As far as metrics, use Analytics and keep an eye on it. Find out who’s linked to you. If someone in A’stan is reading your info and applying it, you are doing a great job!

Keep on keepin’ on!

ROKdrop make several salient points. Though my blogs deal with far more mundane issues, I find that like you, the majority of folks do not leave posts. I wouldn’t worry about that. Though it is nice to know you are appreciated every once in a while!

If your site is being reviewed by people that matter, your mission has been successful.

Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit
Southeast Regional OBS Coordinator

Donate buttons do not work. I had one on my site and never made a cent either. That is why I put up a two non-intrusive Google Ads on my site. Those ads make enough money now to cover my site expenses every month. I could put up Google Ads in more visible areas to make more money but I think that takes away from what I want to do with my site.

As far as page views I think they are over rated. Some of my most read postings on my site are not what I would consider quality postings but more pop culture items that draw in a lot of readers from search engines. However, this type of traffic doesn’t turn into repeat readers. The quality postings I have usually have a high number of comments which shows they are repeat readers. A recent posting I did on USFK contractors losing their jobs due to visa changes is currently at over 200 comments and counting with the commenters providing better content then what is in the posting. I think these are quality page views compared to what I get in other postings.

You may not get a high number of comments here but usually the comments you do get are of quality content. You already know you have a number of quality readers considering the contacts you have made because of the site. This has definitely given you influence compared to other blogs out there that have higher page views due to posting mostly pop culture items and not quality content like what is posted here.

Because of my site I have made a number of important contacts and have had articles published, contributed to a documentary, as well as done radio interviews about issues I focus on, on my site. I could get much more page views if I just posted pop culture items and women in bikinis on my site but that would not lead to the important contacts I have made. I happily accept reduced page views for quality readers any day, which is what this site currently has.

Best wishes,
Henry