoot about stats. I’m here purely for the entertainment. A good side effect is a feeling of being welcome, maybe even of belonging.

Naomi - I keep thinking that. When I get ENOUGH subscribers I *might* display a widget. Have no idea what ENOUGH entails though. And I’m always worried about good old feedburner showing a zero as it has a tendency to do from time to time.

Lee - you have a plug in for this???? Not that I’m interested of course. (*whistles innocently).

ceblogger - I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind a $1000 a month income. But I get what you’re saying. When it comes to entrecard advertising, I tend to be a bit hit and miss. Hadn’t thought about stats for that kind of thing.

Linda - I think that is a nice way of approaching a blog.

Ben - I haven’t seen you write actual “stats” posts though, more add them to a wrap-up post. I find this more bearable than regular posts just for stats. But then, I’m not really a “stats” person so perhaps those kinds of posts appeal to people that aren’t like me.

River - you are a treasure. I should care less about the stats than I do. Although it has been argued in recent times that more “transparency” is needed in blogging. But perhaps it’s only a select few that simply want to compare, rather than regular readers who are simply interested in good content.

P.S. River - you HAVE to look in my sidebar. I added this really cool tag cloud and it’s all red on the blue and looks really groovy!!!! LOL.

Hi Lightening, I really don’t understand why some bloggers do a post that gives their monthly earnings. It just doesn’t feel right to me, and I don’t read them. Is it bragging rights? I don’t know. Yawn…

I also don’t pay attention to the subscriber widget numbers on blogs, as I know those can be faked rather easily. I’m looking at content, comments, audacity and passion in the writing, not numbers shown on the sidebar widget.

I do use Woopra and the stats are interesting to review, but the results and information I gather I choose to keep to myself.

Hi Lin,
I’m not that familiar with Woopra. Is that a paid stats program?

I’ve been thinking about the whole “earnings stats” and those that are like $1.43 and stuff I quite like. Gives me a good laugh and makes me feel better that I’m not the only one.

LOL yeah I use Feedstats - I don’t know how accurate it is but it gives you a general yardstick I guess. Even if it doesn’t count everything I think it’s nice to underestimate

Not that we care about such things.

When I visit blogs and see their rankings, such as this Blog, and income reports it catches my attention where I am into Affiliate Marketing and Blogging. I read up on what methods and programs they use to be at the level they are at. I know everybody has different degrees of success but one or combination of methods will help me with my blog.

Lee - Thanks for that.

Gord - Thanks for adding your thoughts to the discussion. It’s great to get all different viewpoints. I agree that other people’s stats can be a useful tool at times.

Hey lightening. How’s it going?
I personally dont publish my blog earnings or stats or anything like that at all. I thinkt he reason being is that when I go to blogs that do that I think SO WHAT. or and this is the skeptic in me, any 13 yr old with photoshop can doctor images, bad huh!!.
Seriously though. I blog to help others not to promote my bank account. I could tell you that I bought a house because of my earnings and that it will pay the mortgage. (true? only I know), but how would that help YOU, the blogger that that is trying to put food in their kids mouth. It doesnt. So I dont do that. Instead I publish content that shows people how to do something to change the consition of their lives, which I think is far more helpful.

Hey Shane. Thanks so much for dropping by. You make a great point there. Content should really be about the READERS as much (if not more than) the blogger (with the exception of personal blogs I guess). Thanks for contributing to the discussion. I hope you choose to do so again in the future.