How did you find me?
Facebook?
Twitter?
Through another blog?
Perhaps you’re one of my personal friends that I coerced in
the beginning and said you had to read and share my stuff (and a wholehearted thanks
to all of you who have).
Although there are behind the scenes tools to allow bloggers
to see where their traffic comes from, I’ve never paid much attention to it…until
a bout with insomnia combined with too much coffee drove me to my Google Analytics
dashboard for maybe the second time since I began my blog (I know there are
bloggers crawling out of their skin right now to think this is how I roll, but
yes, this is how I roll).
Through a lot of random clicking (because I can barely navigate
my way around that dashboard), I found the area that listed the key word search
terms people used to land on my page.
I had stumbled upon a goldmine.
A sampling of some of the search terms that people used to
find my blog:
“Curly fake hair for girls in cheerleading” – for which they found this post.
“Is Brazilian Butt Lift good for Pelvic Floor Health?” - for which they found this post.
“Taking off Negligee” - for which they found this post (and were
most likely disappointed).
“Justin Timberlake Doing it”
– for which they found this post (and were most likely highly
disappointed).
“Writing on skin with Sharpie” - for which they found this post.
“YouTube Yoga Fight Club OM Factory” - for which they found this post.
And my favorite:
“Chakra rocks for impulse control” - for this post.
I had no idea what “chakra rocks” were, and to be honest, my
mind went a little dirty (yours did too, don’t lie – except admittedly, the
lack of sleep and too much coffee was not helping mine). Ok, maybe not as dirty as that “Justin
Timberlake Doing It” query. But still.
Chakra rocks?
I’ve discussed the chakra system before on the blog (yes, guys,
it’s a “yoga thing”), but chakra rocks? Google, you got me with this one. After a quick search, I
discovered that they are nothing more than crystals and gemstones used to
balance out the chakra system.
Yet, some poor schlump in search of chakra rocks wound up on
my blog staring at a sharpie tattoo on my belly. For a second, anyway.
The most highly searched query for finding my blog? Kale smoothies. Apparently, that’s what’s given my blog any
pulse whatsoever. Who knew?
As much as I “should” take my stats more seriously,
especially given the time I spend writing posts, I don’t know if I want to wrap my head around
all that. It kind of feels like another
“task” to me, another part time job that I don’t have time to take on. Many bloggers take the stats seriously, and it
pays off. Knowing their audience helps
them keep that audience engaged. They attract
advertisers and partner with brands and “make it big,” so to speak in the
blogosphere.
Maybe one day I’ll get serious about “growing my blog,” and set
some measurable goals. But for now, it’s about the love of it and nothing
more.
How many areas in our lives do we have the luxury to do
that?
Namaste
Are you a
blogger? How often do you check your
stats and what do you do with the information? Any advice on how this has helped you?
I am not good about checking my stats, SEO, etc. I am being a little more aware after I won an SEO consultation and the gal told me Google saw me as an authority on gifts. Yikes. Working on that currently.
Yup. Kale smoothies. That is so why I’m here. ;-D
Just an FYI, Ilene: The gal I’m working with—Vanita—is putting on a webinar Wednesday 1/30/13. Here is the link in case you’d like to check it out: http://www.sverve.com/static/events
I hate SEO. I want to love it, but it feels like soul-selling. And yet … who doesn’t want more readers? Isn’t that why we’re here?
I’ve looked at my analytics a few times. Most people find my blog for vegetarian tortilla soup, and then never return. Whatever. *sigh*
I found you through SITS, and was hooked. Because you’re just that cool. 😉
I agree that the love of blogging is more important than the stats 🙂
I agree that stats can be helpful in understanding your audience and what may be working and what’s not. It’s better for me and everyone involved if I don’t check my stats. I can get obsessive and that’s really not healthy. But the search terms are truly a gold mine.
I know it’s probably necessary to work harder to come up with a niche, and I know I’m all over the place, but it is what it is right now and if the day comes where I have the time and inclination to get organized and focused, I’ll be all over it! I do like blog stats and making the blog look better, but the range of things I write about represent me. Christine is right, though… search terms are a gold mine!
I check my analytics periodically, but all the things you need to do to promote yourself make me stressed OUT, so I do different, less effective but more satisfying things. I found you through your SITS day, I believe.
I check on my stats fairly frequently. It’s pretty interesting to see how people get to you. My top queries usually involve bacon and washing your iphone with the laundry.
I haven’t checked mine in quite a while, I used to check maybe once a week. I haven’t even checked yet to see what “searches” find it… now you have me very curious.
When I first read your title I thought you were going to tell us how negligees will rock our chakras! I was like ” Hell Yeah!”. THAT being said, I still loved your post and had to chuckle. Most of my traffic revolves around my DIY Tea Tree Oil Toner, DIY All Purpose Floor Cleaner any a pinterest post I wrote.
I have to admit, there are some days I want that huge following and some days I’m very comfortable with what I have. Today, I’m comfortable with what I have. AND, Negligee Chakras Rock!
You’re an authority on gift and I am an authority on Kale smoothies! See? Google doesn’t know everything after all! I am so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t live by my stats.
Thank you for this! Good stuff!
And you’re just that cool, too Justine. And to think – between my kale smoothies and your vegetarian soup – how healthy the world would be!
I think you have to love it in order to blog at all – Right? But stats are certainly helpful if you have a goal in mind – I just need to find my goal!
Funny enough, I could get obsessive about it, too – which may in part be one of the reasons why I’ve stayed away and have convinced myself not to get too “serious.” But yes, those search terms are priceless!
I have had a piece of paper over my desk with blog goals since the summer and have done nothing – I wanted to import to word press and self host and do all that – nothing. The only thing I managed to accomplish was get my social media buttons up before my SITS day – LOL! I’m all over the place too – maybe if I had a niche I’d be more focused on stats. For now, I’ll probably trot over to my GA page to look at those search terms and get a good laugh every once in a while!
Yes, Jessie, I am fairly certain it was SITS. I think I’m the same way – I do promote myself on social media and stuff – but I don’t think I’d want to have to change anything I do on the blog to cater to a certain demographic – although from the looks of things – I would totally have the market cornered on Kale smoothies if I wanted to.
I remember the iPhone post! And yes, it is pretty interesting to see how people get to you.
Oh, Stephanie – you HAVE to go look at the queries that land people on your page! It’s so entertaining!
I LOVE your DIY solutions! I have my tea tree oil toner in my medicine cabinet!
Just for you – I will one day write a post on how negligees will rock your chakras. 🙂
I guess I need to check out how people find my blog because {swallow} I’ve never looked! Thank you for sharing that you, too, sort of click around once you’re in Google Analytics. That’s me, for sure.
I hardly check my stats anymore – they’ve gotten quite depressing since I made the switch to WP – which is so weird and unexpected. That being said, I am CRACKING UP about some of your key words. Priceless!
Totally with you. I look at some stats, but I don’t really do too much with them! I’m still going to write what I want to write. For a little while I started trying to do some other things like bloghops and so on, but it felt really inauthentic to me, so I stopped. I’m not going to be Mommy Shorts, but that’s ok. 🙂
Also – a recent search that got to my blog (not sure which post) was “moo moo cows from italy”. Loved that. 😀
Ilene, this is so good! I love these types of posts and hope to do something similar soon. I wish I had your surrender around checking stats. I go through phases – whenever I need some pain, I check mine. I enjoy blogging and everything else a whole lot more when I don’t measure my results (I’m writing a post on this topic right now!). Send some of your surrender this direction, will you?! xo
Katy, you must do it for a good laugh! You must! And yes, when I get into GA, I kind of feel like I need an advanced degree to know what’s going on or what to do with that info!
Aren’t those the best key words ever? It makes me question how google paired me up with some of them! That is really strange about your WP switch – Another reason for me to hold off on migrating…or I can just write a whole bunch more posts on Kale smoothies to attract the readers back!
Oh, what a hilarious search! Was it for the post where you went to the Italian class with the ripped jeans? (I am sorry – but I am still laughing at that one – not AT you but WITH you of course!)
But I’m with you, I’m still going to write what I want to write about – no matter what the stats say.
OK – did you hear my laughing right now when I read “whenever I need some pain…” Actually it was more like a howl. Mary, you are truly my soul sister. That’s ingenious, actually – to check your blog stats when you need some pain. I feel like that’s been this missed opportunity for pain that’s been in front of me for almost a year now! You might have to go someplace else for that surrender, sister. 🙂