August 2, 2006
“how big is your audience?”
I get asked a lot about how many people read my blog.
I have no idea. Because the answer, of course, depends on what metric you use. What stat counter you use. Anything between x-thousand and x-thousand-times-ten visitors per day, depending on which robot you wish to believe.
I tend to believe the lower figures more than the higher ones, but hey, that’s just me.
But “How many people read your blog per day” is not the same thing as “How big is your audience.”
Let me explain.
The number of blogs I read on a daily basis numbers about a dozen. The number of blogs I read every couple of days numbers about ten times that figure.
But the number of blogs I read regularly, just not that often, is way, way, way higher than that. Many thousands of them.
Dave Weinberger is a good example. I like his blog, I like him, I value what he has to say, however for one reason or another I don’t read his blog that often. Maybe a couple of times a month. Maybe only once a month. It’s nothing personal, it’s like he said in a very entertaining post last year:
No, I’m not keeping up with your blog.
I would like to. I really would. I like it and I like you.
But we’re now well past the point where any of us can keep up with all the blogs worth reading from the people worth keeping up with. Even with an aggregator.
I just can’t do it any more.
So, although I don’t read his blog that often, he is on my radar, and I consider him somebody who continues to inform and influence my worldview. As a result, I consider myself very much part of his audience.
Another way to think about this is akin to a favorite rock band. You may not listen to their recordings every day, but pull out their music every so often, when your life needs a dose of their particular brand of inspiration. They might not be a daily fix, but they’re nonetheless a regular and important part of your life.
So following this logic, I’m guessing there are a lot of people who read me in the same manner that I read Weinberger. I may not be part of their daily fix, but they are part of my audience nonetheless.
If you accept this logic, then suddenly my audience starts looking much larger. And so do the audiences of many other bloggers.
It’s just a pity this metric isn’t one that advertisers find particularly useful, or else a lot more bloggers would be making money.
[Note To Self: I would be realy interested to hear Stowe Boyd’s take on this.]
Long time reader, first time commentor. Took interest of your site when I first came across your ‘How to be creative’ bit.
Your blog is among my other — around 30 — Firefox livebookmarks. I can’t be bothered to have an aggregator or a site that I have to use to read feeds. Seriously, who has the time for more? Since, not everyone writes everyday, this is sufficient imo. If I find an interesting site, I probably will replace it with the one that I don’t read any longer.
I probably don’t fit into your target audience (if you have one), but your work and/or what you have to say keeps me amused to see what’s going on.
I have no idea what kind of a person you are nor do I care. It’s your digital representation that made the sale.
My site for instance contains mostly webdev articles (more theoratical then technical) and I’m sure a large chunk of the very small audience that I probably have is in this field too. I am however in the process of shifting away from the whole webdev and concentrate back on ‘mu’. When that happens I’m sure the size of my audience will shift too.
I, I, I… so many I’s.
I read every single entry of your blog, every day, as you post them, via your RSS feed. I suppose the cartoons get hits when the images load, but you do rarely make posts without cartoons. So, that’s another little wrinkle.
Hey, This post is about me!
I must admit, I’ve been lurking for a few years too…
Brilliant post! One of the top 10 IMHO
Well Hugh…here’s an interesting tale about just one fan in what I suspect is your very significant audience. In 2003 I came home to South Africa after about 6 years abroad. I was looking for a job in marketing. A mate forwarded me the HughTrain. I read it and loved it and thought; this is how it should be. Then I found your ‘site’, which I didn’t know was a blog.
Then I found blogs. And lurked. And started blogging. And found a very cool job with a very cool company that does it how it should be. And then found myself back here, commenting on the blog of the guy who inspired a leg in my journey.
So, thanks…and here’s to the connectedness of things.
I wouldnt read your blog everyday eiter, maybe once a week to once a month but I like the cartoons a lot.
Dear Hugh;
Greetings from Canada!
I discovered with pleasure your thought-provoking Gaping Void blog in March 2006 via UK new article and have been reading it daily since that time. I have also thoroughly read the related blogs (wine, suits et al).
I most enjoy your ideas, whether expressed visually or written. At times your humor tickle’s my funny-bone, and at times, the caustic evokes a feeling of sadness.
I’ve never really wanted to add any comments to your blog or your cartoons, I suppose I’ve never found the right words. Just so you know, I didn’t read blogs until I came across yours, and it’s been kind of my daily fix for the last months. Congrats on all your work, your cartoons and well everything. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I live in Central America. Just thought you’d like to know that.
I used to tell myself I could stop any time… that I was just a “casual Hugh reader”, but I was in denial. I may not feel good about it, but I do come here every day.
Hugh, what you’ve described about extended audiences is a great example of the Long Tail.
Mind you, I’m reading Chris Anderson’s book at the moment and starting to see just about everything as a Long Tail…
Thanks for all the commnets, Everybody…
Yeah, Neville, I see what you mean. I was thinking the other day, there’s NO WAY I could have published my particular mix of cartoons and rambling via traditonal, pre-blog media. Thank God for the Long Lail.
I totally agree with your positions. Very mature and well weighted.
Excellent work. I am one fanatic of your religion!
Hugh — any chance of getting a high res version of this cartoon. It’s the new mousemat I’ve been looking for…and I promise to buy some wine
cheers..hic
Ah yes, the power of weak ties and indirect influence. It gives me a reason to phone a random colleague on a weekly basis.
I wrote a little cron job that searches my collection of thousands of links and opens one at random every twenty minutes.