Saturday 24 August 2013

Happy Blogday! (Cake and Prizes!)

Today is the first anniversary of the launch of this blog.

Some Retrospection

I signed up for blogging because I wanted to do something creative and at the time was in a position where I thought I might be loosing some practice at expressing myself (that sounds rather mid-life-crisisy, but it wasn't).

I've had a look at what I was doing last year.  My initial post still stands true - to be frank I didn't know what I was going to blog about, whether anyone would read it and how long I would stick with it.  I still don't have a theme. The surprising thing is that in the week between the launch and the end of Aug 2012, made no less than 20 posts (and in that week I got 122 hits).  Reading those posts now, they seem a better mix that those I've been posting lately.  There are quite a few 'I've just come across this, and isn't it cool?' posts alongside more prepared thought-out ones.  I may go back to that pattern - it's more fun.

By September, I thought I needed to create a timetable for posts.  It's just as well that I said then that I probably wouldn't be keeping to it, 'cos I haven't!  But a bit of discipline wouldn't be too bad a thing.  There's been a lack of substance lately...

This brings me to...

Stats

This is the 225th published post.

As of 9:05 on 24 Aug 2013, I have had 22,427 hits, which is a number I would have been amazed at a year ago.  If it hadn't been this anniversary today, I would have posted on yesterday's landmark of 22,222 hits!




As you can see, the busiest month was May 2013, with 3,359 hits.  I put that down to being added to the blog rolls of some high-traffic sites - thanks for following guys, I hope you're enjoying the ride!

The busiest day was 2 Jun 2012, when  I had 314 hits.  However, unless there's a huge Eastern European interest in hetrodox bishops of the Church of England, I suspect that this was the result of one of those strange Russian websites that direct traffic to random sites for some reason.  Judge for yourself whether Renn Dickson Hampden deserves his spot in the blog's top ten visited posts...  [It's about time we got another dead bishop.  Any requests?].

Popular Posts...


1176

632

565








6 Dec 2012
540








516








361








337








242








219








214









My post on the Prince of Wales is twice as popular as any other one.  Why?   And why is that second one the post on the Duke and Duchess of Kent?

Prizes!

As well as being the blog's birthday, it's also my mother-in-law's birthday, my brother's and mine.  By a momentous coincidence, it's also my 13th Wedding Anniversary!  Yay!

To mark these great events, there will be a prize give-away (and yes, The Wife won the big prize, all those years ago).  Details are not certain at the time of writing, but will be announced within a day or so of this post going up.  Keep your eyes peeled!  I know of at least three giveaways going on at the moment, so I don't apologise if this one is postponed a little

And now over to you...

I've found blogging a rewarding experience and come across some really nice people through it.  There does seem to be a sense of community in the blogosphere (dreadful word).

If you have something you want to contribute, please do put it in the comments section.  It's nice to know whose out there and what you think.  If you like something, tell me so and (crowd-pleaser that I am), you might see more of it!  Don't feel left out because 'all the usual suspects' are chipping in.

20 comments:

  1. Happy blogday, birthday and anniversary! :)

    We'll have to see what we can do to boost your followers

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    1. Thank you Tamsin.

      Wasn't it you who posted BOOBIES!!! to see where the stats went? :lol:

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  2. happy anniversary that is some impressive stats.

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  3. Congrats on 1 year and still enjoying it!

    The Prince of Wales post might be the most visited because of the title, maybe a popular internet search? Or a particular picture?

    Sometimes I get heavy traffic from a picture.. one of my posts 'I like Stupid Things' was getting a massive amount of visits, I suspected it was the funny demotivational picture, so when I took it down from clickable uploaded to cut & paste, the visits went back to normal rate. I guess I should have left it if just wanted stats, but if they don't represent interested-views, then no real point right? It can be odd & fun to find what people like to see most, but those russian redirect traffic sites are annoying. don't click on them or they'll never leave you alone.

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    Replies
    1. Well, I must admit I do always try to put a nice picture in - merely because I know that's one thing that attracts me to a blog.

      The PoW post attracts those interested in Princes William and Henry (a big female internet following) and the remaining Diana freaks.

      When the new prince's name was announced, I saw hits go up for Prince George of Kent.

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    2. The post where I mentioned I was getting varifocals and a few housekeeping things has surprising traffic - I put that down to the cartoon of Benjamin Franklin.

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  4. Happy Bloggiversary. I can never figure out why things get the hits that they do. My Post Apocalypse posts seem to get regular traffic and they are not all that interesting.

    I try to post every two to three days just to keep the views on an even keel. Some posts are "ooh check this out, some are semi tutorial, and many are handwringing.

    Ultimately write about what interests you and like minded individuals will flock to your banner.

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    Replies
    1. Quite right - 'be true to yourself' etc.

      Thanks Sean.

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  5. Thank you, very kind to say so...

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  6. Well, that's a bit of a busy day eh? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!/blog anniversary and also to your mother-in-law (I hated mine) and your kid (as they say round here).

    I think these blogs are very personal things and each one has its own character so write what you feel you want to and the readers and followers will come. A bit like 'Field of Dreams', but without the ghosts and no baseball.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      It better be a sight better than 'Field of Dreams'!

      Our Kid had a good day too...

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  7. Happy blogaversary! keep up the varied and interesting posts. I too enjoy looking at the stats on occasion. it seems that the country that shows up 3rd in the link of link sources for mine is Russia as well. Happy birthday and anniversary as well.

    cheers

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much Chris.

      Perhaps another day I shall post about having the flag counter - it's certainly an eye-opener!

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  8. Very many Happy Returns to a fabulous weblog; I am thrilled that it has become so well established, here's to many more celebrations.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Michael, very kind of you to says so!

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  9. Congrats Edwin. Keep it up mate!

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  10. Yes I'm catching up on blogs in the reverse order... Happy blogday / anniversary to you, long may it all continue!

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    Replies
    1. Cheers JP - I've left a message on your blog about an interesting book.

      Edwin

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