slipping down to the M list

So I've hardly been posting and I notice that my reader stats have halved. They started out at a low (mumble mumble) figure and are now even lower. This is unlike Mark Bahnish*, who reports he's getting 2000 hits a day on what must be now Australia's premier A-list leftwing blog (or blog from any wing, for that matter.)

What is the A-list? I did some research into that for my MA last year. And now I can't find the online academic articles which defined the A-list. I did find this, which focuses on links. But links aren't all there is to it. The A-list is nearly all men. They are nearly always academics or journalists. They link to and refer to many other men who are also often academics and journalists. That is, they have the time and resources to blog, often; they have already-established reputations in the real world which they carry with them into this virtual world; they are often real-world mates with other A-list bloggers and thus garner and dispense links amongst themselves, keeping themselves afloat at the top of the list. They are the bloggers who will be asked for an opinion whenever a newspaper decides to do a scoop on the world of blogging.

Over here on the M list (that's M for mellow, missing out, mothers, medium, middling, mistimed, possibly miserable or mediocre - take your pick), we are not on top of things. We do not break news as it happens or comment immediately on the frisson of the day. We do not stay up late (unless it's with a wakeful baby). Some M-listers meander along happily, devoting their blog-thoughts to a simple domestic subject. Others, like me, muddle through, unsure which direction to head in, how much to reveal, what to write about. Wanting to write but with not enough time in the day (and without broadband at home and a too-large credit card debt to upgrade any time soon).

*I'm very fond of Mark and think he's doing a terrific job.

PS: I found this slideshow about A-list blogs though it seems to be a slightly dodgy link. Here's another attempt at analysis. Both American, of course.

Comments

[laura]

Susoz, I've been trying to streamline my blog habit and have subscribed to all my regular reads via bloglines. I suspect this might mean I don't show up on your statistics any more. (Not pretending to understand any of this rarefied stuff.) Perhaps that's part of what's going on, with your numbers. I don't think most readers are that fickle that they evaporate when the rate of posting changes slightly. I hope not, anyway.

I read with surprise where Mark said he got 2000 hits a day. Actually, make that "with astonishment." I mean, LP is excellent, and deserves that many readers and more, but that's a figure which isn't reflected by any of the other rough yardsticks I scurried round and applied to Mark's blog - listed subscribers to RSS feeds, technorati profile etc. I wonder if the number perhaps has to do with the delightful comment box culture - very salon-like - which LP has fostered.
Anyway, the more general point I'm trying to make is that there are many ways to measure the effectiveness of blog communication and raw numbers is probably one of the least meaningful.

[susoz]

Laura, I think you're right - and I hadn't thought about how bloglines etc might affect stats. Although I don't blog in order to have a huge readership, I did feel a little dejected when the audience *halved*! Had I said - or not said - something wrong? (Aha, it was all that Graham Kennedy stuff...)
And I feel a little churlish lumping Mark in with the A-list bloggers. It's just that I've felt frustrated lately that I don't even have time to join in on the discussions at LP about subjects very close to my heart - like genetic determinism etc. And he managed to blog about a 'sex education' furore which I wanted to blog about and didn't have time for. Time time time.... Here in Australia we don't seem to be as obsessed with numbers and the A-list as they are in the US. Maybe that's because we haven't yet had an impact on external events in the way that US bloggers claim to have done with Trent Lott, Howard Raynes etc. I think there is a small, academic male A-list here which is self-referencing but the rest of us carry on regardless.

[Brownie]

I LOOK at all my linksfriends daily, not leaving a comment if they have posted beyond my brain, or whatever.
never mind Pro Deo - Loobylu gets 75 comments on every one of her posts. She has an exhibition of her prints opening today in carlisle St Balaclava.
The other incredibly fruitful blogger is Sorrow At Sills Bend. she could write a bestseller Time Management Tome.
Suz - there is room for every type of blogger.

[Valerie]

Despite not having nor wanting a clue about Graham Kennedy, I visit about twice a day. I really enjoy your blog - both the variety of subjects and your thoughts about them. For whatever that's worth! :)

[Kay]

Of course, halved hits might just mean the same number of readers half as often (to reflect less posts).

So I'm M-list huh? Hmmm. I think I like it.

(PS I know exactly what you mean about muddling though, not really focused, and not having the time. I don't have the time to write all the personal posts I've been thinking about lately, much less the other ones. And I don't make time to even read Mark Bahnish even though I know from his comments and previous posts at Troppo Armadillo (which I also don't make time for) that I would like to.)

[Lushlife]

Oh my god you have hit the nail on the head - I identify with being a major M-type blogger. I don't attract a large audience at any rate and I haven't been posting regularly of late. Although like you I never posted in order to obtain a huge following - the pressure of more than 50 people a day I think I would feel obliged to make the time. I acknowledge I am way too busy to post every single day but I do feel sorry for people who I imagine like me turn to familiar blogs and find there isn't a post when you looking for one.

I can't understand what has happened to my blog groove - I simply can't get it back at the moment and I honestly think about what I would like to post every single day! I am trying to hang in there lately with at least one post a week although 3 would be better - better for my writing and my mental health.

[Valerie]

Lushlife - I like it when a cluster of my friends are blogging on the same blog site. I think there's less pressure for any one person to post regularly, since readers can check a whole bunch of blogs with the click of a button.

[Mark Bahnisch]

Thanks suzoz. Hate to be picky, but it's Bahnisch with a 'c'.

I don't think I entirely fit your A-list profile. I certainly didn't bring any particular established reputation to blogging, except a minor one in rather small academic circles - my academic work has nowhere near the prominence of people like John Quiggin's and Chris Sheil's.

As to stats, I don't know how many bloggers distinguish between "unique sessions" ie someone from one IP logging in at least once as opposed to "page hits" or views - the latter is probably a measure of how much of the site is read, while the former gives an accurate measure of readership (and I'm careful to exclude the referrer spam that boosts the former measure). I suspect a lot of high profile bloggers on the right side of things quote the latter measure because it's inevitably larger.

The average daily unique sessions # for LP at the moment is about 2300 (it's risen recently - no doubt because I'm not blogging!) and page hits is around 5000.

cheers and all the best,
mark

[Mark Bahnisch]

Also, one thing I like about my blog is that as far as I can work out, it has a much higher number of female commenters than comparable ones (two of whom are currently regularly guest blogging). And I also link to all sorts of blogs where I find a post that's worth drawing attention to or related to what I'm saying - this one on a couple of occasions, Jellyfish, Zoe, Gianna - all probably M bloggers except Jelly who's not a Mother...

[MrLefty]

One thing I like about blogging is that in terms of audience, it's rather unpredictable - your numbers can fluctuate wildly. One good post will be discovered by someone, and linked to, and then suddenly - popularity!

And a slide into a few mediocre posts isn't ever terminal. (At least, I hope not!)