My FTSA Study

February 26th, 2007 | Blogging | Syndicate Content

I recently put together a few stats and demographics about FTSA. I did it so I could streamline my content a little better and hopefully find some trends with posts, comments, stats, etc…

However, I ended up finding some unexpected results about the readership of FTSA. Here are the questions I laid out for myself, the answers I got, and the conclusions I was led to:

Who is commenting?

Primarily other Christians with blogs of their own.

Why are people reading FTSA?

  • Christian content
  • Insights on life
  • My Humor
  • Blogging How To’s
  • Follow the Life of an IHOPPER

Top 10 Commented Posts:

On a side note: The top 5 posts with email subscriptions are within the top 10 commented posts. (Not a big surprise there. More people commented thus more people subscribed to comment updates via email.) Also, at the time of writing this I have 344 post published with 1,937 comments. That 5.63 comments per post…who’s the one leaving only .63% of a comment?

What the stats seem to say:

  1. People enjoy and appreciate the content being published.
  2. Posts that touch on less deep topics are generally more commented on.
  3. The readers don’t expect or necessarily even want 100% focused posts. But rather a variety of content.

My own Vision for this blog:

Adam said it well: I’m here to help people win…

…In God, in life, on the web…anywhere I can help. (and to make you laugh so hard you go into silent laugh mode and come dangerously close to falling out of your chair, but you don’t).

But in all honesty, I don’t think I could ask anything more out of the readership of this blog. You guys are great. You’re fun, your reliable, your interactive. You’re becoming my friends and you are making FTSA exactly what I want it to be. A place where we all can hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Feedback?

I would love to know some ways I can help give more ownership to you, the readers. Also, what are some areas you think I need to put more emphasis into?

If you have any other feedback or if you want to add to my Q&A please do so…

8 Comments »

  1. JoAnna said:

    My only thought thus far is that readers comment less to the deeper stuff because we are in ‘hmmm..’ mode. Deeper things take longer to process and if its new information, you don’t readily have a comment.. not having before ‘been there’ or having not yet formed questions that will surface upon further pondering of said deep information.
    All in all, I have to say I love the stuff.. I love the deep posts, I love the blog help posts, I love the IHOP life (My husband and I pastor a new church… I have to live vicariously through you guys), and I love the humor… except for the mullet post. Gross.

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 12:13 pm

  2. ChriS said:

    Shawn,

    I think people comment more on the “lighter” stuff for two reasons: 1. JoAnna is right we are processing. 2. There are so many IHOP blogs that are trying to share deep stuff, I read at least ten blogs a day and only coment on approximately one a day. 3. In order to comment it has to draw me in someway and I have to believe what I say matters.

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 1:04 pm

  3. Jacquie said:

    I would agree with all the reasons above, but I think people are also less afraid to comment on lighter topics, because it requires a lot more vulnerability and confidence to post a comment on a topic that has substance. You’re “putting yourself out there” in a comment almost as much as in a blog post but it’s also to a different audience than you’re familiar with on your own blog. But that’s just my opinion (can you sense the confidence? *sarcasm*). :)

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 1:44 pm

  4. Shawn said:

    @ Chris: So did I get your comment of the day, today?

    @ All: Thanks for your input. I totally agree with you. I also read several blogs that post deep stuff and sometimes I don’t have anything to say that would add to what they posted.

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 2:57 pm

  5. Idhrendur said:

    As a new reader, I can’t really say much about trends here. All I know Is that I’m gonna be shooting to be the 0.63 now…

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 3:23 pm

  6. Dennis said:

    I think you are doing a great job. Comments or not your message is being communicated and your hits will tell you what your reach is. I tend to give a deep message and that may be why my blog lacks comments at time.

    Keep it going!

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 5:29 pm

  7. Shawn said:

    @ Idhrendur: Welcome to FTSA! I”m glad someone is finally picking up the .63%. I have been worried about it for a long time.

    @ Dennis: Thanks for the encouragement bro. I hope I didn’t come accross as being depressed about a ‘lack of comments on deep posts.’

    Posted on February 26, 2007 at 9:56 pm

  8. loud said:

    As a reason to read — you link to good, meaty stuff. (I guess that falls under Christian content.)

    Posted on February 28, 2007 at 6:19 pm

Dem's fightin' words...