So, I was at the site for Mental Floss magazine, today (it’s one of those sites that’s part of my daily rotation), and I stumbled on a post about bloggers, and this thing they do called blogging.
Paraphrasing a bit, they searched around the Interwebs to find what various authorities and sources were saying about “the average blogger.”
They turned up some quotes, and I was looking at them, as well as at the stories, to try and figure out how “average” I am.
"The average blogger is a 14-year-old girl writing about her cat." - Alexander Halavais, assistant professor of interactive communications at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut
Ok, while I beat that age demographic, I have blogged about Miss Mina on more than one occasion. What’s wrong with that? Anyway, cat blogs are very popular with some folks, especially crazy cat ladies.
Another study they pointed out said that “most blogs are abandoned soon after creation (with 60% to 80% abandoned within one month, depending on whose figures you choose to believe) and that few are regularly updated. The 'average blog' thus has the lifespan of a fruitfly”
OK, while I haven’t been ultraregular on my updates, and while I blame it on my “job blog”, I do try to update at least once a week. Granted, there were times, in my bloggish youth, where I could update three times a day, every day. But age catches up with us. Occasionally I’ll get those bouts of energy, but right now, it’s not so often.
The biggest one that makes me wonder was a statement by the CEO of Google, who said that the “average blog” is read by one person. That makes me wonder how average I am. I think I get two or three readers, but I’m not exactly sure.
What if no readers came to this site, would it change anything?
Sadly, I think it would. Part of this whole blog thing, for me at least, involves the exchange of ideas, thoughts, revelations and inspirations. If nobody visits a blog, does it make a sound?
Anyway, for better or for worse, the post is here. Do me a favor though. Before you go, drop a short roll call comment at the bottom of the post, to alleviate the idea that I may simply be average.
4 comments:
I still come around...even though you occasionally blog about Miss Mena, the Cat Outta Hell...ST
Average? You? Heck no! You're a rawk star!
I would wither and die if you left blogdom. I live for cat posts, and music posts, and dog posts, and travel posts and biking posts, and weird things in the news posts, and whatever's on your mind posts.
Your blog could> use more frequent pics of TFN, though. A little gratuitous "hot chick in kitty shoes sportin' a fancy mind" is good for the blogosphere.
The only thing I hate about blogging is the word "blogosphere." I prefer "blogdom," because it evokes a less polluted era and implies there is some sort of monarchy running things in the background. "Blogosphere" sounds a little prone to ozone thinning due to pollution. What if the blogosphere developed a hole the size of Wordpress over its Myspace? The very idea terrifies me.
*raises hand*
i'm here.
-monica
Damnit.
I thought I left a comment!
One in which I apologized for smacking you on Z's blog.
I also complained about those posts which make fun of bloggers and blogging, like the writers of such posts are conspiring to debunk the blog community with job security as motivation...or something.
You're well above average. Not only do you have more than two or three readers, I've been a devoted fan nearly two years now. Two years staying power, buddy!!
Effing anti-blog bloggers. They're just jealous.
(Damnit. Cat wants in. I think he killed something again...)
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