(RSS)
2nd Quarterly Report
It’s hard for me to believe, but donigreenberg.com/Food for Thought has just passed its six-month anniversary. During this time, Doni and a cadre of helpers created a rich community resource; part newspaper, part magazine, part blog, part e-village.
With each month, more writers joined Food for Thought to contribute their talents and expertise to broaden the depth of this Web site’s content. All of us, as readers, have had the good fortune to enjoy this abundance of quality work.
Here at donigreenberg.com/Food for Thought Doni takes care of the editorial side and I handle the business side.
With that in mind, last quarter I presented our first status report.
I’ll start today’s update with some numbers: Thus far, 38 writers and 11 bloggers have contributed their work to donigreenberg.com/Food for Thought. Together we’ve published 247 local stories and opinion pieces, 29 recipes and received 1,971 reader comments.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for participating. Thank you for telling others. Food for Thought would be nothing without you.
The other night, as we wrapped up our work on the Web site for the next day (a process we affectionately refer to as “putting baby Webster to bed”), I asked Doni if she still enjoyed working on the Web site. She just laughed and said she’s having a ball. As her husband, I have to tell you, this project agrees with Doni. I’ve never seen her happier.
OK. Here are some more numbers.
You might recall that by Jan. 31 (the end of the last quarter) Food for Thought had:
- 4,262 unique visitors
- 34,724 visits
- 293,738 page views for the quarter
- 986,987 hits
Compare those numbers to our most current, April 30 (the end of this quarter), when Food for Thought had:
- 5,976 unique visitors (up 40 percent)
- 53,016 visits (up 53 percent)
- 379,272 page views (up 29 percent)
- 1,929,450 hits ( up 96 percent)
Another term I’ve learned this year is “stickiness” - which basically refers to how long a visitor stays at a Web site once he or she arrives. On average, Food for Thought readers view more than seven pages per visit. Since Food for Thought does not use gimmicks to artifically drive traffic to the Web site, readers who come to Food for Thought are people who want to be here. They stay awhile and look around. Speaking of readers who want to be here, 86% of the visitors to Food for Thought come directly to this site. They either type in the url or have it bookmarked.
If you’ve followed Food for Thought since its inception in November, you’ve watched the site steadily expand. Most recently, some of the new features include two top stories (instead of one); a Blogger’s Voices section, an Events section with a Community Calendar that allows you to enter your public events, a Movies section where you can see movie trailers, and improved access to archived stories.
Many new ideas remain under construction and will appear soon. Even so, we encourage you to drop us a note if you have an idea, or there is something you’d like to see on Food for Thought. Some of our best ideas, such as printable recipes, are reader-inspired.
On a personal note, I admit that in the past, I was skeptical of the Internet. Certainly, I recognized the good things about online, such as its value as an indespensible research tool.
But I am a people person. In a conversation I’ve always preferred as many senses engaged as possible. I like to look in people’s eyes, take note of their body language and hear the voice inflections. I’m always on the lookout for sarcasm or a sense of humor, to see how it all stacks up with what they’re saying.
I tell you this because I came to this blog/Web site idea with plenty of reservations. Six months into this business I am a total convert. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a one-on-one conversation, but wow, it’s amazing to realize there are now almost 6,000 people engaged in a conversation here on donigreenberg/Food for Thought.
It’s developed into a think tank where we share ideas about our local and global community. It’s a place where we take turns passing the mic around. We discuss local news, things that we’ve learned and information others may find interesting. We talk about friends in our community; perhaps they’re doing interesting things and receive acclaim, or maybe they’re having a rough time and need a hand.
Food for Thought is a classroom of sorts where it’s safe to share ideas. We won’t always agree with each other, of course. But we can agree to disagree and learn from each other’s perspectives. Most of all, Food for Thought is a work in progress where we all benefit from the finished product.
We regularly hear from people outside the area who tell us how impressed they are that we are using the Internet so effectively as a community-building tool.
I tell them we’re just getting started.
102 views
Congratulations, all! Your readership is delighted for you–and ourselves
[Reply]
My congratulations, too! Food for Thought is unique in style and always interesting. How could it be other with Doni and Bruce in charge? And your visiting writers are most enjoyable. Onward and upward to all!
[Reply]
Almost two MILLION hits?! You guys are rock stars. It started out fabulous and it gets better every day! Congratulations and much love to you both.
[Reply]
Wow! Congratulations. You’ve created a wonderful site; the best start to anyone’s day. Thank you.
Sue
[Reply]
Please add our congratulations as well. We really enjoy the new postings during the week and the varied information we receive. With the Redding Searchlight no longer a publication we are willing to read you are our written voice for the area. Your hard work has really paid off and we very much appreciate all your efforts. Johnny and Kathy
[Reply]
Hey Guys, best quarterly report I have ever read! Bruce you make even numbers interesting. We all appreciate everything you do. As a community, we all need to support you by telling everyone about this wonderful site and by putting our advertising dollars here. Keep up the good work.
[Reply]
What a great way to start the week…
Most start-up companies can’t come close to presenting as uplifting and CLEAN a Q-2 report in under TWO years as you have done in two quarters…
You kids DO rock!!!!
With our love, admiration and lots of good thoughts,
Alan & the kids,
ever your fans
PS You scooped the R-S, AGAIN!!!!!!
[Reply]
Dear Doni and Bruce,
I am happy that your website is such a success, but it certainly isn’t surprising. You actually have “listened” to what the readers want and need and have responded. Congratulations to all who make this great site possible.
[Reply]
1st reading…quite impressed…you will hear from me…
[Reply]
Great stats Bruce, good work everybody. I have to say, however, I knew it would happen. How could it not with all the folks here at the helm!
[Reply]
Congratulations Doni & Bruce! I can’t wait to see what’s next.
[Reply]
Doni and Bruce…You’ve done it. I knew you could. You’ve created an interesting well run web site. I’ll be reading and watching you continue to grow “Food For Thought”. Here’s to many more months to come.
[Reply]
Hi guys,
We’re so happy for you, and impressed that this wonderful wesite is growing like it is. I know you both enjoy face-to-face contact with people, and I must say that visiting this blog is as warm and friendly as you are. It’s so fun to have interesting articles to read, and a safe place to express opinions. Congratulations and love to you both!
[Reply]
I have to tell everyone… this is what transparency is about. The Greenbergs are not shy to share their stats, whether they be good or bad. By letting their readers and advertisers know what is happening on their “wesite” they can gain knowledge and readership from the communal input.
Congrats guys… I always knew it could happen.
Now… about that all Internet newspaper….
[Reply]
Thanks to each and every one of you for your kind and supportive comments. This website has come a long way in six months, but its potential has only begun to be tapped. We’re onto something here and it’s going to be very exciting to see where it leads.
[Reply]
What great news!!
I love this site and come here often. It’s so nice to see such a wide variety of opinions!
Keep up the good work, everyone!
[Reply]
Congratulations ! I am so wow’d to see those numbers, thank you for sharing them with us.
Am really enjoying watching ‘baby Webster/Webby’ grow; with such delightful ‘parents & family’ he/she’s well on the way to a smashing success.
Can’t pinpoint just one feature - I love them all !!
[Reply]
Although I am many miles away from you physically, the Food for Thought website gives you a virtually close presence that I truly cherish. I respect your accomplishments and applaud you on your success. Keep up the great work. I want to nominate myself to be President of your fan club when it is officially formed. Please continue to keep me well-informed! Robbie in Ventura County.
[Reply]
So, each unique person that visits your site “turns a page” an average of 63.47 times during the month, eh? Wow.
Hits, though, are extremely antiquated and rarely used nowadays. Uniques, page views and the ’stickiness’ of the site are all that really matter. Bruce, could you explain how you are counting the ‘hits’? What exactly do ‘hits’ mean?
Just curious…
[Reply]
Uncle E, I’m glad you are impressed with our stats. We’re thrilled that the readers of Food for Thought find this site so worthwhile that they come back so many times each month. It’s an honor for us to be part of such a worthwhile project. One of my favorite numbers, which you didn’t mention is that 86% of our readers come to this site directly by either typing in the url or bookmarking the site.
To answer your question about hits. I included that number because that’s the number that newspapers often use to impress advertisers. But I would have thought you already knew that since you work in advertising at the Record Searchlight.
[Reply]
For those that didn’t already know, ‘hits’ is a measure of all the components sent out to viewers. So, if you see one page, but that page has dozens of pictures and other distinct pieces, the ‘hits’ are a much higher number than page views.
[Reply]
Actually, Bruce, I have never cited “hits” as a statistic when speaking to an advertiser. Most advertisers are savvy enough to see through that one.
And I was not, as your tone suggests, being sarcastic and challenging towards your statistics. I do not have any reason why you are so defensive and accusatory, but what the heck, if that’s your bent…
[Reply]
Uncle E.
Doni has always said you are a great guy. We have a number of friends in common and they all, without exception, speak very highly of you. I’m confident that you are a bright, talented and very decent guy. If it doesn’t work out for you over at the paper, call me. I would love to have you join us here at Food for Thought.
[Reply]