Sarasota CLUCK blog logs 5,000 pageviews: Record for local citizen-driven outreach?

Around 7:15 on the evening of Saturday December 18th, 2010, the Sarasota CLUCK blog recorded its five thousandth pageview. The first blog entry was June 11, 2009.

The Sarasota CLUCK blog started off slowly --the average number of page views per day over the entire year and a half period is only nine.

Dramatic Increase in Pageviews

But over the last three weeks the pace increased dramatically, averaging 90 pageviews a day.

Aside from the decimal elegance of this milestone, what does 5,000 pageviews mean? Is it significant?

There are two aspects to the significance, first it reflects broad interest in the topic. Because this is the internet, anyone anywhere can log on to view this material, but because it is focused on Sarasota and backyard chickens, we have to believe the vast majority of pageviews represent local interest.

Secondy, and more importantly, it represents what may be the most ambitious public outreach effort for a volunteer citizen-led initiative in the City of Sarasota. Seventy (70) different blog posts are available with a keyword search box  (that white box in the upper left) that allows anyone with internet service to search and access opinion, analysis, humor, and events. In addition, the blog provides to links to numerous local media reports on the subject and more than 20 links to other backyard-chicken related websites.

The CLUCK initiative is not run by paid staff --- it is an all volunteer effort and may represent the most extensive volunteer citizen outreach effort ever undertaken in the City of Sarasota.

If you can think of another contender for this title, please utilize the comment box to stake a claim.

POSTSCRIPT Dec 19th. . . . In the 24 hours since this was first posted, more than a hundred additional pageviews were recorded.