It’s a little later than everyone else’s annual report, but I finally received mine this morning. I was one of the unlucky ones, originally left out of the annual report round and feeling very much like the kid no one picked for their sports team. However, I sent a query to WordPress, et voilà! They sent me a note back within a couple of days to tell me my annual report was now available. Squeaky wheel and all that…
It’s funny how blogging changes your perceptions of being published. When I was a journalist, I worked for several publications that sold more than 500,000 copies each time they were published. Potentially, that was around 1.25 million people who might read each article I wrote (in those days, for print editions in mass media, statistics apparently showed that you multiplied sales by 2.5 to get numbers of readers).
Now as a blogger, I’m ecstatic if I get 100 views in a day. I know the blog will keep growing, and I actually don’t mind that it’s not followed by, say, 5000 people. I quite like this little club, as I’ve come to think of it.
So thanks to everyone for reading, for your kind and informative comments, and for your own amazingly interesting posts.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,500 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.
Caron – So glad you got your stats finally! How annoying it took a while. And I know what you mean about feeling content even with a smaller number of views. In my experience, the best blogs are those such as your own, where the blogger is more interested in the quality of the posts, and in the conversation they generate, than in number of ‘hits.’
Thank you. Yes, I agree: like anything worth doing, it’s better if you love it.
Yes, perceptions alter. Much of our mass circulation readership was little more than an abstraction. Blog stats, OTOH, represent real engagement. Ain’t it fun?
Best fun I’ve had in ages, Kenny! You were the one who inspired me to start blogging, because you enjoyed it so much.
Congratulations on a great year! Hope 2014’s even better!
Good on you Caron…I must ask for my annual report now…..seems I’ve been forgotten..Ah well, 2014 is looking great!
Yes, it seems that if you ask, you shall receive.