Nothing important to say tonight.... but I did come across an interesting observation.

For the last 10+ years I've maintained a personal website for my photography [link] .  Unfortunately I have little time to keep it "Fresh".  After joining DA 3.5 years ago there is now even less time as I divide what little spare time I have to both sites.  Since DA is also a very social site (a fact that I love)....  I tend to give it far more attention and my personal site lies almost forgotten.

It is now time to renew the domain name for my personal website.  I normally purchase the 5 year subscription as it is cheaper and I don't have to deal with it every year.   As this renewal draws closer I keep questioning the value of the personal site and if it is worth the time and $$$$$.

I decided I should probably look at the stats and just see how many people are even using the personal site.  Sadly, I haven't looked at the stats for this site in at least two years... maybe longer.  Last time I looked, I was getting 2,000-3,000 page views per month...  Which isn't bad...  but nothing outstanding.

So....  I dig up all the information on how to access the stats package along with the very awkward/long/cryptic  ID and PW that they assigned me....   I fumble around and have to retype the credentials 4 times before I get them right...  finally I am rewarded with a pretty page loaded with numbers and pretty colored charts.  Well....  as my brain begins to make sense of the mass of numbers/charts I realized that the site is averaging over 200,000 page views per month!  I was floored.....  and very humbled.

Guess I'll be keeping the personal site for a while.

One fact I keep forgetting is that as Awesome as DA is,  it is still a limited community of fellow artists.  I don't know how many individuals from the general public come to DA to view Art.  Where a personal web site or a site like RedBubble or Etchy are more for the general public thus they draw from a much larger audience.

Just curious.... how many of you maintain a personal website in addition to being on DA or other sites like RedBubble or similar sites.  (BTW - I am not on any other of the RedBubble or etchy sites... yet!.... still not sure what is best... ).... all I really want is new models and a chance to continue creating images I enjoy.

Okay... this journal is just some random, rambling, non-coherent thoughts.... but I'm still interested in your thoughts on Personal Vs. DA website presence....

Hope all is well in your world,
robert





Are Your Blacks Set Properly? Many monitors are shipped with the brightness levels set too high. Click on the test strip below to learn more: