Monday, April 15, 2013

Genea-Musings is 7 years old today

It's Genea-Musings 7th Blogiversary!!!!!!!


It seems like just yesterday that I started my Randy's Musings blog - here is the first post on 15 April 2006. I explained the name change to Genea-Musings in my first anniversary post on 15 April 2007. In my two-year anniversary post, I showed a screen shot of the early blog page. 

I like to spout some numbers on my blogiversary, so please bear with me:

After seven years of Randy's Musings and Genea-Musings, this is post number 6,718. Over 2,557 days, that averages out to be 2.63 posts per day. In the past year, I've written 914 posts, or 2.50 posts per day (that is  significantly lower than last year, 2.90). I think that the most over the seven years was 8 posts in one day and I've had days with zero posts (usually when on vacation).

My readership has increased each year. Since I started this blog, I have had over 1,096,540 unique visitors (these include multiple visits per day by the same reader) and over 1,802,150 page views over seven years, and over 477,000 page views and over 280,900 unique visitors in the past year. Those numbers (from SiteMeter) are somewhat higher than last year.  

My SiteMeter statistics indicate that in March 2013 this blog had about 850 unique visitors a day, with an average of about 1,365 page views a day.  My StatCounter statistics show 923 unique visitors a day, and 1,283 page loads a day over the last 30 days.  I also use Google Statistics to look at statistics, and the page view numbers are a lot higher for some reason (about 3,190 per day over the past month).  I still don't know if those numbers include RSS reader visits and views - I think the Google Statistics number includes Google Reader views.

In addition, about 1,130 persons subscribe via email using Feedburner, and about 1,660 persons subscribe via Google Reader.  I don't have a count for other feeds, blog readers and Facebook readers. If I had to guess, I would say that about 3,500 persons read Genea-Musings on an average day. A significant number of the readers (probably over 50%) on the actual website come via a search engine - you wouldn't believe what some of the search parameters are!

This StatCounter traffic chart for the last year (15 April 2012 to 14 April 2013) shows Page Loads (green), Unique Visitors (blue), and Returning Visitors (orange). 
  
The peak in late December was on 24 December - my StatCounter count was 3,638 visits and 5,590 page views.  Most of the above-average hits were to my 2011 Merry Christmas post for some reason - it's now #1 on my all-time Post Hit Parade.

This is a traffic chart for the last seven years (since July 2006 when I subscribed to StatCounter) in terms of Page Loads (green), Unique Visitors (blue), and Returning Visitors (orange).


As you can see, my visits and page views were fairly static over the past year - much the same as the sixth year (April 2011 to April 2012).

Please permit me to genea-muse for a bit here:

I really appreciate the Genea-bloggers community and all of my Genea-Musings readers. Without all of you, we would not have as much genealogy information (news, research experiences, family history, photographs, etc.) online. Blogging and then social networking, has brought democratization to the world of genealogy writing - anybody can do it (and many do it very well) and the genealogy community has more information faster than it ever has had before.

The genea-blogger community is overwhelmingly friendly and supportive of each other and their readers.  There is very little overt competition, back-biting or flame wars.  This reflects the genealogy community as a whole, I believe - almost everyone believes in and works at collaborating with, educating and helping others - from the most famous (e.g., the genea-rock stars like Elizabeth Mills, Tom Jones, Megan Smolenyak, etc.) to the beginners (new society members, blog readers, etc.).

The genea-bloggers community as a whole has also garnered the respect of the genealogy industry - the database companies, the software companies, website owners, and genealogical societies.  We have been treated and recognized as legitimate media outlets for the genealogy community.  They understand that genealogy blogs are a significant way to announce and publicize their products or services, and to create genea-buzz at conferences.  This could not happen without the commitment of genea-bloggers to objectivity and collaboration.  Not to mention time, energy and lifelong learning.

I'm really proud to be a member of the genea-blogger community and to enjoy the camaraderie online and in person.  At a genealogy conference or seminar, genea-bloggers tend to flock together - it's an instant brother/sisterhood - many of us read each other's blogs and "know" each other's life and blogging experiences.  


So - what to blog about today? It's Monday, so time for an Amanuensis Monday post soon.  Life is good in the genea-cave, and it's even better when family history is made with the grandchildren, or when we are on vacation (we were at RootsTech three weeks ago, in Burbank yesterday, and we're going to NGS in Las Vegas in three weeks, the Jamboree in seven weeks, and the Legacy Family Tree Cruise in September). 

Lastly, thank you to my faithful readers.  I do this to help the genealogy community pursue their hobb obsession, and to document my own family history.  I appreciate your feedback to my posts and learn a lot from the collected wisdom and experience of my readers.  


The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/genea-musings-is-7-years-old-today.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

20 comments:

Philip Trauring said...

Congratulations Randy. Your output is incredible. Here's to the next 7 years. One question - is there a reason you started on tax day? :-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary, Randy! :)

GeneGinny said...

Congratulations, Randy. Thank you for being such a great inspiration to all of us geneabloggers.

Stephanie Nichols Bateman said...

Happy Anniversary/Birthday! I have always enjoyed your site.

Schelly Talalay Dardashti said...

Happy Blogiversary, Randy. Geneablogging wouldn't be the same without you!!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on 7 years well spent! Your blogging record is quite impressive, always informative and highly entertaining. Keep on blogging!

Bill West said...

Happy Blogiversary, Randy!

Kathryn said...

Happy Blogiversary Randy! Seven years is quite an accomplishment. Enjoyed the stats. Here's to the next seven years!

Cheri Hudson Passey said...

Happy Blogiversary!
Thanks for sharing so much with us! Here's to many more years ahead!

Jim's Girl said...

Happy Blogiversary, Randy! You are a fabulous role model to us all. Thank you for the time you take to inform and amuse us. ~Kate

Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith said...

Happy Blogiversary, Randy. You continue to amaze me. Keep up the good work! ;-)

Greta Koehl said...

Happy Blogoversary, Randy! I always learn something from Genea-Musings.

Elizabeth Handler said...

Happy Blogiversary Randy! Keep up the good work!

Shelley Bishop said...

Happy blogiversary and congratulations on 7 awesome years, Randy! You are an inspiration to us all!

Nancy said...

Happy Anniversary, Randy, and congratulations for 7 great years and all the wonderful and informative posts you share with your readers. Here's to at least 7 more years!

gophergenealogy said...

Happy Blogiversary! You are amazing and an inspiration to so many. It is exciting to read your statistics and where you have come in seven years. Keep up the great work.

Jacqi Stevens said...

Actually, Randy, I think I would believe some of the search parameters for what guides searchers to your site! It might be quite fun to post some of the more unusual of them.

A belated congratulations to you for being the front-runner in the Geneablogging world! Especially, cheers for seven years! Thank you for all you've produced over the years in the collegiate spirit of sharing knowledge, leads and tips for your fellow genealogists. And adding a healthy dose of fun along the way.

Diane Weintraub said...

A verry happy blogiversary to you Randy!! May there be many more and good times to go with them!
Diane Weintraub
Nuts From The Family Tree

Jana Iverson Last said...

Happy Blogiversary Randy!

I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/04/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-april-19.html

Have a great weekend!

Nancy said...

Well, I'm late on reading your blogiversary post, but wanted to add my congratulations on seven years of making great contributions to the genealogy world! I have only about half of those years of experience in reading your blog, but feel sure they've all been as much fun. Thanks for providing so much helpful food- for-thought. Good hunting!