Monday, October 03, 2011

Random Facts

I don't often do this, but every once in a while I like to waste time by researching the readers of my blog. Honestly, this isn't a true waste of time because it does give some insight into why readers are coming to the blog, what's bringing them here and what some of my most popular posts are. If you are a blogger, or just have a website, this can be an incredibly useful tool (I use Google Analytics) to help you decide what types of blog posts are most likely to get you new readers and which blog posts people care the least about.

And in case you might be interested, here are some random facts about the BookEnds blog.

Most readers Googling for us come to the blog through various versions of a search for "BookEnds" or my name. However, the seventh most popular search that brings people to the blog are those searching for "thank you for your time," which I assume was based on a blog post I did a few years ago that exploded into a ridiculous rumor that I will reject anyone who thanks me in their query. Sigh. I'm surprised I didn't quit blogging after that one. Some variation of this search actually pops up again and again. I'm surprised, really, but I guess it's for anyone searching for letter writing advice?

"Literary Agency Jobs" is number nine on the list, and the tenth most popular search leading people to the blog is "nonfiction book proposal." This makes me think that I should probably add a section to our FAQs section on the website giving people guidance on finding a job in publishing. I already have one on the nonfiction book proposal.

Other Google keywords that lead people to the blog include:

  • Specific search requests for foreign rights for one particular book and author. Good to know. I'm going to pass that information on to my foreign rights agent.
  • Word count is another popular search, which makes me think I should probably do an updated word count post at some point.
  • Someone or a few people came to the blog after searching for "lonesome love moonette," and I have no idea what that means.
  • "what literary agents rejected twilight" — not me to the best of my knowledge
  • "adhd literary agency" — is that a book idea or a description of the agency?
  • "paranormal literary agencies" — wouldn't it be great if we had vampire or zombie agents working here?
  • There are a few client names popping up here and there. It's interesting to know which clients are leading potential new clients to us.
  • "writing apprenticeship," or some variation, comes up frequently. It makes me wonder if this is something writers could consider doing more of.


Jessica

29 comments:

Satima Flavell said...

I write lots of nice, helpful posts on writing and editing - and my most popular ones deal with a) Translation of a German drinking toast b) My friend's chicken flock and c) An attack of shingles.

Sigh...

Kristan said...

I've thought for a while now that apprenticeships could be greatly beneficial to writers. Workshops and residencies are wonderful, but there's something a bit different -- a 1-on-1 mentoring component -- that only true apprenticeships offer. I'm not really in a place to put any of my ruminations to use yet, but someday I would like to.

Kelly Robinson said...

"Lonesome love moonette" reminds me of some of the things that have led people to one of my blogs. "Zodiac swizzle sticks," for example, and "auto porn for the blind" --what?

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

I’m thinking that the only way people find me is by clicking on my name after I comment on someone else’s blog; which makes me a parasite of sorts.
As a parasitic blogger, sucking for readers, I am able to flourish and grow, because of your writer’s nourishment. Mmmm an interesting thought.
So I ask myself, could I exist as an independent entity? Sure, but I just love having you as a host, informed and so tasty.
Can you tell I’m feeling weird today? It’s Monday that’s why.

Anonymous said...

Reading your post reminds me-- published authors, check google and make sure something, somewhere, ties you to the agent you're with now.

If nothing else, contact querytracker and tell them who your agent is.

Book scouts for foreign rights may google you to find your agent.

Allan Petersen said...

Researching readers and checking site referrals is a great thing to do, in my opinion. It's actually fundamental market research, if you think about it. I don't think it's a waste of time at all and I'm glad you do it, Jessica.

That said, all that paranormal stuff is a little ... uh, paranormal.

-Allan
about.me/ambp

Lorenda said...

wry writer - Well, today you got me to 1) laugh out loud 2) Click through to your profile!

Excellent job!

Adele said...

I blog about books - not the content, but you know - covers, typography, printing, history - stuff like that. Biggest draw so far has been when I mentioned the sale of the Jane Austen manuscript. You should mention Jane Austen a bit more in your (Jane Austen) blog. Your (Jane Austen) reader stats will soar.

Plus there was that one time I mentioned Arthur Rubinstein.

Unknown said...

Now I want to write about a literary agency run by exclusively paranormal creatures.

I can tell you that a lot of people find my blog through searching for "sex similes". I fear they don't quite get what they're looking for...

S. D. Grimm said...

Actually your blog came up for me doing a few different searches.
Word count, querying agents at the same agency (NOT at the same time!), and internships, but alas, I cannot help with the origins of the lonesome love moonette... :)

Stephanie McGee said...

The ways people find my blog are generally pretty tame. I did a fun post one time about who would win in a battle, Harry Potter or Luke Skywalker. "harry potter vs. luke skywalker" is one of my google search results in Blogger's stats.

Most of my traffic comes from other bloggers' blogs, though.

freelance writing jobs said...

what a great post! i like it very much! thanks for sharing!

ryan field said...

These things can be interesting to follow. I once wrote a blog post about book pirating that I didn't even think was all that important. I'm still getting tons of hits and comments on that post, years later, and it still amazes me.

I think the really important thing to remember is that whatever you post on a blog should be something with which you're willing to stand behind forever. Because it's going to be there for a long time. Even if you shut the blog down, someone might have done a screen shot.

Kristine said...

I am an analytics geek, so I love this post. Mom blogger Jessica Gottlieb has written some terrific posts about what searches have driven people to her site and from them she has developed some sage advice on what to say (or not) about your kids online. Fascinating stuff.

I actually tweeted last week how much I loved seeing searches on my contributors' names because it meant someone was seeking out their work.

My website is talespinfiction.com so I get a fair amount of aviation related searches. The googlers surely end up disappointed. But the funniest one I've had lately is "dancing with the stars." I cannot for the life of me figure out how that brought them to my site!

SBJones said...

Lets see:
Drunk Chicken
Sand Boil Thousand Springs
Give Me Money
Fools Gold Rock For Sale
Interviews About Positive Thinking 2011
Shutting Down Leave Me Alone

The one that gets me the most are several referral links from a web site that lets you design your own tee shirts, mouse pads, and other office or gift items.

Bija Andrew Wright said...

Site stats can drive me crazy with curiosity. There must be some little story behind each search that led to my site. Sometimes I can figure what it is. Other times I'm utterly puzzled.

A good number of visits come from a search for the single word "liar." I have no clue whether my little story about my "The Cake Is a Liar" t-shirt is what they were looking for.

I'd also made a post that used the word "frenemy" kind of ironically, and was surprised when a search came up for "how to be zen to a frenemy." I hope whoever read it was able to become a little more zen and recognize that you are your own frenemy.

But thanks for sharing--good to know who's looking at BookEnds.

Marsha Sigman said...

My most viewed blog post was when I put up the cover of Rolling Stone with the main characters from True Blood(love them)and asked the question, Porn or Art?

I suspect peeps searching for porn come to my site. I'm so proud.

Unknown said...

I believe I found this blog through a word count or a how-to query seach. Love this blog. :) Glad I found it

Wry Writer--I also laughed and clicked on your blog! lol but I am essentially the same

Anonymous said...

It's always entertaining to me to see what the top searches for my blog are. Some of them have been Tweet-worthy.

Scooter Carlyle said...

Number one blog search that leads to my site?

"psychopathic authors"

Eve Johnston said...

I am definitely in favor of a FAQ about finding a job in publishing.

Anonymous said...

I leave this comment as "Anon" becuase google has been blocking wordpress. I am fOIS In The City .. or just Florence and I found you through Eric's blog ... Pimp My Novel. I am not sure stats tell us as much as we might "read" into them. The largest number of hits on my blog come from Sad Songs, a post about a little girl who loses a friend. The second one is Sad Girls, from my Silent Friday (photography only). Guess lots of people are looking for "sad."

I continued reading this blog, and put it on my sidebar, because you are never negative. You pass on useful information to other bloggers and mostly to aspiring writers and do it with class.

I usually do not leave comments, but you drew me in with your list of ways people find you. Sometimes, it doesn't matter, does it? It's a nice break from my day. Thanks :)

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Lorenda, hey thanks for stopping by. You and five others visited, That's a record for me and my parasidic blog.
I'm the most famous person I know...yes, that's how boring my life is.

G. B. Miller said...

Out my current top four posts for my blog (I actually did a post on this last month about my top 10 most visited posts) one is a post that was written two and a half years ago, in which I recently gutted because I had a falling out with the people who helped me write it and a post that says "Pictorial Post" that features no pictures.

Oh and one that has been in my top 10 since February 2010 features lyrics to four songs dealing with love and the best piece of micro flash (about 300 words give or take) that I've ever written, which took me about 5 minutes to write. The post is called "All Points Bulletin".

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Danielle, thanks for visiting. I had chips and dip but ran out. Next time...hot wings. Don't you just love burnin-lips?

Lori Rader-Day said...

At first I thought you meant you were researching us individually...like stalking our blogs instead of the other way around.

FoolPlusTime said...

On a former blog, I did used to get a lot of people arriving there having searched "Alright constable, but please be gentle".
I had used that particular phrase, but I'm suspect it wasn't in the context they had been hoping to find.

Lucy said...

If I recall correctly (which I probably don't by now) I found this blog through another blogging agent's sidebar links.

So it doesn't all come to you through Google searches. :)

Anonymous said...

hmmm most of the blogging intricacies mentioned here are beyond me at this point, but i was referred here by paperbackwriter on her top 10 list of blogs that rock her world... can't remember which Rock song category you were listed under... something like "bring me to life"