Benefits Of Blogging – A Practitioner's Perspective

Two of a Kind.Two things in this post:

1) Quick reflection on a birthday.

2) My perspective on the benefits from blogging.

Hopefully you'll have as much fun reading this as I did writing the post.

Act 1.

Occam's Razor (the web analytics blog, not the principle!) is exactly two years old today. First post: Traditional Web Analytics is Dead.

I can't believe it has been two years, at the same time I am absolutely ecstatic about the journey so far. It seems like I have lived three different lives during that time. Crazy. Cool.

At the end of the first few weeks my wonderful wife was worried that I would run out of content, and wisely counseled me to slow down my posting (twice a week). I was worried too. Now looking back I can't believe it has been two years! [161 Posts, 283,496 Words in posts, approximately 900 images!]

Perhaps the biggest thrill is your participation, your engagement, your support and all you encouragement. This is no way that I would put in almost 24 hours a week into this were it not for that gift of your time. [3,306 Comments by you (plus 359 comments by me), 232,057 Words in comments (plus 79,657 by me), 20 Comments on avg per post!!] Thank you. I am deeply appreciative.

This being a web analytics blog what would a anniversary post be without a KPI. There are many ways to measure success of a blog , Visitors and Comments and Technorati and ROI and so much more.

If I had to pick one metric (Critical Few!) this would be it:

rss subscribers-occams razor

The reason I like Feed Subscribers is because it is "permission marketing" at its best. This is a social medium and it is a extra (perhaps slightly painful) step to sign up. By signing up you also give me permit the blog to be pushed to you, in the world of "marketing 2.0" I can't think of a better asset to have.

I have to admit that I am tickled pink that the blog has just under 10,000 subscribers. When I started writing my expectation that the upper limit was 500, after all how many people in this world could possibly care about something as esoteric as web analytics.

Every week the Subs go up and I look at with a child like bewilderment, I thank you for that.

[Let me hasten to add that like everything in web analytics the absolute number matters less, its the trend over time that is important.]

Act 2.

I had no idea about what benefits I would get from blogging.

It all started for me at a conference in Phoenix Andy Beal strongly suggested I start a blog, and he also provided all the initial guidance. But even after I started the blog I had no expectations of any "return on investment". I just wanted to share my lessons and perspectives, just give something back.

Reflecting back now I have am impressed in small and big ways in which the blog has benefited me in the last two years.

Here are some ways in which your blog might benefit you (in no apparent order). . . .

#1: Maybe Book
#2: More Friends
#3: Eliminate Resume
#4: Personal Brand
#5: Influence
#6: Make Money
#7: Be A "Big Deal"
#8: Bonus – See Below

Let's dive in and look at them in a bit more detail, and have some fun.

You might end up writing a book.

Ok I admit that this might happen less than always, but I know of six other books in the last few months that were all sourced from blogs. One on cartoons, one on presentations, one about reputation and more. So while it might seem to be a stretch, I think it is not. Atleast not as much as you might imagine.

I never set out to be an author. The call from Wiley surprised me. It took a couple months before we agreed. It was painful to have a full time job and all the other stuff and write a book. But the result is fantastic.

web analytics-an hour a dayI am very proud of Web Analytics: An Hour A Day, it has sold beyond my wildest dreams (and is still on the top 1,000 books sold on Amazon almost every day, 11 months later!).

One of our earliest decisions, even before we signed a contract, was to donate all our proceeds to charity. Jennie and I wrote a chq for each our two charities for $9,000 each after four months of sale. I can't wait for our next chq (at the end of May '08).

So you should blog because you might become an Author plus you could end up helping so many other people (from your knowledge, and perhaps financially). And that's a good thing.

You'll have friends / "groupies" around the world!

Last month there were a little over 40,000 unique visitors to this blog. Way more friends that I could ever have imagined. Ok, not all of them are friends! I kid, I kid.

People walk up to me all the time now and just start talking. They are always sweet, they say nice things about the blog and its value to them. They almost always say: "Oh I feel like I have known you for years!". They refer to specific posts or emails I might have replied. It is amazing and it is nice to have this network develop.

You'll also end up making some pen-pals, and some of them will spread your message. You'll have your own small troop of evangelists!

And you can't forget the connections you'll end up making through this most social of environments. I know so many more people know, big and small and giant. People I would otherwise have never known, the six degrees of separation truly become six pixels of separation on the blog world.

With 50% non-US traffic from this blog I have friends now pretty much in all corners of the world. People who engage in a conversation, one to one or one to many, each week. And that's a good thing (and quite surprising for a introvert!).

You'll never need a resume again.

I hated updating my resume. It is such a brilliantly inefficient medium to communicate your value proposition.

[Sidebar: Oh and it would take me hours and hours to tell you horror stories about people how looked like God's gift to humanity (ok, our company) from their resume and who were absolute dud's five seconds after they opened their mouths in interviews.]

Now when situations of resumes arise, I send the url for the blog. The longer it exists the more valuable it becomes as a alternative resume.

On blogs you can't fake it (atleast not for a very long time) and it so perfectly reflects your intelligence, your character, your values, your smarts (or lack there of) and so on and so forth. You can "fake" the piece of paper, you can't fake a blog.

Of course the flip side is also true. If you have a great blog you might not have to go look for a job. They'll come find you. I am sure all the bloggers in our space get atleast two job offers a week. :)

And here is perhaps the nicest benefit of having your own blog (and making sure your potential new employer has it and has sent it to the interview committee): They won't ask you silly questions.

They have a good idea of who you actually are and smart interviewers just get to the point. And that is a good thing.

You can establish your personal brand (/microbrand).

When I started writing the blog I had bunch things I was not going to do. No self promotion. No simply responding to other blogs. No being mean. Nothing that distracts from the focus areas I had chosen. No non value added stuff. And so on and so forth.

In hindsight it ended up creating a unique "brand", and now the blog in many ways reflects brand "Avinash". A set of values, something different from others, something me. The brand has its own set of attributes, expectations and promises.

That in of itself is would have been impressive. What was a wonderful surprise was how much that brand can stand on its own. I am still a small blogger. But through the "power" of this blog I have a brand that can stand apart and on its own, even after it was associated with something as astonishingly huge as Google.

Here is the last brand value argument: I control it.

Through my posts, the images, the ideas presented, my comments and emails and everything else I get to set what brand "Avinash" represents. So people can still try to take a weed whacker to it, but through your platform you maintain the brand.

Having that platform is the biggest gift you'll get from your blog. And that is a good thing.

[Bonus Link: The Brand Called You – by Tom Peters. I read this 1997 article a long time ago and it has shaped a lot of my thinking about "brand you", I highly recommend it.]

You could become an "influencer".

A email Stephane wrote to me made me realize how fantastic blogs are at creating "influencers". He described how at the eMetrics Insights Day he was invited to present industry insights on a panel along with Jupiter and Nielsen.

Pause and think about it for a second.

Two big established companies with budgets of millions and years in the "business". And one, like me, "small" blogger. And he has the power and the authority as a result of his blog (and WASP ).

Now to be honest Stephane is brilliant and get's invited to do this all the time. But even someone like me gets invited all the time to "analyst briefings" (sadly I decline most of them) and meeting with CEO's and yes even gets sent nice gifts. :) Trimmings that in the past were reserved for the elite few.

scoble linked to me today

For the longest time the loud voices belonged to the "experts" and "analysts". Forrester and Jupiter and Gartner and others had a hold on the "influencing" market. They continue to have a voice, but it is no longer the voice.

Through your blog you have the power to be a "influence powerhouse", provide an authentic voice of someone who actually knows, and provide a valuable service to the world.

The ability to influence others is now a lot more democratic. Next up on stage, Stephane, Nielsen, Forrester and You!

And that is a good thing.

You could end up creating a business.

Many people start a blog for this reason, to create a presence for their company or themselves. Perhaps sell some things or just flog their brilliance or get leads / clients. All perfectly legitimate and it could work for you as well.

I think the only condition is that you give something remarkable and of value to your readers.

If your blog meets those two conditions then I think you are kosher and the blog can be a great asset for your business.

For me personally the blog has not been a business. In total I have received two speaking engagements in two years sourced directly to the blog, and zero consulting engagements etc.

But that is not a surprise because I have deliberately not advertised my services, asked people to hire me and only once asked people to buy my book.

Part an attribute of what I want the blog to stand for, part the "Avinash brand" and part karma.

This is something I love doing and I am thrilled that I don't have to do things to monetize the blog. But of course each blogger is in a different position and I know many bloggers who make a nice living off their blog. And that's a good thing.

You can tell your spouse: "Honey, I am kind of a big deal!"

Like all couples we'll sometimes end up having a mild tiff about something. Jennie normally wins these, mostly because she is usually right (and I like thinking that I am not wrong, just less right :)).

Sometimes when I have exhausted all my other arguments / points I'll pause and tell her my latest feed subscriber (or UV number) and say: I have ten thousand feed subscribers. You know, I am kind of a big deal!

i am kind of a big deal

Yes grasping at straws, but it does feel good to put that on the table. And as you can imagine, it rarely works!

It does result in her pausing for a few seconds. Helps me think of something else to bolster my weak case. Getting that time to think as a result of your blog, its a good thing!

[The image above is dedicated to my dear friends in the C&A team, especially CHild!]

Bonus: You'll have a "legacy".

I am a sap. I think of stuff like this.

I write because I love writing but a nice side effect is that I have this body of work that some day my kids will read and perhaps get to know a different side of their dad. I wish it were something a lot more exciting and interesting, but nonetheless it is something I am very proud of and maybe they will be too some day.

We don't leave anything except the impacts of our actions behind. For me these words are another way of leaving a trail. I cherish that tremendously.

Convinced about the value of having a blog (personal or business)? Ready to start and build something wonderful of your own? It takes hard work but, as you can see above, it is well worth it.

Ok now its your turn.

How long have you been reading Occam's Razor? How did you find it? What is the one thing of value that you get from it? Do you have a particularly favorite post? Or perhaps a favorite Occam's Razor story? If you blog, what benefit do you get from your blog?

I would love to get your stories and feedback, what better way to celebrate two years! Thanks.

PS:
Couple other related posts you might find interesting:

Comments

  1. 1

    Hi Avinash,

    Long time reader, I picked up your blog a few months before you left Intuit (I work for Intuit, BTW, came in through the DI acquisition). I actually heard about it from our WebSideStory/Visual Sciences/Omniture Account rep.

    I've learned so much from this blog and just wanted to say Happy 2nd Birthday, and keep it coming! You've truly built a brand I feel I can trust.

    That story about "Kind of a Big Deal" was awesome. That alone may be enough to get me started on my own blog!

    Anyway, great work! Thanks for everything!

    Eric

  2. 2

    Happy Birthday, Occam's Razor!

    I actually started reading Occam's Razor a lot earlier than I have been a feed subscriber of it, I will say I've been reading Occam's Razor since January 2007 (A little after I officially become the Web Analytics "guy" at my agency). I actually found Occam's Razor by complete accident – I wanted to drop a line on someone from the movie "Contact", where the principle of Occam's Razor is mentioned by Jodie Foster. So I searched for "Ockham's Razor" to find the philosopher who coined the phrase, where he came from, etc.

    What did I get instead? Avinash Kaushik's Blog! If I remember correctly, the very first post I read here was this one:

    https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2007/01/web-analytics-a-puzzle-or-a-mystery.html

    I was instantly hooked. When I started using a Feed Reader towards the end of 2007 (Yes, I used to visit blog sites by hand before – I'm old school), I added Occam's Razor immediately.

    The Coolest thing for me that would not have happened had it not been for this blog was the fact that I actually got to meet Mr. Avinash at Google in Oct. '07. I brought my book for him to sign it, and he did which I sometimes show off here in the office.

    The other awesome thing about Avinash that I need to mention is that he replies individually to almost every comment I have ever made here, even if just to say "thank you for your comments" – that is something that is very awesome for me, and awesome in general, if you consider the volume of email this man probably gets a day.

    So, to Avinash / Occam's Razor, thank you for everything and keep it going strong for many more years to come!!

    -Joe T.

  3. 3
    Chuck Ullan says

    Happy Blog Birthday!

    I leverage your work on the blog in 3 ways

    1) Knowledge/skill development for myself

    2) Use collection of "best of Avinash" articles for new employees or others unfamiliar w/ the field

    3) Outside validation for executives. When I lobby for customer feedback they can see that Avinash thinks it's a great idea as well.

    Thanks for all your hard work – it's been immensely interesting and valuable for me!

  4. 4

    Happy Birthday To Occam’s Razor,

    Sad i started late with you blog may be a week or two back, but one article and i become you feed subscriber.

    And listening(or should i say reading) to your story, gave me one more example of persistence pays.

  5. 5

    Congratulations on your "Life" like you said so.

    Keep up with excellent work!!!

  6. 6
    Alice Cooper's Stalker says

    Avinash,

    Happy Birthday to your blog and to the brand 'Avinash.' You had some great observations about the benefits you have received from this blog.

    The one thing that I believe differentiates your blog from the rest is that your blog and your interactions with your 'groupies' are genuine. You are truely trying to help others and convey your learnings to the masses with no ulterior motives except to expand learnings and contribute to the growth of web analytics as a discipline. That is a good thing. There are many blogs that I have visited where you can just tell that the person has an ulterior motive. I'm not saying that you can't learn something even from a person or blog with an ulterior motive. I'm just saying that I'm a little more turned off by somebody trying to establish credibility so that they can form their own company, pimp a book or whatever. I'm more likely to rally behind the underdog or the person that is just out there trying to make the world a better place.

    I also think that you end many of your posts asking for the thoughts and experiences of your groupies on your topics. You are acknowledging that you can learn from us on this journey. You are both a teacher and a learner. Your blog is not a one way communication. It's an interactive forum. You just provide the topic and the foundation (fuel) for the fire that becomes an interactive exchange of ideas and learnings in the comments. You value the thoughts and experiences of your groupies. That helps differentiate your blog.

    I've personally emailed you about 4 times over the past year since I became involved in Analytics and you took the time to respond every time with great answers.

    So, I'm very glad that the sun shines brightly on you and that you are doing something that you are passionate about. You are fortunate to have a family that supports you. I very much look forward to continuing to learn from you blog. I believe it has been essential to my personal success in my role over the past year.

    Alice Cooper's Stalker

  7. 7

    I started blogging way back when few people knew what was a blog (October 2002!). You are not only an inspiration for web analytics practitioners, but also for bloggers. A double-dose of wisdom for me!

    As other have already said, it is amazing to see you reply to every email or comment. I was surprised the first time I got a reply, the first time I met you, and I'm still amazed at your true altruism.

    Now, regarding the part about being an influencer…

    I fell of my chair… when I woke up I was feeling good, honored, happy.

    You made my day, week, month! Thank you for your confidence and your trust.

    Stéphane

  8. 8

    Happy Blog B-day and keep up the good work!

    Sebastian

  9. 9

    Avinash,

    Congratulations on your blog birthday! I found your blog several months ago from Anil Batra's blog. Stumbled in and loved it.

    The posts have always been insightful and outside of the knowledge you share ….I love the authentic and human 'voice'(soon after I started to read you shared a personal post about your daughter, Damini) and your contribution with your book to help a cause.

    Thanks for all that you do!

  10. 10

    Congratulations Avinash! Here's to many more years of blogging.

    Thank you for the Anchorman reference – it made my day! I think I owe you this now:

    http://www.zazzle.com/i_m_kind_of_a_big_deal_shirt-235747300831946334

    You stay classy, Avinash!

    -child

  11. 11

    Avinash,

    Happy birthday! I loved this post – and it hit home for me. Having started the writing process last October, I can't believe who I have met over the past 8 months.

    As Dr. Seuss says "Oh, the places you'll go!"

    What a true statement – blogging is an element of self expression that I never thought would be so fulfilling….in all of the ways that you describe.

    Cheers! Jodi

  12. 12

    Hi Avinash, this is actually my first visit to you blog but I'm quite sure it won't be the last! I love the part about how you mention creating a legacy. Years ago before the internet people created a legacy by writing each other letters. I wonder how it will look in a hundred years when people look back at their family histories and such and are able to (hopefully) read things that we've written…

  13. 13

    Hey Avinash,

    happy birthday to your blog!

    I am reader from pretty much the beginning. It helped me a lot getting a deeper knowledge in the web analytics space.

    It was great to meet you at Google last year!

    Actually, your blog inspired me to write my own blog about Web Analytics – only in German as there was no German speaking blog about Google Analytics only at that time. I will never have 50% foreign traffic (who speaks German??), but still have more than 2.500 RSS readers in just a little more than a year. So, aiming for the 10.000 ;-)

    Keep up the great work! And definately let me know when you gonna come to Germany one day…

    Cheers,
    Timo

  14. 14
    Roxana Vasquez says

    Happy Birthday To Occam’s Razor! I'm a brand new reader and I'm just excited about all the useful information I'm finding.

    I attended the CMA conference in Toronto and I was so impressed with your presentation that I went back home to check the blog.

    Thank you for dedicating so much time and effort to help others become better at what they do.

    Salud! from you new amiga from Peru

  15. 15
    Sunita says

    Happy Birthday Occam's Razor!

    Great post. I actually stumbled on your blog by accident late last year when I was searching for articles on Web Analytics. By the time I'd read one post I knew I was onto a good thing. Been a pretty regular, though silent visitor ever since.

    Congratulations on a great, very valuable blog.

  16. 16

    I came across this blog a few months back and have followed it closely. The two tangible benefits I've gotten from your knowledge are basic, but VERY useful.

    1. Colle+McVoy, the agency I work at, is adopting the action dashboard model. The clients we've shared it with love it and appreciate the forward thinking.

    2. It's really easy to "win" discussions when you can quote/reference Avinash Kaushik. Your name, your book, and your weight in the industry makes for AMAZING impact.

    Thanks.

  17. 17

    Happy Birthday Occam's Razor (the blog)!! Many happy returns.

    Avinash, your success is an inspiration to all of us as is your work ethic. I look forward to many more years of inspiration :)

  18. 18

    Happy Birthday Avinash.

    There's another missing aspect. If you had not started Blogging all of these people who comment and connect would never have formed this amazing community.

    When you give abundantly (like you do), others win as well.

    Thank you!

  19. 19

    H.B. A's Blog! :-)

    Why am I here?
    You make me *think*. Even more so when we do disagree, either here in comments for public viewing or via email.
    But also you have a real talent at taking complex concepts and reducing them into digestible portions.
    So it's not just the info IN the postings, but the HOW of the postings too.

    All of which, and other reasons beside, for which I am hugely grateful!

    Here's to the next 2 years!
    Cheers!
    – Steve

  20. 20

    Happy Birth Day Occam’s Razor
    Hope cutting edge web analytics posting would be your hobby!!!

    Praveen Pandey

  21. 21

    Hi Avinash,

    First off, I have to thank the person who advised you to start writing this blog. Being a web analyst, I really did not realize how big our world is, until I came to your blog.

    I am a regular reader of your blog from Nov 2007. I remember I was referred to your blog from Anil Batra’s blog. I think there was an interview post of you and that pushed me to here.

    Hmm, well, if you ask me what benefits me reading your blog. All I can say is I am going to "virtual school" and learning from a "virtual master". Once I asked you to write more posts (master does not comes to school often, :))for readers like us.

    Amazing, I got reply from you.. "Thanks for the encouragement Praveen. I am afraid for now the posts will have to stay at one per week, my schedule does not permit anything else. But hopefully in the future I can write more."

    Thought of thanking you and replying you by mail but I got chance to make it here now. I (we) understand that you are very busy and itz really hard to make (quality) posts often.

    Any how, this blog gives chance for the young web analysts like me to learn straightly from the guru and be feel like being in touch with you. (I am wondering that how can I find you if you did not start blog) The thing which admired me at your blog is, the style you write. Friendly, good expression, Illustrative and much more. I did not find such a blog till now for web analytics. Behind the analytics, you have good skill of explaining the things. Keep it up.

    Yes I do write a blog. The reason for that is I did not want to update my resume. My blog should speak about me. ( I am too young so need time). Turning back after a year I should see the growth due to blogging… Same I felt as you did.. quite amazing at this point.. you did.. I am doing.

    And finally, Happy birthday to your "thought of teaching web analytics" to others. Keep up the good work.

    Thanks,
    Praveen Kumar C

  22. 22
    Ned Kumar says

    Avinash,

    Congrats on a great 2 years. The progress you have made and your achievements ("The Big Deal") are very understandable — your posts have been great (one can 'succeed' without adding value; your blog on the other hand has contributed immensely to pushing webanalytic concepts to the public), I always felt you had a constancy of purpose in your blogs, and lastly everytime I read you blog I come away with the feeling that you sincerely believe in what you preach – that is big deal for me :-).

    As to the 24hrs you spend each week, that confirms the viewpoint expressed by Benjamin Franklin – "You will find the key to success under the alarm clock." :-)

  23. 23

    Avinash,

    Blessings and best wishes. I want to celebrate your Blogs two year birthday by creating a music mix of celebratory music. Please tell me who your favorite artist or song is and I'l craft a music mix for you to enjoy.

    Once created I will share it with you online.I am not looking for your endorsement, just want to say thank you by sharing my unique knowledge and skills with you. I am thankful to have found your blog through my SEO specialist at my company.

    I really enjoy the tone and style of your writing. You are the yogi of technology. I love it!!

    Best,Marc Elias
    917 710 8300

  24. 24

    Avinash,

    Congrats. I'm amazed at this blogs growth over the past 2 years…and even more impressed with where you find all your content all the while keeping it real.

    I agree, "brand you" and "an online resume" are both great reasons for this. Plus the community aspect (I always read your comments) is tremendous.

    Who knows, maybe this will inspire me to write a blog ;)

  25. 25

    Avinash,

    Congratulations and Happy Blog Birthday. Occam's Razor's success is deeply inbeded in the integrity that you bring to everything that you undertake, the way you look at complexity, the holistic view that you have and share with us about the world of analytics and your dedication.

    Without a doubt you are the amongst the most influencial people in this emerging field and for many of us Occam's Razor is one of our must reads.

    Jerry

  26. 26
    Jon Whitehead says

    Happy Birthday Occam's Razor!

    Avinash, what always impresses me is the fact you reply to each and every email I've sent you – from this blog alone you must recieve A LOT of email (got any stats on this??? :) and yet you always reply – a testemant to your commitment.

    Favourite post? so many! You seem to have an uncanny ability to write posts that promote/challenge/how to deal with particular web analytics issues that are current for everyone.

    It's a great blog.

    cheers

    Jon

  27. 27

    Congratulations on two years, Avinash, and on your continuing success!

    Like other commenters here, I've been impressed with how you respond personally to emails, including from a small-potatoes blogger like myself.

    Your energy and enthusiasm is mind-blowing.

    Chris

  28. 28

    Happy birthday friend. A big day for you im sure.
    I second (and third and fourth and twenty-ninth) all sentiments above.
    You and Occam's Razor are a truly an invaluable resource to us all.

    Jonathan

  29. 29
    Vamsi Krishna says

    Hey Avinash,

    where is my piece of cake….jus kidding …anyway congrats on your successful completion of two years…

  30. 30

    Hi Avinash,

    Congrats on 2 full years of great blogging!

    I came to your blog thro' a link you left in your presentation that you made for our company… and bookmarked on the first visit. Though I am hardly involved in web analytics, I read your posts for inspiration (I am amazed at the clarity with which you write) and visualization ideas (your graphs and images are too good!)

    Keep the good work going. Your blog sure makes a difference in my work. Thanks.

    Bhars

  31. 31

    Another great post, as always! I have been a long time subscriber to your post (both via email and feed…) and have mentioned your blog to many friends, colleagues and clients as one of the best out there, and not just for analytics. I appreciate the candour, the personal perspective and unique insight, and have learned tremendously from your posts! Keep up the great job, and happy B'Day!

    Chris

  32. 32

    I agree with everything you said but I think there is a lot of the same benefits derived from your videos at Google Conferences.

    The videos position you as an expert and then makes what you say that more important.

    It is not enough to just have a "blog." The videos you make give the readers a reason to read your blog, which by the way is very good.

  33. 33

    Everyone: I am humbled by your kind words and feedback. Thank you! What else can one ask for from a labor of love? You are kind, I appreciate all the feedback.

    Timo: Your 2,500 Subscribers are equivalent to my 10,000! I actually think they are more than mine. You are talking to such a small audience and it looks like they are all listening to you!! Bravo!!

    I am going to have have to up my goal to 20k just to reach your level of voice penetration! :)

    -Avinash.

  34. 34

    Happy blog birthday, Avinash! I'm still insanely jealous of your subscriber numbers and success, but I try not to hold it against you :)

  35. 35

    Happy Blogging Birthday! It seems like yesterday in a 1:1 you said "I'm thinking about starting a blog." I thought you were crazy until I saw your first post. Every post since has been an excellent resource not only for web analytics, but other aspects of business. Keep up the great work!

    -Steven

    P.S. “Honey, I am kind of a big deal" made me miss my former daily dose of Avinash brand humor. :)

  36. 36

    You act so surprised that we all adore you. :)

  37. 37
    Steven Fowler says

    As a relative newbie to Web Analytics (I started officially in Jan 08 – looking after a large web refresh / digital reporting and measurement project in a top 10 Business School) I've found your articles both to the point, informative and VERY useful. Like others I'm starting to spread the word (The Best of Avinash) and look forward to many more valuable posts!

    Many thanks and well done!

    p.s. Wish me luck in pushing the inclusion of 4q on our website – I've a feeling I'll need it!

  38. 38
    Kristen says

    We do all adore you, Avinash! I've tried a similar technique on my husband, but mine goes something like, "You know Avinash? He's the best, most-read blogger in web analytics. He's kind of a big deal. Well, him? I know him! He's my friend on Facebook!" I'm working on six degrees of popularity!

    Thanks for the great blog. I always look forward to reading not just because the information is so relevant and helpful, but because it's always nice to hear it from you.

    Happy Blog Birthday!

  39. 39

    Thanks for 2 years of great blogging, Avinash.

    I have subscribed for over a year now and find your blogs are like gold dust! Each time I logon to my RSS reader I wait in anticipation to see if you have posted. Then I read and re-read and try to absorb as much of your knowledge as possible.

    The most memorable posts are the ones you say "I'll be here this week, let me know if you want to meet up" – fantastic that you are so accessible to your readers! The other is the launch of your book (which I own) and your generosity in giving the proceeds to charity – another example of your great character.

    Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge.

  40. 40

    Greetings from Beijing! I just had lunch with one of the most insightful China bloggers Paul Denlinger of ChinaVortex.com who shared that Feedburner and therefore your feed is blocked in China. Its easy to create a mirrored Feedsky feed that is not blocked in China. I'd love to intro you to Paul who has some great thoughts on how he can help you get your word out here in China. Cheers!

  41. 41

    I definitely agree. You won't need a resume. Just show 'em your blog. LOL

    Happy birthday!

  42. 42

    Started reading your blog half a year ago. Almost every time after I finished reading a post, I stopped thinking and then went way beyond Web Analytics. I feel this is the way of life living in web analytics, but also above it.

    Just curious how can you stay focused on your Blogging principles for the past two years and any change going forward like monetizing it?

    It's always a pleasure to read your posts.

  43. 43
    Prakash says

    Hi Avinash,

    Congratulations and Happy 2nd Birthday. This is the first time I've read your blog, won't be my last for sure. I linked to it from your LinkedIn profile, which was a coincidence in itself. I've had strong urges to write and share and I've been published before, but something about a blog was always associated with venting, seeking attention or showing how self-important one was. I know that sounds very stereotypical and cliched, I just think I was making excuses for not putting in the required effort.

    However, reading your blog has truly made me an believer and I am convinced that there is indeed a proper way to write a blog: approach the task with sincerity and humility and take the time to present information with humor and let Karma take care of the rest…one or more of the many benefits you mention will undoubtedly follow.

    Your professional journey is also inspiring because I can claim that I knew you before you became famous at SGI :-) Speaking of Karma or the circle of life..isn't it fascinating that you are probably again working in the same building where you did nearly ten years back?

    Thank you for sharing and for inspiring.

    Prakash Aditham

    PS:
    I forwarded your blog on the 10/90 rule to my manager, in making a case to expand our Analytics team. I'll buy you lunch if I manage to get additional funding or headcount!

  44. 44

    I just started reading your blog because of a comment by mike judawski – http://www.mikekujawski.ca/2008/03/17/simple-lesson-in-website-roi/

    A couple of associates and I are setting up a blog about public sector and ways to innovate, especially the usage of Web 2.0 with government. http://innovationsinpublicsector.blogspot.com/

    I wanted some good advice on how to set up objectives and measure success, so I bought your book this week. I'll admit to being completely out of my depth but I'm a fast and eager learner!

    BTW: I just absolutely loved this post, very endearing, you have an amazing ability to connect with readers through the written word.

  45. 45

    Greetings from Kentucky. First of all congratulations on two years. This is a great post. I actually stumbled on your blog by accident when I was searching for articles on Web Analytics. I am so glad that I found your posts. I am a small business owner who is a firm believer in a program called Glyphius. The program takes the ad for your business and scores how well your add will do in selling your products. This is a useful tool good for anyone starting a business that wants to market their products. I know it sure helped me to get recognized.

  46. 46

    Avinash,

    I've been a "personal" blogger for five years and do so for the same reasons you have mentioned, especially the Legacy reasons.

    I'm a long time journal writer and adding pictures and comments from friends and family gives my kids something rich to know me by.

    I have your book and I'm 50 days through it. ;-) It was a great resource when I was under the gun to get up-to-speed on web analytics as a practitioner. My problem – I wear many marketing hats and am focused on analytics 10% of the time. Your blog is my biggest help to know how to use that 10% wisely.

    I just started my own "professional" blog with a first post about a week ago. It is for me today – capturing good ideas for my future reference and at some point, it might be for others too.

    Best wishes,

    Chris

  47. 47

    I know I'm coming to the party several months late but..

    I started reading you blog because my company didn't want to pay thousands of dollars to have someone else run our adwords campaign anymore. I have learned a TON from you and am happy to say that I've taken our cost per click from nearly $3 (professionals.. ha!) to $1.05. I've also increased the click through rate and time spent on the site thanks to your advice on google analytics. You are a hero to me and I've even started working on the side helping friends with their web based businesses. I can't thank you enough!

  48. 48

    Thanks for very inspirational post. I just came across your blog post today, really enjoy reading it.

    Yes, it is a great a achievement looking back what you have did on this blog the past two years. I myself is a blogger, I write only about 30 articles for almost two years, so I know it is not easy.

    You are a good example for us, thank you.

  49. 49

    Happy B-Day, Avinash!

    I'm a regular reader, and subscriber, of your blog. Keep up the great work!

    ~J

  50. 50

    Found you — and then your blog — and then your FB page — after I saw your wonderful photos on Flickr. A busy mom of 4, I am now curious enough to want to learn what in the world web analytics is and how it would apply to me and others like me. Congrats on your blog* anniversary, and I'd love to have coffee with your wife!

    *Christopher Buckley says this term sounds like something to be done in the bathroom.

  51. 51

    Being an influencer is the one of the most interesting outcome from blogging I like.

    People follow you and comment on your blog because they find something interesting there, something that influences their minds.

  52. 52

    Hi Avinash

    It has been only 2 weeks since I know you. Yes, I got introduced to your blog by my new Boss of my new Job. The last two weeks have been exciting as I have spent hours in your blog. I am new to the Analytics industry and I never expected that my training would be reading a blog. I still can't believe I get to learn for free, which is a big deal as you as expected to pay in most cases.

    Anyways, I sincerely thank you for your blog. It is changing the way I work, a part of my life. I am now inspired to write a blog myself.

    Thanks a million,
    Vijay

  53. 53
    bhola prasad says

    awesome points to inspire people to start their blog. But, the best part it – " Honey, i am kind of a big deal". i am still laughing at this.

Trackbacks

  1. […]
    I’ve written before how your blog can replace your resume but I enjoyed reading another blogger’s experience. I haven’t had the chance yet to send my blog url instead of a resume but I have been contacted about a job once directly because of what I’ve written here and elsewhere.
    […]

  2. […] Make You a Better Writer Linkbait at any Cost? Whiteboard Friday – Blogging for Higher Rankings Benefits Of Blogging – A Practitioner’s Perspective Does Your Blog Monetization Leave Money On The […]

  3. […] Benefits Of Blogging – A Practitioner's Perspective | Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik My perspective on the benefits from blogging.Here are some ways in which your blog might benefit you (in no apparent order). . . . […]

  4. […] Inspiration also came from Avinash Kaushik who writes a very interesting and engaging blog on Web Analytics and in particular a post he made on the Benefits Of Blogging – A Practitioner’s Perspective. […]

  5. […] Mucha genmte me lo pregunta. Hoy, buscando informacion para la clase de hoy en la ORT, me tropece con un articulo de un blog: benefits of blogging, a practitioner’s perspective. Me encanto lo que dice: […]

  6. […] And also read about this young blogger Avinash Kaushik who made a lot of money after his blog was turned into a book! – https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2008/05/benefits-of-blogging-a-practitioners-perspective.html […]

  7. […]
    I recently read a blog posting by Avinash Kaushik on the benefits of blogging. Kaushik (2008) described 8 benefits to blogging. I will describe a couple that I think relate well to educators in general. Kaushik describes that he gained “friends” from his blog. I am comfortable with the friends that I have, but what is more important is that you are developing a network of like minded individuals. By blogging and sharing my thoughts with other teachers who are interested in technology, I am able to learn from these teachers as well.
    […]

  8. […] Benefits Of Blogging – A Practitioner's Perspective – Occam's Razor – May '08 […]

  9. […]
    Starting a blog is something that’s been on my to-do list for months now. Inspired by bloggers such as Avinash Kaushik, Seth Godin, Bryan Eisenberg, Mitch Joel, and several others, I’ve decided to finally make it happen. Specifically, I have to thank Avinash for his wonderful post on benefits of blogging for giving me the final push.
    […]

  10. […]
    This exercise is a good start for me to share my thoughts on topics that interest me. I know I will be writing many more posts till end of the semester. Perhaps this will spark my interest in writing more blogs in the future. I browsed through some websites and I find these websites particularly interesting:

    Seven benefits of blogging http://www.reason4smile.com/2008/02/12/seven-benefits-of-blogging-to-your-personal-growth/

    Benefits of blogging: a practitioner’s perspective https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2008/05/benefits-of-blogging-a-practitioners-perspective.html
    […]

  11. […]
    According to Avinash Kaushik, “Perhaps the biggest thrill is your participation, your engagement, your support and all you encouragement.”1 Supporting this view, the blog platform is a brilliant way to engage with a wider readership, and is an incentive to write regularly and remain in the habit of writing.
    References:
    1 Kaushik, Avinash, ‘Benefits of Blogging – A Practitioner’s Perspective’, Occam’s Razor [online] 16 May 2008 <https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/benefits-of-blogging-a-practitioners-perspective/> [accessed 01 October 2011]
    […]

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