Sometime this morning–perhaps even by the time I put up this post–Times and Seasons’ visitor counter will pass the two million mark. Two million readers in a little over three and a half years. Not bad for a blog that doesn’t feature kittens or porn.
I’ll be the first to admit that Times and Seasons perhaps isn’t quite the mighty clipper ship, boldly exploring new waters, cutting speedily through the choppy waves of the Bloggernacle, that it once was. Time takes its toll. We’ve weathered storms and squalls, and some people have gone overboard (though, I give you my word as a blog midshipman, no one has ever been forced to walk the plank). There are barnacles on our hull which slow us down. Shipboard organization and communication has been confused for so long that most of those of us who have signed up for the duration have long since adapted, and given up on plans for redesigning the whole deck. Looking across the open sea, we can see a lot of Bloggernacle blogs that are speeding along, riding high waves of comments, exploring fascinating new bays and harbors and currents, ones which the good ship T&S takes a long time to heave around to. No can pretend that these days, we’re as likely today to take our compass readings from other blogs as they once were from us.
Still, old Times and Seasons lumbers onward. We’ve got some good stuff planned for the summer and the fall: the interviews and features connected with the Mormon Writers Symposium will continue, a couple of fine and prominent Bloggernacle guestbloggers will be joining us for a time, and we look forward to another Bushman/Rough Stone Rolling-type sympoisum involving an important work of Mormon scholarship to be released later this year (more details to come). So, to our two millionth reader, and our first, and everyone who has come in between, our thanks: we hope you agree that it’s been a fun journey so far, and despite rumors to the contrary, we can assure you: it’s nowhere near being finished yet.
“kittens or porn.”
This will, I am sure, explain the mysterious rise in hits received today.
Congratulations.
Look, I’m telling ya…
If you want the participation to rise, you’ve got to cart out the old standbys on occasion – abortion, sexuality, liberal vs. conservative and apparently welfare (see Mormon Mentality). Times and Seasons used to tackle these issues fairly frequently in a way that was accessible to even the most casual reader. But now, if these issues are addressed, it’s actually addressing some obscure side issue that just doesn’t resonate with all readers.
I don’t really blame you, the permabloggers get tired of rehashing the same debates over and over. They get to a point where eventually, they’ve pretty-much said everything they have to say on the subject and it’s like “Oh boy, not another abortion rant!”
The problem is – your READERS haven’t always exhausted the topic. As for me, I’ve been around here awhile and had a chance to have my say on this and other topics. But you are supposedly getting new readers. And these folks haven’t had a chance to dive into controversial subjects in a Mormon setting outside the hallway after Sunday School. A lot of the newbies are simply DYING to discuss exciting and important issues and so far, haven’t had the opportunity. Isn’t that why we all started coming here to begin with? It kind of sucks for them that the old timers here have already moved on doesn’t it?
So that’s my two cents. Whatever the permabloggers may think of a subject, try to see it from the perspective of your new readership. I don’t mind a ten page exposition on Mormon courts from Nate Oman. I think it’s valuable. But it isn’t all that accessible. It’d be nice if T&S had a bit more “low hanging fruit” to offer.
“Not bad for a blog that doesn’t feature kittens or porn.”
Wait…Wait… Are you suggesting there’s porn on the internet? Who knew?
I actually think Seth R. is way off on this. If the goal is to be the most popular blog (whatever that means), then by all means only talk about SSM and abortion (and kittens). But I’ve never gotten the feeling that being the most popular blog was the goal here. Why not continue to be the Economist of the bloggernaccle? Sure, not as many people read it as say, Newsweek, but it’s far more respected.
Why not continue to be the Economist of the bloggernaccle? Sure, not as many people read it as say, Newsweek, but it’s far more respected.
Once upon a time I called BCC and T&S Walmart and Target. Now we’re using the Economist and Newsweek. Personally, I think the Beano and the Dandy are more appropriate. (For British readers only.)
Crap. Are we the Wal-Mart now or the Target?
/tooting of horns, throwing of confetti, shouts of Happy Two Million!/
And we owe it all, of course, to Jacky Chan.*
*and Ardis Parshall.
“Are we the Wal-Mart now or the Target?”
Considering T&S’s “hiring practices” and “wages”, particularly when it comes to women bloggers, they have got to be Wal-Mart.
Wow, the two millionth reader and a new Oman on the same day. It IS a good day. Congrats to you all…
I’m a recent convert (to the bloggernacle) and T&S is one of my favorites.
Thanks for the interesting insights, humor, stories, interviews, book recommendations, etc. etc. It’s much appreciated.
I like the profit motive. Make this blog a commercial endeavor by putting some ads on it, then maybe some newfound ingenuity will kick-in to increase readership.
John, we’re maximizing our utility, not our readership!
I actually agree with Seth R., and not jimbob. All the big blogs should recycle old issues from time to time, in order to hook new readers. The juicy issues are juicy for a reason, and everyone wants to talk about them. With new recruits on the battlefield, there are bound to be a few new insights amidst all the rehash.
Aaron B
P.S. I really think the Church should implement an affirmative action program for pro-choice homosexual LDS couples who want to receive temple recommends, as long as they believe in the Adam-God Theory, and evolution, and acknowledge that Prophets are always asking as such, even when they’re not. I know that every right-thinking person reading this agrees with me, or he/she must be an apostate. Discuss.
Congratulations, T&S!
With new recruits on the battlefield, there are bound to be a few new insights
No.
A landmark. Way to go.
congratulations t&s! you are still my first stop when entering the bloggernacle. thanks for all the time and effort you’ve put into the effort.