Was surprised

Giving myself leeway to be creative without too many early expectations I actually had not checked Google Analytics for this blog until I did so last week because was writing a post and question was raised in my mind. And then that number of 58 countries in prior 365 days was just like, huh? Really? Wow. And am thinking to myself, but haven't even promoted yet! Is just the early readers while the blog foundations get put in place.

And for my own curiosity as would wonder later, what about recently? Well just using Blogger as not in the mood to open up Google Analytics and says blog had visits from US, France, Philippines, and Poland in the last 7 days. 

And again thank you early readers, from all over the world. You are EXTREMELY important as you're showing what content is of interest. And you're helping set standards. Reality is am paying as much attention as I can to what you want, as I work to see how best to deliver.

That global reality of interest already though.

Which raises question in my mind now of, what else is there to do really?

Which is why am posting as if you can talk to people all over the world and have readers all over the world then yeah, you can be commercial, and direction has been towards promoting things. Have talked it enough.

So will repeat that promotional items have their own day which is Tuesday as settled on a day significant format for this blog. So Monday is ON day, and Tuesday is Promotional, while Wednesday is Political, and Thursday is Out Night, and Friday is for Discussion but can be promotional.

And Saturday is a no post day so far. While Sunday is Foundations.

My feeling is that it takes roughly two years to get a blog going, which gives me all the way to August 2017 to have everything worked out and flowing with precision, and blog should actually be, wow, fully commercial.

Good news is, guess will look, for the most part like it looks now. What has already been done is what has built to this level. Can simply refine on it at this point.

Need to figure out other things, like marketing to people who might wish to promote something on Tuesday. I guess. Of course now it's like, hey you really need something that interests people in at least a dozen countries, please.

Ok. That's a standard. I like that one. Guess should think of others. But then again, what DOES interest people in at least a dozen countries? Where went two down from the monthly country count I posted which was actually 14. I like to down estimate.

Oh, so yeah, somehow content on this blog does, so far.

Must be people who like the written word as that is primarily what is here. Not even a lot of pictures where just used my own, so far. So audience has shown an interest in reading.

So yes am shifting to the next phase and talking things out. Am STILL working on discussion things and more visible engagement, but have a full theory there which satisfies me at this point. Which means is time to figure out how to find those who would want to have something promoting something of theirs on Tuesday, who could handle visibility in at least a dozen countries at a very high standard, with a post which would sit there indefinitely, where I would be proud to brag about having it on this blog.

Yeah. So that's the idea.

Figuring out metrics that matter

Have two primary ways that give me broad information about who my readers here are, or at least things about visits where like to think people actually read too! Which are Blogger stats and Google Analytics ones. But people can opt out which is why it's a general measure which is ok. And I check Blogger stats more routinely but to really get much info especially over time turn to Google Analytics.

To me as have mentioned before I think have found I focus on country counts as they're exciting, while other metrics like total number of visits shown are not. But like now on Google Analytics it says had visits from 14 countries last 30 days.

That's a LOT more exciting to me than the total number of visits, as ponder which ways to measure are the metrics that matter?

And for instance noting more countries here is why put up Google Translate on the blog as seemed like a good idea THEN to facilitate maybe people who might want to read from other languages. Though am not sure how well it works, but at least it gives a chance.

If I go back a year, which is easy enough on Google Analytics as just change the earlier date to Nov 20, 2015, and it says 58 countries. Wow. See? Much more exciting. Actual visit numbers though? Not so much. Would give but THAT is material to the commercial aspect of the blog so getting used to not giving out audience numbers. But what Google Analytics says is not a complete measure anyway.

And also that is visits from 412 cities and 7 languages.

Which makes sense to me, for MOST visitors for a word-heavy blog in English even with Google Translate which I added recently. Oh goodness and 3 of the 7 are English anyway as it differentiates between just English, American English and British.

And you can see why I get more excited with certain metrics. And for people reading here you can see that you have global company: People from 412 cities that are in 58 countries according to Google Analytics, in the last 365 days.

The blog is still in heavy construct mode as far as I'm concerned where now am focused on measuring the audience to figure out things that can go on my Promotional Tuesday which can get to the commercial aspect more directly. Like could actually promote a movie, BUT have learned the hard way I'd need to see the movie first. So if I got a promotional deal for one, would need to see the movie ahead of release and feel good about it. But that's just a random idea.

Currently am thinking more on the commercial side and planning, versus putting things in place as is complicated and I want to get it right. To me it's worth it. I want to be proud of what I have here always.

Thank you to those reading! Those metrics given are remarkable. Kind of information will admit is fun to share.