I recently set up Google Analytics on Grits and was immediately reminded that the most common way readers get to this blog isn't through links from other blogs but the bookmarks on their web browser - 36% of Grits traffic last week came from "direct" sources, compared to 26% from referring websites and 38% from search engines.
So before you forget, bookmark Grits for Breakfast on your web browser. Or if you're a little more tech savvy, subscribe via RSS feed or by email (in the right hand column). If you use a personalized Google or Yahoo! home page or other personalized web interface (highly recommended), you can easily add Grits just like any other site with an RSS feed.
What else can we learn about Grits traffic from Google Analytics?
Perhaps not surprisingly, 64% of Grits visitors last week came from within the state of Texas, with the rest spread out all over. Within Texas, 44% of Grits visitors last week were from Austin (28% of total site visitors), with Dallas, Houston San Antonio, Fort Worth, and (oddly) Richardson topping the next tier. (Shout out to Richardson readers! Let us know who you are in the comments!).
Texas visitors, says GA, are substantially more likely to be repeat visitors than others, averaging a whopping 4 minutes and 2.25 page views per visit (both on the high end compared to Grits' averages).
Google Analytics compiles interesting aggregate statistics to measure "visitor loyalty." Forty percent of last week's Grits visitors were repeaters, according to GA, with more than 1,500 unique visitors stopping by five or more times during the week.
Texas Youth Commission employees presence was obvious in the stats - the most-often viewed page after the home page itself was this page archiving old TYC-related posts.
I'll give a fuller analysis after the program has gathered a full month of data, which appears to be its baseline time period, but I thought these initial stats gave an interesting snapshot of who's visiting Grits for Breakfast. Thanks for reading!
Good stuff Grits....
ReplyDeleteI beleive that anyone using SBC/ATT for their internet services in the DFW area comes across as being Richardson, I know mine does, even though that isn't where I live.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if it might be some technical angle like that, that would explain it. I was trying to think, "is there a prison unit in Richardson I don't know about?" :) In the future I'll count those as Dallas folks, then.
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