I think we all go through a phase when we realise blogging can be so much more than you talking to yourself on the internet. Some might want to turn it into a bit of income to help out the family while staying at home, some might want to go the whole ProBlogger hog and rule the web. Some might want it to springboard into a freelance writing career (like me!), and some just like to see just where this blogging gig might take them (also me!).
At that point, it’s natural to want to see where you’re at in the blog world. Where do you fit? What’s “normal”? what’s “good”? How do you know how much more traffic you should be getting, if you don’t know what’s needed? Often you’ll be told traffic doesn’t matter, and smaller blogs with good engagement are just as useful to brands than the big bloggers with tons of eyeballs on their site, and that’s true. But it doesn’t mean we don’t like to know where we stand and where we can go from where we are.
Blogging can be such a solo mission. We write, we send it out “there”, but we don’t really know what goes on behind the keyboards of other bloggers. So while I was digging around in my analytics the other day, I thought it would be fun to show you the journey my stats have taken. It might be more or less than yours, but I stopped worrying about that sort of thing a long time ago. Even four years ago when I started, there wasn’t the amount of blog readers there are now. People just starting out these days get far more views in their early days than I did – so the only way to go from here is up!
I started Veggie Mama properly in March 2010. I added the Google Analytics stat counter at the end of October 2010, so we’ll start from the next full month. Each number is for that month only.
November 2010 (been blogging 8 months)
Unique browsers: 36
Page views: 110
March 2011 (one year)
Unique browsers: 1153
Page views: 2369
September 2011 (18 months)
Unique browsers: 2161
Page views: 4680
March 2012 (two years)
Unique browsers: 5831
Page views: 17,910
September 2012 (2.5 years)
Unique browsers: 10,591
Page views: 31,724
March 2013 (3 years)
Unique browsers: 15,037
Page views: 44,950
September 2013 (3.5 years)
Unique browsers: 22,907
Page views: 54,530
Today (last full month October 2013)
Unique browsers: 33,317
Page views: 83,521
So there you have it. No better or worse than anyone else, just my journey. I had both my babies 18 months apart during this time, so I’ve not spent a lot of time growing the blog aggressively, and there is a ton of stuff I could have done/could do to grow my traffic. But I’ve been distracted (haha) and really haven’t made it a priority. I think 2012 was when blogging felt like it really took off here, and my stats reflect that (quite a big jump from 4680 page views to 17,910 in six months!). I really don’t think anyone should get caught up in the numbers too much (there’s SO many variables that sometimes we can’t even control), I feel there’s a great deal more to blogging than that. But I also know it’s fun to see where others are at, so here you are!
Do you feel a bit of stats pressure? Or have you come out the other side knowing numbers ain’t all that?
You might also like:
History of a Blogger – the Veggie Mama evolution
Blogging as an alternative to a traditional media career – my hints and tips!
I admit to stats pressure – it’s the competitive part of my nature I guess. Every time Iook into how many peeps have unsubscribed in Mailchimp I feel a little loss and sadness that I’m not making everyone happy. But that’s it isn’t it? We can’t make everyone happy all of the time and I think when it comes to blogging it’s about quality (although I do admit that quantity is cool too). I try not to get too hung up on it. I went to a bloggy thing this year and someone told me to just blog about what I loved and be happy with that. If you blog about something you’re passionate about then those that share the same passion will follow. Good advice I think. Thanks for the post Stacey, you always make me feel better. It’s lonely sitting here in my kitchen talking to myself:) xox
You are always talking to me! I love it. I know why I unsubscribe from things, and it’s usually a pretty benign reason ( no time etc) so I don’t get upset when I see unsubscribers. They might have thought I was a lovely lass and then I let loose with a curse word, haha. I’m not for everyone!
I have never looked at my stats.. honest truth. I didn’t add analytics until a few months back and that was only as a mag asked my exact numbers and all I had was the page views etc that you get as basic.. DTLL stats though?.. O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D with every facet 🙂
haha I bet DTLL is on the up and up! Your team do such a great social media job that I can barely stop myself from searching 99% of all the posts, haha
I was obsessed. OBSESSED I TELLZ YA. so I turned em off 3 years ago, i think, and now I have no frigging idea. PR companies hate me cause I can’t give them numbers.
Oh and I swear. That could have something (a lot) to do with it.
I have always thought it was so rad that you did that. Especially because I found out right when stat talk was BIG and i was getting a bit over it all.
This is such an awesome post thanks. I don’t pay a lot of attention to my stats at the moment, but was thinking of having a closer look over xmas when I have time. I’ve often wondered how I compare to other bloggers.
I think that comparison is pretty normal. I don’t know how this compares to other bloggers, but it’s pretty interesting to look back over it and see how far I’ve come 🙂
I love checking stats, mainly to be reassured that I’m not alone and people do visit. I’m still amazed anyone (besides friends and family) visits my blog especially when there are so many. It’s a lovely feeling. I’m interested to see where blogging takes me but I’m also aware and quite comfortable with it being a slow burn, not in any hurry. Life’s busy enough with pressure everywhere else, I don’t want it here too. Stacey, I love that you leave ego at the door and give us a peak under the kimono (so to speak!) It’s really helpful and thoughtful, thank you. Belinda x
*peek* gadammit!
Slow burns are the best ones. You get longevity that way. And I still feel amazed that people read here! I never quite know how it started or how it got here. But it’s nice.
That’s so lovely to see! I think of all the BIG bloggers (you included) and wonder if I’ll ever get there. But I know it takes time and energy and a lot of hard work! Thanks so much for sharing.
SO MUCH WORK OMG.
I am interested in my stats out of curiosity, but a few months back, I realised that regardless of what the stats are, I still enjoy blogging. It is a great feeling when you decide to stop chasing the stats, the likes, the subscribers….
Oh it’s so freeing! I think getting caught up in it too much can really restrict the way you write, or your ideas about blogging. Leaving it behind makes for a much nicer experience.
I am just starting out, 6 months actually, and my blog views trippled in one week. I have no idea why, which is the mystery of the internet I guess. You think you know what people want, and they you don’t quite hit the mark. It can be quite the rollercoaster 🙂
Oh mystery of the internet, for sure! Like when you write an offhand post that goes mental, or when you write something you think will be useful, and no-one cares. You just never know!
Most of the time I don’t care, I do wonder if that’s because I have such small numbers. But there are times where I wonder why NOT me? It can be a bit disheartening, then I remember that’s not why I’m doing it and I get over myself for a while.
I think anyone blogging for a while wrestles with that x
Ditto Lila. The stats are not why I blog at all but every so often I actually check Google Analytics hoping to see some big jump…and nada! But then I remember I have a group of lovely readers who leave lovely comments and seriously brighten up my day! That is enough satisfaction for me!
That can be hard, though. We can put on our big girl panties and say that engaged readers are enough satisfaction, but there is that doubt sometimes – why AREN’T we getting the same traffic? we’re just as interesting and fun! AREN’T WE? WAH!
My growth has been slow and steady. Up and down and then up and then down. x
I think that’s pretty standard for most of us 🙂
The stats don’t matter to me as much as comments. As currently, no one comments. People TELL me (on Instagram or FB) that they read my blog but no one ever comments. This upsets me! Damn it!
haha that is a question I see people ask all the time – how do you get more comments?
Story of my blog, seriously.
Love your Blog Stacey xx
mwah!
Very interesting thank you for sharing. I see you as one of the Bigger Blogging babes! You have had nice growth for humble beginnings like all good things.
I’m pleased you found it interesting!
I barely look at my stats, unless someone asks for them. It’s easy to obsess over them but it’s not the main deal for me. Lots of people keep their stats close to their chest, so it’s nice to see someone say “here I am!”. Thank you for sharing!
xx
I know, I don’t look at them now, either! I think you just sort of start to think about other things eventually and it’s not as important. Probably why I don’t feel the need to keep them hidden any more, haha
Wow! I think your rise has been meteoric, Stacey!
I have been blogging for 2 years longer than you AND I have been using the same line about how having babies has distracted me from really working on growing the blog – and yet, you have some serious stats, bro. Can you pinpoint something that happened where that first big stat jump occurred? Apart from just general awesomeness…?
And I should probably admit this post has given me all the jelly feels – not your intention, I know. But yeah, I think I feel like my 6-year-old did when his brother turned 4 this Tuesday. Towards the end of a big day filled with presents for someone who wasn’t him, he said to me, “I’m not feeling good, Mumma. I think I don’t want it to be Ziggy’s birthday anymore,” at which point he burst into tears. 😉
xxx
Oh the poor little guy! What an adorable (but sad!) thing to say! I know how you feel, bro.
I genuinely don’t know what happened in that jump, I don’t remember much being useful. I do know that I saw a jump at the end of 2012 – i thought it may have had something to do with having Pepper and doing some work with Loving Earth and JustB/Kidspot. Plus I started to get a ton more readers through Instagram when that got big around then. The other thing was moving to WordPress – that was awesome. I wish I could be of more help, I really just don’t know!
I know, it was the sweetest thing – I was stoked he had such a grasp of his feelings and could express them (without putting his little brother in a headlock).
I think Kidspot offers great exposure but the bottom line is the content has to be there – so from that aspect alone, I’m not surprised by how quickly you were able to grow this baby!
Anyway, snaps to you, lady. It’s awesome and actually, I just made you my mentor. Soz. xx
Well that’s true, it’s all very well and good to get new readers, but you’d better have something interesting to actually keep them there! I don’t know, blogging is a bit of a work in progress, but that’s a good thing. Always a new thing you can try! Would love to be your mentor 😉
It’s hard. I’ve met quite a few bloggers and one of the first things they ask is ‘Do you get much traffic?’
Rather embarrassing to admit that I can post and post and post and get no comments and feel as if nobody is interested. It can be competitive, scary, and frustrating as you start out. I’m hoping that it can only go up, but as I said… it’s hard.
I know what you mean Brigette I’ve been bogging for just over the years and still feel at times I’m just talking to myself especially since moving to WordPress earlier this year….. It’s taken a while to get traffic up but I am getting a few more followers slowly but surely…..
Oh my gosh, they ask you that? There was such secrecy when I started out that I would have loved something like this. We never knew what anyone was getting, and thought it rude to ask. Nobody wanted to admit, in case it wasn’t “enough”. It can totally be competitive and scary, and I really tried to avoid that. It took me years before I was getting many comments, and really I didn’t know what else to do. Then I realised it was something that came with time. LOTS AND LOTS OF TIIIIIIIIME.
Hi Stacey I’d love to get more traffic through and make a little money from home while bub’s little, no idea what I’m doing wrong at times though maybe I need to post a little more often, any advice you have is welcomed xo
Gosh, I’m useless at this sort of thing. I think I just fly blind most of the time! I think just post interesting stuff, post regularly, and hang out on social media x
I imagine you would get a fair amount of international traffic too? I love the visualisation diagrams of where people are clicking from.
yeah I do, but I forget how much!
I don’t plan to attract advertisers and the like, so that takes the ‘pressure’ off my stats. In general, mine go up when I post more – so I at least know that when I put effort in, I get reward (not that I like to think of stats as rewards, but you know what I mean).
haha yeah, I know!
Love it. I’ve lost a little of the fire in my blogging belly so have stopped obsessively looking but I can tell you my one year stats are not what yours were! Not to worry, I likes doing it anyway. xxx
I find it comes in waves. You’re all gung-ho for about a year, then you think you might quit. Then it comes back, and up and down we go! I’m having a quiet period… one of those ones where you think you could walk away with no regrets. But I always stick around and I’m glad I did, so I’ll do that now 🙂