BlueOregon Reader Survey

blueoregon admin

From October 26 to November 6, we ran a readership survey at BlueOregon. These are the results. Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Highlights...

Lots of details after the jump...

Sample size: 154 self-selected responses. It is, of course, hard to know what percentage of our readers that represents. (On the Internet, you can't really know how many readers you have. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying.) During that period, though, we averaged just over 2200 page views a day.

Reader Demographics

Using BlueOregon

  • How often do you visit BlueOregon? (cumulative totals)
    • 86% visit at least once a week
    • 44% visit at least once a day
    • 14% visit several times a day
  • How did you discover BlueOregon?
    • 21% from another blog/website (excluding Communique and Bojack)
    • 19% from a contributor
    • 15% from Portland Communique
    • 13% from a newspaper (WW, Big O, or "the paper")
    • 12% from a friend
    • 9% from Bojack.org
    • 6% from a web search for something else
  • Why do you read BlueOregon?
    • 62% read BlueOregon for insightful commentary
    • 62% because it's informative
    • 60% to stay in touch with Oregon
    • 40% read BlueOregon for in-depth political news
    • 36% because it's funny
    • 25% to debate the issues
    • 18% to "keep an eye on those BlueBloggers"
  • Do you post comments on topics that interest you?
    • 49% of respondents have not ever commented.
    • 25% report commenting no more than once a month.
    • Another 25% report commenting regularly.
  • How often do you use these features of BlueOregon? (only totals over 5% reported here; listed most popular to least)
    • Recent comments list 15% never, 24% once or twice, 29% regularly, 20% almost always, 13% critical/always
    • Recent posts list 13% never, 26% once or twice, 33% regularly, 16% almost always, 12% critical/always
    • Most Recent incoming links 50% never, 25% once or twice, 15% regularly, 8% almost always
    • Left sidebar list of contributors 22% never, 55% once or twice, 18% regularly
    • Most Popular incoming links 58% never, 23% once or twice, 14% regularly, 5% almost always
    • Google Search 79% never, 9% once or twice, 8% regularly
    • XML/RSS feed 89% never, 5% critical/always
    • Automated Oregon newsfeed 83% never, 12% once or twice
    • BlueOregon email alerts from Google 87% never, 5% once or twice, 5% regularly
  • What other blogs do you read regularly? 142 mentioned; top five... communique.portland.or.us, dailykos.com, bojack.org, atrios.blogspot.com, talkingpointsmemo.com, wonkette.com
  • What do you like best about BlueOregon?
    - All opinions are represented here and lots of good ideas get bandied about. You also get to focus on local issues not fully discussed anywhere else.
    - Allows free expression of ideas
    - Authentic, local voices.
    - Certain posts are really interesting...
    - Commenting!
    - Contributers are local, very interesting.
    - Coverage of ignored Oregon stories
    - Current, local discussions. Variety of writers (bloggers? can't bring myself to use that term!) especially guest writers.
    - Diverse contributors
    - Every story is different, lots of interesting ideas from the trivial to big mono ideas.
    - Fresh, open take on things. Personal point of view. Chance to respond likewise. Variety of perspectives. It feels alive. It feels like home to me.
    - Great contributors
    - I can usually get most political news pertaining to Oregon here first.
    - I do find it very informative about Oregon-related news. It has been especially helpful during this election season.
    - I'm trying to be a part of this place that I moved to over 2 years ago... Blue Oregon is one way to feel the pulse.
    - I've enjoyed the variety of postings and some of the commenting
    - Interested and active commentators discussing current issues
    - Interesting,informtive,sometimes amusing, entertaining
    - It's Oregon Centric and the pretty blue colors
    - It's a well run site with writers who seem to be well informed and commenters who mostly seem to be well informed and well spoken.
    - It's about Oregon
    - It's local
    - It's progressive, grass-roots and feisty.
    - Just got here. I'll poke around and report back.
    - Local issue discussion
    - Local, intelligent, and progressive
    - Makes me think about issues that would not register with me usually. Love the comments..makes me see other points of view.
    - People I know taking time to write on relevant issues
    - Randy Leonard's posts
    - Oregon-focused political news
    - Recent links, popular links and comments. Editorial content is terrific.
    - Sheer variety of vocal and interesting contributors
    - Shows me what other Lib/Prog Oregonians are thinking.
    - That is gives Oregonians a place to communicate about local issues. It is a way to act politically in a timely manner about our issues.
    - The debates that go on in the comments.
    - The diversity of voices, the range from opinion to analysis and deep background, and the fresh content.
    - The fact that it's not a bunch of idiots spewing rhetoric - on either side. Most posts and comments are thoughtful and have something to offer. After years online, it gives me faith in who's out there again. I also like the fact that it's going to be so much easier to keep up on what's REALLY happening in Salem next year. Definitely looking forward to that.
    - The quality of columns and columnists, the topics that are discussed. I have to say, that for the quality of wingnut you've attracted here, that they're remarkably well-spoken for at least the first couple of posts, sometimes.
    - The variety in progressive views, knowing that there are people out there that think like I do, the intelligence and humor of the contributors.
    - Thoughtful posts about local issues. Thoughtful comments about those posts.
    - Variety of contributers
    - Variety of contributors; lively political debate from all sides of the political spectrum
    - Variety of people who post the essays.
    - great commentaries
    - humor and reading about issues that I care about
    - insights from smart people on current political issues
    - it's Blue!
    - it's great to have an Oregon-centric political site geared toward progressive/liberal politics
    - local analysis of local events
    - local coverage
    - local political stories. I don't get the newspaper, so it helps me stay informed about local developments
    - the combination of information and insight.
    - the local flavor
    - the local flavor
    - the personalities
    - the variety of contributors
    - the wide array of bloggers
    - variety and frequency of postings
    - variety of views. inside look.
  • What do you like least about BlueOregon?
    - "I am never wrong" Lefties
    - All those damned right wingers spoilin' the party. ;-) Just kidding. Nothing really.
    - Anonymous posters
    - Diatribes, hysterical rantings...but they are very easy to skip.
    - Editorial content is all over the place, how about linking to stories by category? (Elections, Current Issues, National Politics, Local Politics, Oregon News, etc.)
    - Emphasis on Oregon
    - Generic web problem... it's just words on a screen... I need to get out and talk to real people instead.
    - Hyperpartisan Atrios- and Kos-esque blue-staters. Ugh.
    - I realize that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but there have been a couple of times where a commenter has been abusive (swearing, name calling) to the original poster or other commenters. I don't think that sort of behavior should be allowed. If someone doesn't like what someone else has posted, just give your own opinion. No one id going to take you seriously if the only way you can express yourself is by belittling others, plus it is just plain offensive. I'm not sure that people like that should be allowed to continue to post. I'm not saying that people with contrary opinions should not be allowed to post, but just people who are unable to respect others. I haven't seen it lately, so maybe this has already happened.
    - I was hopeful about the writing and though I appreciate it it can be a tad amateurish at time. The three sentence posts are frustrating too.
    - It doesn't happen very often, but every once in a while some contributors are a little too "passionate" about thier issues. There is no need to be rude when having an open exchange of ideas.
    - It's a little too Metro-is-all-that-matters, inside-baseball, but only occasionally. I consider myself an activist, but sometimes it's too deep even for me. BlueOregon could also stand to impose a comment-length limit; I won't name names, but some people need to break the habit of posting an entire article to the comments, and just excerpt the relevant bits. Other people need a refresher on Strunk and White, if only to avoid the 8-page term paper approach to posting. Having to wade through mega-comment blows.
    - Not a big deal, but I have no idea who some of these people are so I don't tend to read their stuff.
    - Not enough bad-ass wonky links. Come on, share the love.
    - Nothing I dislike significantly.
    - Off topic posts.
    - Republican trolls.
    - Sarcasm, negative commenters
    - Sniping in the comments. This is not an "around the water cooler" discussion among progressives - nothing can be said without fear of being ripped to shreds --- maybe this will change after the election?
    - Some of the comments are way off base. Which I'm sure will only get worse as the site grows in popularity. I hate the in fighting that can occur on web sites.
    - Some of the long winded comments that go nowhere and are really obtuse.
    - Sometimes I check and there's nothing new
    - Super long comments and even posts
    - The "What's wrong with America today"/"I wish I was Russel Sadler/Andy Roony" posts. Hi, we're not the choir, we're all choir directors. I don't need hot air, I need fuel for the fire. Any blog can encourage shut-ins to write up their own ideas on the meaning of life. But that's BORING. Give me the goods, give me the gossip, give me the head start so that when the "news" hits the page, I already have my guns loaded.
    - The debates that go on in the comments.
    - The jerks that come on and call people names or accuse the entire site of being too liberal instead of just joining the discussion and presenting a coherent opinion of their own.
    - The layout....I hate the whole scrolling down topic after topic Pick up a tone of self-righteousness and being so "in the know" from some of the contributors
    - The occasional personal attacks on posters
    - The tendency for comments to get derailed by certain long-winded ideologically-minded posters. Can't someone come in and try to jump start the comments again in their wake?
    - You guys don't post often enough.
    - all the yammering. the conspiricy crap. the tendacy for people to say WAY TOO MUCH and the yakking about national issues
    - boring and annoying posts
    - can't tell who's who and if its mostly the same old names and people.
    - commenters who tend to say the same thing (talking point) over and over again without any real thought given to the matter.
    - feels scattered, hard to develop a "voice" with so many different contributors and topics--but i think you're getting there
    - for all your bloggers, sometimes you guys don't post enough to keep me occupied all day ;)
    - front page is too cluttered. Ditch the stuff on the right menu - it's not very useful anyway. Leave as much space on the front page for the real content - the posts.
    - ghjk
    - it'd be cool to get good debates going, as a lot of the ideas are pretty left
    - it's a little cluttered
    - it's dominated by a handful of contributors. Some of your contributors never post anything.
    - narrow minded "liberals"
    - not updated often enough
    - nothing is particularly offensive.
    - partisan crap
    - some progs are a little nasty to opposing views
    - those damned right wing commenters
    • (Show?)

      I'm pleased to see that no one answered "that Alworth chump" to the question: "what's wrong with Blue Oregon?"

    • (Show?)

      That's what the "ghjk" is code for, isn't it?

    • (Show?)

      I think it goes without saying, Jeff. ;-)

      This one surprised me:

      84% have talked politics with someone they didn't know

      Only 84%? I really thought everyone did this.

      I guess we know who they (we) are, though:

      84% say they "vote in every single election, even the little weird ones."

      We're the politically obsessive ones, apparently. lol.

      But I have a question for those of you who bemoaned the left-leaningness of BlueOregon... what the heck did you expect? lol. And considering that the far left is out-represented 4:5 by the far right (which I found odd), whatcha whining about? ;-) (OK, that was two questions. Sorry.)

    • Aaron (unverified)
      (Show?)

      Stop picking on the trolls....don't mislabel or connect the ever so miss understood lanky non-bathing trolls to the evil Republicans....Trolls have feelings, well, not that many.

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