One of the advantages of having a website with a ton of content about Dayton, going back to 2005 is you can sense what’s going on by seeing what people are searching for- and bringing them to the site. I check my stats almost daily, and if I see a lot of searches for someone, or something, usually it means something’s up.
Google does the same thing on a macro scale with their zeitgeist [1]. One of the best definitions of Google is that it’s the “database of human intentions.” We google about things we’re about to do- see a movie, invest in a car, vote for someone etc. This is all part of what I teach in my monthly seminar, Websitetology [2].
My stats have told me when various people were interviewing for a new job (people thinking of hiring a school superintendent, city manager, police chief etc) or when someone changes jobs- like Commissioner Williams leaving Chase Bank, or when there is something about to happen with a local company.
Almost always- my post about the cost of three stitches at the ER comes up- it’s been one of the most popular posts for years.
But today’s seemed pretty diverse- and I thought I’d share:
This is just one reason I feel I’m more connected to the community than other candidates- as I have a unique window to what people are thinking about and talking about in our area. No other candidate for office in Dayton has anything like this.
I’ve not seen a bunch of searches for Frances Mcgee Cromartie lately, so don’t assume since you see her name twice, that something is up. For years, “Bill Nuti, divorce” has been high on the search meter- but, since he’s taken NCR to Atlanta and helped devalue the company, I don’t follow up or care. Each of these links is answering a question for someone. Was it you?
Well, this would indicate items of interest to those who have access to the internet–presumption: it’s mostly those with high-speed home access and not those using the public library or a wi-fi hub. So a goodly part of our citizens–those impoverished, minority, or just tech-adverse–are not counted here. Worth noting.
@Truddick- yes, sadly, we do have a digital divide- which does limit my little litmus test. That’s why I want to do digital Dayton covering the city with free wi-fi.