My 'hit' counter provider gives me a day-by-day and week-by-week analysis of how many people visit my blog, and every so often I look at the figures to see what sort of posts generate the most interest. Today's analysis looks like this:
The big peak last week coincides with my blog entry about the CAVALIER wargames show (this blog entry has actually been visited over 500 times to date) ... and looking back my blog entries about the wargames shows I have been to and the places of military interest that I have visited consistently get more hits that almost anything else. The exceptions to this are my battle reports, which also seem to attract lots of hits.
The less 'popular' blog entries seem to be those of a more whimsical nature and those about wargame design. Whereas the former does not surprise me, the latter does a bit. That said, these are the sorts of blog entries that attract the most comments ... so whilst I am not able to please all of my regular blog readers all of the time, I must be pleasing some of them for some of the time!
The big peak last week coincides with my blog entry about the CAVALIER wargames show (this blog entry has actually been visited over 500 times to date) ... and looking back my blog entries about the wargames shows I have been to and the places of military interest that I have visited consistently get more hits that almost anything else. The exceptions to this are my battle reports, which also seem to attract lots of hits.
The less 'popular' blog entries seem to be those of a more whimsical nature and those about wargame design. Whereas the former does not surprise me, the latter does a bit. That said, these are the sorts of blog entries that attract the most comments ... so whilst I am not able to please all of my regular blog readers all of the time, I must be pleasing some of them for some of the time!
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The largest day of viewing on my blog was when you and "Battle Game of the Month" mentioned my blog. My views jumped to over 200 in one day. My normal is somewhere around 10. Not a big crowd pleaser and probably a waste of my time, but it gets information about Peter Laings out there. And, like yours, my battle reports get the most hits.
ReplyDeleteJohn
Jhnptrqn,
ReplyDeleteI think that if you mention someone's blog on your own blog, it is good practice to add a hotlink so that blog readers can follow the link. It sounds as if it has worked in your case ... which is excellent news!
I would love it if Peter Laing figures were still in production as I suspect that I would be buying them by the box load!
All the best (and keep up the good work),
Bob
Bob
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the counter picks up the RSS feed links too, but I read every entry in your blog through my email client - to make a comment I follow the web link but fortunately for the planet I don't always have a whole lot to say, or I lack the time, or I just plain bite my tongue... some have described my sense of humour as challenging!
Ah well, keep it up.
Regards
Arthur,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if that particular 'hit' counter counts RSS feeds as well ... but I suspect not. That may well account in part for the difference in total 'hits' between the two 'hit' counters I have on my blog.
I always look forward to your comments, so keep 'em coming!
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteYour visit and show accounts presumably attract interest from those who could not attend; your battle reports are always entertaining to read.
I suppose not everyone is interested in wargame design, but those of us who are will be more likely to comment/contribute to the discussion than on the 'eye candy' from the visits/shows.
Of course, one can draw false conclusions from statistics: I once 'proved' to one of my maths classes, by means of a scattergraph of their results, that their hair colour was a predictor of their exam marks! I had to explain to one girl that she would be wasting her time buying hair dye...
Regards,
Arthur
Arthur1815,
ReplyDeleteAs the Internet and blogs lend themselves to visual rather than text-based communication, I suspect that as a result my picture-heavy blog entries - such as my wargame show reports and battle reports - are always going to be more popular.
Wargame design is not a topic that many wargamers seem to be very interested in. (I still get the odd comment or two along the following lines: 'Why don't you use X rules for your wargaming? They are really good, very accurate, and the best ever, and then you won't have to waste your time writing your own.') That said, wargamers who are interested in wargame design do seem more likely to write comments than those who are not.
I am always careful about using statistics to support - or refute - an argument, but in this instance the statistics seem to indicate certain trends.
All the best,
Bob
Of course, some of us are regular readers and visit every post. For me, the battle reports are probably the most fun, while the rules ones are often the most thought-provoking (and the non-wargaming ones tell us a little about you and your part of the world and such, making things a little more personal and friendly). I guess some people don't realize writing/designing rules can be fun, too. :)
ReplyDeleteBut that's one of the attractions of the wargaming hobby - many different aspects to pick and choose from. To take another example, some people are not into the painting and some get more enjoyment and satisfaction from it. I'm in the latter camp, but I can see why some people might not enjoy it and prefer to either pay others to paint for them, buy pre-painted figures, or do the quickest easiest job they can. Or even play with unpainted miniatures.
p.s. I read blogs from "feedly", a blog "reader", and usually only click to go to the blog itself if I'm planning on commenting. I wonder if things like feedly (and other blog readers) show as hits.
ReplyDeleteI am sometimes perplexed not only at the disconnect between hits and comments, even allowing for those feeds that don't show but also at my inability to predict which posts will gather the most attention, not just initially but over time.
ReplyDeleteAs long as someone bothers to drop by I figure I'll just please myself. Doesn't stop me from periodically poking my nose into the stats though.
Carry on sir!
Bob, Thank you for the suggestion to have hotlink to other blogs. I have been working on trying to figure it out for the last 2 hours. I got one done and will try to add them for now on.
ReplyDeleteJohn
Fitz-Badger,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have summed up very well my personal view about blogging ... and I share your view about the hobby being something whose varied aspects we can all enjoy in our own different way.
All the best,
Bob
Fitz-Badger,
ReplyDeleteSince the demise of Google Reader I also follow blogs using Feedly … and I am not sure that reading a blog via an RSS feed (or something similar) actually registers on a ‘hit’ counter.
I suspect that it does not.
All the best,
Bob
Ross Mac,
ReplyDeleteI suspect that predicting what people will find interesting and what they will not – other than battle reports which are always a big hit! – is like trying to estimate range in a Fletcher Pratt Naval Wargame. Sometimes you will be way out … and on other occasions you will be deadly accurate!
All the best,
Bob
PS. As long as you keep writing your blog, I for one will keep on reading it!
Jhnptrqn (John),
ReplyDeleteLike riding a bicycle, once you have mastered the art of adding hotlinks to your blog, you will find it difficult to stop!
All the best,
Bob