Like many bloggers I pimp my site a little: pro-actively trying to reach a larger audience. Sites like Blog Explosion get me quite a few hits, as does commenting on other sites that I find interesting. However, the majority of visits to the blog come from Google, and its been quite interesting monitoring the statistics to see how people find my posts.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to see the search-term used when a hit comes through Google Images, but here are some examples of web searches that often find me:
- Dave Licence - before I started blogging, a search on my name would only have returned you with instructions on how to install a piece of software onto your Macintosh. The same search today will return my sites first, although this blog has actually dropped to third for some reason (see my conspiracy theory below). Unfortunately, a search for David Licence only returns my LinkedIn profile in third place.
- Delice de France (DdF) - ever since my piece on DdF's mediocre sandwiches a search on their name returned this site in second place, directly after the company homepage. This was a real hit-spinner, getting me at least one visitor a day. However, just before writing this post I noticed that I have completely disappeared from the results. Is this simply because the item is now too old, or (as I like to believe) an insidious conspiracy between DdF and Google to stop people thinking about where their food comes from? I'm secretly hoping that this post gets me back in the running.
- Donnington 2007 gp photo (plus many other combinations of MotoGP favourites) - another good source of hits is my series of photos from the Donnington MotoGP race at the end of June.
- Boat Jumble - an interesting one: I can't imagine what people are really looking for when entering this search, and my item only just makes the first page of results, but I still get several hits a week out of it.
16 comments:
Dave;
Congratulations on making it to this milestone, I love the title of this article!
I want to publicly thank you for your kindness in helping me improve my blogs at various times.
We have never met in person but you have extended the hand of friendship on more than one occasion, I believe this speaks well of you as a gracious host of your blog but more importantly as to your fine character.
The algorithms of Google at times seem to enter into the realm of “ethereal” at times. I like you have had similar experiences. It amazes me the things people plug into Google and how it got to my blog! Often I think how shocking it must be for the person looking for something not at all about what Google sends them to my page for…but then sometimes they stay for 30 minutes! Then again I have done the same thing!
Your photography speaks for itself, the quality is excellent, and this is by far my favorite photo blog. I also very much also enjoy your descriptions and comments, and the way you delicately infuse humour into your words.
About the Delice de France-Google conspiracy…it may be a little risky to say…but I don’t think it is Google…think about it…who seems to get blamed for every conspiracy these days? :p
Here is an interactive opportunity for you, getting people to visit your blog is one thing, getting them to keep coming back is another, but how do you grow their comments?
Your fan and guest number 4,941
4,944
4,950
I’m hoping for a free compliment if I am guest number 5,000!
Hi LS, thanks for the kind words once again - I always look forward to your comments.
5000 is not far away - you could nab it yet!
4,958. F5, F5, F5......!
Interestingly, most of my interesting visits come either from your blog or, more recently, from someone who i'm sure is my ex-girlfriend stalking me.
Quite pleased I got a hit from a Canadian searching on "things that should be done in twenties" though :)
curses! 4960! (making mental note to check back every half hour muhahaha)
I get the absolutely weirdest hits from google searches... Like the word
"buttstack" - it gives my blog top priority.... insane!
Arggghhh!
4,989!!!!
Almost there…
Neil;
Canadians are very strange….hmmm….I don’t think I did that search.
4,993…
…a hush falls over the audience as the moment of 5000 creeps over the horizon…
4,995…and I have to leave my computer…oh well I’ll try at 10,000!
By the way Neil I think I have done that Google search, it must be part of our national identity, eh.
5,001!!!!
I can’t believe it!
So close yet so far…
Almost!
Looks like 5000 went to someone in Nebraska, but they're shy.
5006! gah!
5073, if someone is still counting.
If you want your counter to notice hits from Google images search maybe you should try Google Analytics.
It has done a great job for me, but some people just don't like it.
So I come by and the number counter is gone! Just a big X where it used to be, very unseemly.
Did we blow it up?
Do you have start counting from zero again?
Or did “Nebraska” win it and take it home to put on their site as a trophy…
Huh. Sometimes Sitemeter does seem to take a while to load the counter so it doesn't appear. Not sure if it counts the hit in that case. Probably not.
Marko - thanks for the link. Google Analytics looks a bit over the top for what I need though. Sitemeter does count a hit when someone gets here from Google Images, it just doesn't capture the search term used properly.
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