Friday 7 January 2011

LG COMMENT: GAYS IN THE US MILITARY


Google introduced their stats tool on their blogger pages back in May but I have only recently started looking at the breakdowns they provide.

The first result was to notice that the site received a consistent number of hits each day. It seems that LG actually has an audience out there in cyberspace and so, consequently,  I’ve resolved to start adding to the site again.

Having said that, the original purpose of the site was to provide an online help point rather then being an ongoing blog. Fortunately, I now find myself in a new world where I am finally comfortable in my own skin and too busy doing my thing to want to write about it too. If that sounds a little selfish then please bear in mind that I also maintain a photography site and a tribute site based on my father’s fifty year career as a stage, film and tv actor. Believe me, there really aren’t sufficient hours in the day!

Anyway, moving on, the next detail the stats reveal is who’s looking at the site. The largest group, at over 50%, is visitors from the US. This is followed by about 22% for the UK and then smaller but significant clusters for the Netherlands, Germany and Canada at 7% each. Also registering a presence are users in Russia, Australia, Japan and the Ukraine. But why, apparently, no traffic from either the African or South American continents? I merely ask.

I can also see the main referrers from which the traffic is coming. Top of these is Gray Gay and Gay Banker and good spikes also from Gay To December and Best Male Blogs, but I think I need to spread the word farther afield and will welcome all invitations to link and be linked to.

Now, as to what users are taking away from the site, I have little information. Frustratingly, the content receives very little feedback via the comment boxes, however, the areas that I am most keen to see visitors go to are the Here's how to ... features, the lead interview with myself and also the two Movie House features, Victim and The Naked Civil Servant. These films, as well as being very compelling, provide excellent testimony on the gay condition and how to make it in an often hostile world. Also, there are real-life coming out stories in the Looking Back feature.

So, looking back and looking forwards, or sideways, or any which ways, Lately Gay is gaining a presence and I do hope it is adding a voice for those who have yet to find the words to break out and find their way.

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