100,000 clock blog views – onward and upward

100,000 views, Wow!

In the late spring of 2015 I attended a workshop on WordPress blogging at the local community college. I was impressed with the power of blogging. I had already begun collecting antique and vintage clocks and so, it was a good time to begin a blog and share my horological interests and experiences. This was my very first post 3 1/2 years ago.

The first few months were very discouraging. I am sure that those of you who are bloggers know what I mean. It takes time and patience to build an audience and it also takes time to build a ranking on various search engines. I was getting very few page-views, I struggled with the content and tried to envision what my audience would like to see but more importantly what I wanted to convey in my blog articles. I never considered myself a stellar writer but I was enthusiastic and I wanted to give it my best shot. I observed what other bloggers were doing, what made their sites engaging, took some tips from WordPress and other online sources and adopted a style that suits me.

Learning to replace lantern pinions

In the fall of 2015 there was an encouraging uptick in daily page-views. I also began to realize that I had to not only appeal to those with a modest interest in antique clocks but those with a deeper knowledge. My blog was never intended to satisfy expert horologists and those in the clock trade though I don’t mind if they drop by from time to time.

I have received many comments. Some offer suggestions and advice on projects I am working on while others are looking for direction on their particular clock problem. I provide whatever assistance I can.

Installing a new clasp on a Pequegnat Bedford

I graciously accept any criticism because that is an important part of my growth as a clock repair person.

Stats – the lifeblood of a blog

Like it or not, statistics or analytics as Google calls it, are the lifeblood of a blog. The best day was in January 2019 when I hit 267 page-views. However, on average I receive 100 daily page-views and about 800-1000 page-views per week. I have been viewed in 100+ countries and the top 6 viewers are in USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and Germany. I am encouraged by the steady rise in interest from mechanical clock fans around the world and share their enthusiasm.

I also discovered that writing articles well in advance and scheduling specific publication dates really helped with planning particularity when I am vacationing and cannot find the time to write.

My work area in 2019
My basement shop where I work on clock case restoration

Yes, there are days and months when the stats dip a bit but that only encourages me to take a second look at article content, learn to explore new areas of interest and make the learning fun. My regular features, Tick Talk Tuesday, Crazy Clock Ads and What Is This Thing For look at the lighter side of clock collecting and repair.

If you are new to my blog, welcome. There is plenty to read. If you are a regular viewer please share your views and comments and if you have any ideas for future articles let me know.