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It’s been a year this week since I started blogging for mental_floss, and to commemorate such an auspicious anniversary, I thought I’d take a page from David’s book, Google the phrase “the average blogger,” and see how I stack up.
According to Google, “the average blog is read by one person.”
Who is this person?? (Kidding.) In all seriousness, I can say with some certainty that the _floss has at least two loyal readers — unless our “commenters” are all one guy, deeply schizophrenic and with nothing but time on his hands. (Upon reflection, I honestly can’t rule that out.)
“The average blogger is a 14-year-old girl writing about her cat,” said Alexander Halavais, an assistant professor of interactive communications at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
It’s true, I’ve written about my cat a few times, but in this year of blogging I’ve also written about talking gorillas, a friend’s now-famous monkey and pictures of a pet moose. Also how sometimes church music makes you poop. (Just thought I’d throw that in there.)
The average blogger “makes about $20 to $50 a month for their efforts,” mostly funded by click-through advertising like Google AdSense.
Thankfully, the _floss compensates its fact miners a little more generously than that. (I suspect this figure has a direct relationship to the number of blogs that haven’t been updated in at least two months.)
The average blog “has the lifespan of a fruitfly … with 60% to 80% abandoned within one month.” Of those that survive, “66% have not been updated in two months.”
If that’s true, we’re practically geriatrics around here! Bring me my calamine lotion, whipper-snapper!
Comments (10)
Comment
Uh, gee, the average blogger makes $20 to $50 a month!? I guess I got a ways to go.
posted by Rhea on 8-14-2007 at 9:30 am
Congratulations on your first year of blogging.
posted by Average Jane on 8-14-2007 at 9:31 am
I have a blog embedded on my site using Moveable Type software…i guess I’m not counted in the stats as a ‘blogger’ then…boo hoo…
still, I’m older than 14, and I do talk about my cat(s) and while my blog per se doesn’t make my money, I do use it to lure folks to my website and purchase my wares…
posted by donner on 8-14-2007 at 9:32 am
Happy blog-day! I’m only on Week 28.
posted by Higgins on 8-14-2007 at 9:46 am
Happy Anniversary, Ransom. Coincidentally, this day has a Hurricane Flossie tearin up the Pacific! Well, sorta. It was downgraded to a tropical depression, but still a great coincidence.
posted by Johnny Cat on 8-14-2007 at 10:09 am
Congratulations!
I don’t make a cent from my blog, I’m not 14, but I do sometimes write about my cat. And I updated last night.
posted by Alison on 8-14-2007 at 12:26 pm
Happy, um, Blogday! And cats can make pretty decent blog material.
posted by jamie g on 8-14-2007 at 2:02 pm
Happy anniversary, Ransom!
posted by Miss Cellania on 8-14-2007 at 2:12 pm
Happy blogday! Your posts are some of my faves. Plus, I can really respect a guy who is secure enough to own a cat!!
posted by Allison on 8-14-2007 at 6:25 pm
Wow, I repeated myself a lot of times up there. Sorry about that.
har har…geddit? =D maybe not. Happy blog day!
posted by Courtney on 8-15-2007 at 2:14 am