I am back from paternity leave and am considering resuming posting here at Thoughts of Resurrection. However, when I checked my stats of views over the past few months, I found something interesting.
In the month of January, I made no posts to the blog and the average page views per day was only down 16% from the average of the entire year of 2010 when I sought to post 5 days a week.
So, I ask myself – is it worth the time to post on a regular basis? Clearly it is not all about the page views and who might connect with this content. There is value in me spending time to pull together my thoughts and put them down.
What do you think? Would you enjoy more posts here at Thoughts of Resurrection? What kind of content would you find valuable?
Rev. Andrew Conard 
11 replies on “Back from Paternity Leave”
I admire your ambition for posting 5 days a week.
But I think it depends on the blogger him/herself. If you posted 5 times a day, I’d still read ’em.
Or you can be lazy like me and aim for two a week…
welcome back 🙂
Personally, I think that 5 posts a week is ambitious and a bit unnecessary. I do enjoy your posts, though, so please don’t abandon us all together! I Agree with Joseph, a couple posts a week is a good target to please your reader base, especially considering you have a new baby at home!
(And this is coming from your apparently sole Google Reader subscriber!)
I post every day because I love to do it Andrew. If it ever starts to feel like work I will probably stop. I suggest you keep doing it only if it is a life-giving activity.
Blessings, Bob
http://redeemed. kansasbob.com
stats are misleading in that a lot of people read via rss readers now, so posting often probably gets to them the most. site traffic being stable probably depends on comment activity or natural search activity finding their way into the site.
then there is the mom’s of the world that visit our sites.. mine doesn’t care for mine, but maybe your mom still loves you. &:~D
Last night I heard Adam Hamilton, a relative unknown, give the Parksomething Lecture at Southwestern College. I tell you, that kids got some talent.
At one point he began speaking emphatically about his church and their online worship community. He mentioned his Internet Pastor. Not by name, just mentioned said pastor’s excellence.
Considering you are paving the way for UMC worldwide, I would consider it a loss not to continue reading your posts.
But thats just my opinion. Wait. Its a fact.
You’re the internet’s pastor. Blog.
It keeps your people engaged and it keeps me entertained. Especially when I get into arguments with John Wesley’s brother.
Again…Congrats on the baby!
This is a good point….
Okay, okay. I suppose the internet’s pastor should blog 😉
Welcome back, Andrew!
I think the “right” answer depends on the reason that you write. If your blogging is to help you clarify thoughts, and get insights (from yourself and your readers), then I think trying to meet a quota is not necessarily a valid goal — although it might help solidify it as a discipline. If your purpose is to reach out and gain a tribe, then having a fairly regularly schedule is a very valid goal.
Of course, echoing the others who have already commented before me, I enjoy your writing and will keep reading regardless of the frequency. Your insights are always thought provoking.
For what it’s worth:
1. it allows us at Resurrection to know you and who you are and what you are thinking about.
2. Your posts provide insight into what issues we Methodists are facing now and in the future.
3. One day you may again be preparing weekly sermons (we trust not for a long time) and this is a great way to keep organizing your thoughts by these mini-sermons.
4. I wonder how many at Resurrection even know you have a blog (I just found it this week).
5. Your Mom must love reading it and can brag to her friends.
I could go on but will spare all. Think it is wonderful to read about something other than Alpha!
Peace and grace to you, Nicole and John — we are blessed to have you on staff!
P. S. Agree with previous comment — if it gets tedious and doesn’.t bless you then Suggest you give yourself space.
Cathy – Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate the responses, especially about practice for preparing weekly sermons. This is something that I had not considered before. I will keep going and we will see how the schedule goes. Thanks!