Google Booktalk

Robert Tulip · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:23 am Post subject: Google Booktalk

To get into Booktalk, I use google homepage and type booktalk. Several months ago, booktalk.org was about number four on the list. Guess what? It has moved up to number one! For a while it was behind booktalk.com, but is now regularly first. Google is country specific, as I also get australian booktalk sites high on the list which sometimes spike to #1. Does this mean traffic to booktalk.org has increased?

Ophelia · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:32 am Post subject:

Interesting question Robert.
I'll ask Chris.

I've added a google test of my own: I've just googled "book discussion "wicked" gregory maguire".

Although this is just a side bar discussion here, BT comes in 9th position, and you get a link to Tammy's last posting.

However , if one could ask Google for a site that REALLY discusses Wicked we'd be first IMO (not that we've made great strides yet, but the competition is rather feeble).

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:56 am Post subject:

Here are some Webalizer stats for Daily Average Visits to BookTalk.org. I don't believe this is "unique visitors."

Mar 2008 - 1646
Feb 2008 - 1184
Jan 2008 - 1044
Dec 2007 - 819
Nov 2007 - 919
Oct 2007 - 512
Sep 2007 - 101

The point is look at the upwards trend in traffic. Smile

And then AWSTATS provides the monthly averages for "unique visitors." A unique visitor is one with a different IP address. If you access BookTalk several times per day from the same computer you are considered 1 unique visitor. I like to look at unique visitors because it is a more valuable piece of data.

Mar 2008 - 4421
Feb 2008 - 7306
Jan 2008 - 7458

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject:

If you want to help draw in more people there are things you can do to help.

- Post on Blogs (not BookTalk Blogs) when they allow you to post comments. Add a link to http://www.booktalk.org Try to only post on Blogs when it is appropriate, such as when you find a Blog discussing one of our current or past books. There are two reasons for wanting these incoming links. First, human beings follow links and this is obviously a good thing. Secondly, search engine spiders follow links and they give BookTalk a higher page rank the more incoming links from relevant sites.

- Add a link to BookTalk in your personal email signature. There are clever ways of doing this so that you're not spamming people. A simple, "Join me on www.booktalk.org, the home of quality books, good people and great conversations." Whenever you send emails to people attach this simple signature and we'll get a flood of new people - your friends Smile

I will soon be starting a monthly newsletter that will go out to all active members. People can opt in and opt out of the newsletter, naturally. We get a ton of traffic that will sign up for such a newsletter, but won't actually join BookTalk until the right book discussion comes along. This newsletter will keep them posted on what we're reading, when we're hosting a live author chat, and will also include some direct links to some of the more exciting discussions on our forums.


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