Here’s a thought, when looking at any metric.
Quality over quantity.
Those that focus on quality don’t worry about the big numbers, they obsess on quality. As a consequence they get the numbers.
Those that focus on quantity, aspire to be the former but end up with sub par results, as they focus on quantity over quality.
The funny thing is that the quality guys don’t care about the numbers but the latter do.
Paradox but rings true time and time again.
Think about Newspapers, and actually read the content in them, it’s typically very low key and more press releases and quotes than actual editorial.
They weren’t always this way. Once their distribution was locked down, the game shifted from how can we maximise readership (through great content) to how can we maximise profits.
You see the same things with bands, how often do you hear so and so has sold out now the’re big.
Blogs are the new content medium, surely they’re not the same? Or are they?
Think of some of the more popular bloggers, once they hit a certain readership or tipping point they too appear to slack off.
Others don’t, some to take it as a good sign and work harder.
They’re in it for the long term.
You see with blogging, once the distribution is set (through feedreaders / email subscriptions / syndication) the foundation is weaker. It is easy for one single reader to drop off.
You need to keep on your toes, keep active and use engagement or return visitors or attention time as a measure of success.
(and someone to give you a dead arm when you slack off)
That’s why you see such great content out there, for free, competition is fierce.