Big Brother

For the last two days, for the first time ever, this blog has seen over 1500 page views in a 30 day period.  That's around 50 page views per day.  It was a personal goal I had since the beginning of the year, but I'm not sure exactly what it means.  There are also 20 people currently following this blog.  I'm happy and honored that some of you out there are interested in what's going on here.  I've also been more diligent in keeping the blog up, because I'm also in the process of writing a book, and recording events and thoughts comes in handy later. I have a good memory, it's just really short.

What is rather amazing (on one hand) and scary (on the other) is how our digital fingerprints are registered with almost every keystroke.  I do limit the content of what I put on this blog for obvious reasons.  But I'm not talking about content editing.  I'm referring to how Google is taking over cyber-space.  Youtube is owned by Google.  Blogger.com is owned by Google.  Facebook and Google, although rivals, are totally integrated digitally.  Twitter can feed into Facebook and blogs and vice-versa.

Google Analytics is a program a missionary friend told me about that is free, yet amazingly detailed in providing information.  By inserting a bit of code in your blog or website, you can get a much better idea of who is visiting your blog, and where they live.  For example, in the past 30 days I've received 250 visits to my blog from people from Pennsylvania (1st by a large margin, followed by TX and CA).  This doesn't mean 250 different people or even different computers.  Just visits.  In one month, from everywhere, 279 visits were "unique," that is, they were from 279 different IP numbers.  Now, I know my parents check the blog every day.  So of their 30 visits every thirty days, and perhaps 50 page views, they represent only one unique visitor.  In the last 30 days, 589 visits came from the U.S., 196 from Mexico, 12 from Uruguay, 8 from Guatemala and 8 from Canada.

What is even freakier about Google Analytics is a Beta function that allows you to see, with very limited detail, who is visiting your blog or website LIVE.  While I was typing this post, someone from close to Wilkes-barre, PA checked out the blog.  Over the past month, 77% of those visiting my blog were repeat visitors, with 23% new visitors.  42% of you use Internet Explorer (you should think about changing), 29% use Chrome (which is a Google product) and 20% use Mozilla Firefox.  8% are Safari users.

25% of you have visited the blog over 200 times!  10% of you have visited the blog between 50-200 times.  Another 23% of you will probably not read this, because you've only visited the blog once.

Ok, now, I am not a techie.  No way.  I've purchased absolutely no high-powered program, or monthly suscription to a tracking/intelligence plan or program.   If I am aware of that much information, imagine someone who knows something about the Internet, a hacker, someone who wants to invade your cyber-world?   Well...you're toast.

For another helpful article on Google Analytics, click HERE.