Ever since I was a kid I have enjoyed spotting the fake in a picture. Whether it was looking for “Where’s Waldo” or better yet an optical illusion. For example, does anyone remember those MAD Magazine “Fold-In” features on the back cover? They were so awesome. When you looked at the picture it looked like something normal and harmless like the Statue of liberty, but after you followed the “fold-in” directions, you were shocked to see something different altogether.
Well, that’s what this post is about: looking at traffic on your blog in a whole new way. Since
analyzing data is a big part of what I do for a living, I am an elementary school teacher, I have a lot of experience with averages, means, outliers, irrelevant data, and anomalies (note that word, it is verrrrrry important to blog analysis). What I set out to do here is show the stuff that counts in your stats and not just high numbers. It has been said that higher numbers will get your ads clicked more … in my experience? No. (I have had stretches where my blog was averaging 800 visits a day and still only minimal clicks on Adsense). And, from the people I talk to, I am not alone in this knowledge. SO … what does it all mean and how can I use my traffic stats to help me earn money and real, “staying,” subscribers? These things take time like muscle growth for the body. After more than a year at this stuff, here’s my fifty cents (scroll past the computer):
- Pamphlet services only drive-by, or click-by, traffic. Let me explain. A real estate agent is new to a neighborhood. He has no leads because no one knows him. He makes pamphlets with his best picture, offers free stuff, and he follows up. Is there anyone who hasn’t received this stuff on her/his doorstep? This creates interest and what I call “pamphlet traffic.” Nonetheless, the potential client will not be hooked in unless he/she makes a positive connection and like the person. Put this in the perspective of “pamphlet traffic” generating services like Entrecard … etc. These are not good or bad for a blog but they will only produce a lasting reader if the reader does more than click on the Entrecard E. Because this sort of marketing takes a long time, is it your best time spent looking for subscribers? and/or readers? The 20-30 minutes (or even hours sometimes) I have spent dropping Entrecards could have been better spent I think. Let me go on to show how.
- Knowing your stats is helpful. Watching your analytics helps you gauge your progress as a blogger. Get a good stats provider and set monthly goals for your blog. The can be as big as or as small as you hope to achieve. You can get progress meters to show off your goals publicly and you can do periodic series to share with your readers what is working for you. Through time, I have narrowed my three priorities for Postcards from the Funny Farm down to:
a. Traffic
b. Publishing -and-
c. money. Every month you’ll find me reflecting on my goals and setting new ones. - Spend the most time of your day on your own blog, but THEN Bloghopping. Use your own favorites and blogroll to get out there and really read with a cup of coffee. Dialog between blogger is what makes it an amazing viral writing phenomena. If people like your writing they will return but if they like your writing AND they feel a connection to you as the writer, they will never leave!
On a very reduced scale, I have become famous and “hit it big” with my blog finally. I set a gaol last month to make $100 and I surpassed it (it is still surpassing). I set a goal for a certain amount of visitors and so far I am set to surpass it. I set a goal to guest blog on 5 blogs this month and I have surpassed it. So, … in my eyes, the only eyes that can matter to a serious blogger, I am the big time baby! Of course I am being glib, but you should be excited when you meet your own goals, otherwise you’ll never know what to measure success by! Last: remember that a lot of traffic or rank doesn’t always mean people are reading and retunring. That is what it takes to make money. Kep that in the back of your mind when you have a really high traffic day … or DESOLATELY LOW ONE! On those days just imagine that each of your “80″ for example uniques could end up being your subscriber/reader for life ;)
Any questions? I promise to answer them all.
9 Comments
That is a great perspective on both your goals and the importance of each visitor. Even on the low traffic days, there is the opportunity there to find a new gem of a reader that becomes an active part of your community and possibly even a friend.
You can drive yourself nutty trying to constantly compare yourself to others, which is why I admire your outlook on “hitting it big” and reaching your goals. When you reach your goals, it is a moment to embrace and enjoy as you have a significant accomplishment. Thanks Damien!
Thanks Derek, that is some great and encouraging input!
Glad to see someone speaking of the importance of setting goals. It really goes to show that if you set goals, then you can be rewarded.
These types of posts really inspire me to get going and get out there! Thanks for the encouragement to become a better blogger!
I’m going to start making more goals for myself.
In this one you also made me see how I should be viewing Entrecard…I liked the site but was kinda confused as to how it was supposed to work. It’s all about dropping those pamphlets! Thanks (:
katelynn: yes yes. I like it too, but it has to be prioritized in your schedule. I have a hunch very few go around on there looking to actually read your stuff. But I want to be careful to judge all … after all, I use the service occasionally.
Great tips for converting that traffic to making money. Mine is a little different since I want to sell them a home outside of the web, but yet many of the tactics can still apply.
Hey thank you much. I try to look out for these things, some work, soe don’t but I’m always keeping my eyes open. I appreciate your comments and will hope to read more from you in future.
Great article. Especially if you have a ‘product’ or ’service’ for direct sale online.
Definite B2C strategy. This works for protion and sales and is an example of perfect partnership.
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[...] Furthermore, I decided to pull way back from Entrecard. The reason for this is that I was getting a lot of hits from them, over 60% of all! These hits produced some new contacts and readers, but mostly the bounce rate of my visitors went to 100%. I want the hits to reflect real readers as much as possible. I talked about this in a post in more detail last month here. [...]
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