Towards the end of January 2016, I’ll have blogged daily, sometimes more than once, for four years. Hard to believe. While I started out with only writing, sometimes with photos borrowed (with attribution or permission) from the internet, my blogs moved now to mostly photos. I’m trying to bring back more of a balance, but we’ll see how that goes.
Anyway, it’s interested me to see which posts are the most popular, so I waded through the stats pages to find the following.
The most viewed in one day post, as I linked it to something on FB, was a grammar post I titled “The drop of an “at.” When I saw it had garnered 473 views, pushing my total for that day to 598, I couldn’t believe it. Unfortunately, most of the viewers didn’t bother to “like” or comment, but it still made me feel good. Total views of that post have been 823.
My most liked post was a Weekly Photo Challenge shot, “Depth…water droplet. This has been viewed 384 times and reached 254 likes. Will I ever be able to top that? I don’t know, but I’ll keep trying.
But sometimes a post takes on a life of its own. My post with the most staying power and overall views, is one I did back on December 9, 2012: Story of Stalin’s war…Al Stewart’s Roads to Moscow. I didn’t have many followers then and the original post only got 16 likes and 4 comments, two of which were probably mine. But with a persistence which continually surprises me, this post has been viewed 1,595 times!! Rarely a day goes by without a view (no likes or comments) and I just shake my head and smile. Who’s viewing this and why don’t they respond? Is it linked somewhere obscure, somewhere that people find and then come to my post. I Googled “Al Stewart’s Road’s to Moscow” and didn’t find it. But when I put in “Stalin’s War, Al Stewart”, my link came up first! 🙂
Thanks for “listening” to my ramblings and for being a follower of my blog…or at least a reader. I love meeting and talking with people from all over the world via my blog (and theirs) and even meeting some of them. I also love finding out what you’re doing and thinking via your blogs, although I can’t begin to regularly get to as many as I’d like and still have any sort of non-computer life.
Speaking of non-computer life, I’m out of here and into the real world. 🙂 See you soon! If you go over to view the Story of Stalin’s War, “like” (if you do) and comment. It will change everything. And do take time to listen to the song. It’s wonderfully sad.
It’s always interesting to see what pops up to be a winner.
Very true, Dan. Someone views that post almost every day, which really amuses me. Just wish a few of them would comment on it, but I have no idea where they’re finding it or what’s going on.
janet
two of my posts that get constant views are a book review of Mitch Albom’s “The First Phone Call from Heaven,” and a post in which i ranked the Disney princesses from my least to most favorite. probably the one time i was Freshly Pressed exceeds those in total views, but that’s only because of the FP thing as opposed to people finding it on their own without help from wordpress.
Freshly Pressed can surely make a difference. I had one post talking about a movie about the myths surrounding pit bulls, which I shared with our rescue group. The woman who runs the group shared it and had hundreds of views on that one.
Disney princesses? 🙂
janet
http://brainsnorts.com/2013/08/03/the-princesses-2/
i guess everyone wants to be a princess, or know one, or dress their kid as one.
🙂 Guess I missed out on that gene.
there are more important things out there
Seriously??? 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Rich. I always enjoy and appreciate your visits.
janet
Hadn’t heard that song. Year of the Cat was so overplayed back in the day that I cringed everytime I turned the radio on. Now it’s become a familiar favorite. Funny how that works. But I’m surprised the Road to Moscow wasn’t better received. I enjoyed the melody. Hope you find your devoted listener 🙂
I love the minor key as well as the sad story. “Year of the Cat” was certainly overplayed but AS has some great songs.
janet
What an accomplishment, Janet. I look forward to your posts every day. 🙂
Lisa, thanks very much. That’s a comment I treasure.
janet
Hi, Janet. I like this analysis of your blog posts. I have made some superficial attempts, but nothing serious. You have inspired me for my next project after NaNo.
On a side note, I can’t seem to get your link to the Stalin story to work. The “At” post, however, linked just fine.
Ω
Thanks, Allan. I’m just getting ready to go into work, so tonight I’ll try to fix the link.
janet
I’ll check back. My curiosity is aroused.
Ω
Allan, I just re-did the link, tried it, and it worked. Let me know what you think.
janet
I just noticed that on my “Stats” page, “Story of Stalin’s War” kept have views, even though I never heard from anyone. I didn’t really explore the amazing totals until I was writing this post.
It is so random isn’t it? I also wonder why so many people look and never bother to comment. Why not? Is there some impediment to doing so? Are they afraid they will attract attention to themselves? Wish I could figure it out!
I try to comment on the blogs I read if at all possible. Sometimes I just don’t have time, but I “like” then to show I’m there. A blog has to really be bad or offensive for me to leave without one of those (or off-topic, if it’s in response to a challenge.)
janet
Yes, it’s definitely challenging to keep up with the reading, but I agree…it’s great to leave a comment if you can! We all put ourselves out there and it’s nice to know someone is tuning in 🙂
Good post, interesting “ramblings”, Lynn
Lynn, thanks for taking the time to read and comment. That’s always appreciated.
janet
I’ve only occasionally checked the weekly or yearly views. But never really analyzed individual posts. I did get Freshly Pressed and that was huge. One post got viewed over 2,000 times and hundreds of comments. Amazing…I could watch the number increase that very day. It was astonishing. But it is a fascinating exercise to see what posts draw people to your blog. It’s a great exercise for a wintery day.
Alas, I’ve never been Freshly Pressed, but I enjoy the followers I do have. Most of them follow and are never seen or heard from again, but the others, such as you, bring such joy to my life.
janet
The whole blogging life is a mixed wonderland. Meeting people like you and building a community are some of the pleasures received.
Right back at you, Sally.
janet
I always wonder too, especially when I look at the countries of origin, just who are these people? What are they like? How did they end up at my blog?
It is all pretty heady, pretty incredible, is it not?
Never a dull moment, Julie. Most followers disappear into the ether, but those who don’t, are those I cherish. Thanks for being part of that group.
janet
Awww. Wow. What a nice thing to hear. THANK YOU, Janet. 🙂
Interesting! I never thought to look at some of those stats. It does make you wonder. Maybe there are busy readers and feel like they have no time to comment, or, maybe they cannot think of anything original to say?
If someone likes the post but doesn’t care to comment, I don’t mind, but a “like” would give me feedback. I do try to comment as often as possible, but time doesn’t always allow it.
janet
Agree. It does give you a hint at least that they enjoyed the post:)
🙂 Isn’t it amazing how some posts get viewed over and over again and you never expected anything big to come out of it when you posted it?
Congratulations!
Have a very HAPPY week 🙂
You never know, that’s for sure. Thanks and enjoy your week as well.
janet
You can be sure we’ll be enjoying everything you share in the years ahead, Janet!
It will be my pleasure to come up with things for you to enjoy and to enjoy what you have to share.
janet
Congratulations! I will be reaching five years at the end of January. It is amazing and addicting. But I’m glad I found my passion! 🙂 You too!
Congratulations to you, too, Nicole. My husband and younger daughter urged me to blog and now I can’t imagine not doing so. My world would be so much less without the people I meet through blogging.
janet
Me too Janet! 🙂 I’m so glad I have my blogging world! 🙂
Congrats on your successes, Janet. Very well deserved!
Hi Janet,
I followed your links to Roads to Moscow–what an interesting, sad story, and so poignantly rendered by Al Stewart. Horrible to read of the treatment of those soldiers who returned and were sent to the camps instead of their homes. War does terrible things to the minds of men. Congratulations on all those views–most impressive. Looking forward to reading many more of your posts.
Vb, I was happy to see a post by you recently. Thanks for coming by today and for checking the link. I had heard the song but didn’t know until recently that Stalin had soldiers who were held by the Germans, even for a short while, sent to camps or killed, in case they’d been traitors. He was an evil man and it’s a shame we had to work with him to stop Hitler. Stalin was as bad or worse, killing millions of his own people.
janet