Well the last year or so has been a big one for this web site.
It was around about a year and a half ago that LeagueFreak.com reached the milestone of 1 million visitors.
Well, two day ago the web site ticked over the 2 million visitors mark!
I’ve noticed the growth in numbers over that time. I put a lot of it down to my great Twitter followers and the people who joined the LeagueFreak.com Facebook group. The crazy loyalty of you guys has pushed this web site to another level and it is greatly appreciated.
When ever I write an article on the web site I post it on Twitter and the Facebook group. I get people who pass those links on to their friends and it has made the web site a well known destination for Rugby League fans all over the world.
I get asked a lot about who is behind this web site….
Its all me, The Glorious League Freak.
I write all of the articles you read, I’ve written all of the other sections of the web site. Outside of the Guest Writers section, I have typed every single word that appears on this site.
When you read LeagueFreak.com, you are getting your information from one singe source.
This of course means that every time I write, I’m putting my balls on the line. I understand that there is a real relationship I’ve built up with you guys and because of that, I bring 100% to the table every time I sit down to write something.
I never write just for the sake of writing either. If a topic doesn’t grab me or there is a game that didn’t excite me, I won’t write anything about it. I find I need to be interested in what I’m writing or I seriously have got nothing!
I couldn’t be one of these journalists that do reviews of every single game. I’d be terrible at it. Some games are great, you could write forever about them. Other games, you can sum them up in a sentence. Stuff trying to pad that out and post something that is clearly a half hearted attempt to throw up content of poor quality.
I’m finding as time goes on that my writing style is developing, which I find pretty interesting. I recently had a reader make an audio clip of themselves reading a couple of articles I’d written. It was a really interesting experience for me, hearing my words coming out of someone elses mouth.
I’ve been told by people that know me that, when they read my site, its totally and unmistakably me. Honest, forthright, straight to the point, and with a bit of humour thrown in too.
One change I’ve noticed in my writing over the last year or so is that, I’m writing more and more of what I call my “throw down” pieces. These are usually about topics I am really fired up about, and they end up being the work I am the proudest of.
I can normally tell when I’m writing something really good as I’m getting it down on the site. It is great to then get instant feedback on twitter from followers about what I have written.
It normally takes me between 20 to 30 minutes to write an article on here, I get through it pretty quick. I always write it straight into my web site too, I don’t bother with writing it on my computer and then from there uploading it.
So, what improvements would I like to make over the next year or so?
Well I’d like to get more interactivity on the web site so that you can comment on individual articles easily.
I am tossing up the idea of having a twitter feed on the site of the site so that if you want to comment on the site you can put in a hashtag like #LeagueFreak.com and your comment will instantly appear on every single page of the site.
I’d like to get a podcast up an running some time soon, it is just a matter of finding the time to do it and working out a few technical issues. I’m thinking a podcast that not only covers Rugby League but a few other areas may be the way to go in that regard.
I’m also hoping that I’ll be able to talk to some of you lot on the podcast through Skype, but we’ll see if I have the technical knowledge to work that out!
Outside of that, I just want to improve on the web site in general and keep doing what I’m doing.
I remember when I first started making a web site and writing articles, there were plenty of people that said no one would go to it. I didn’t care, I just enjoyed doing what I was doing. I remember when I reached 15,000 visitors in the early days, I was thrilled!
To now have ticked over the 2 million mark, I can’t really get my head around it to be honest.
I want to thank YOU for coming to read what I’ve got to say. People like YOU pass my links around the internet. People like YOU provide me with feedback that helps me make the site better.
Now before you start getting a big head, lets try and top 3 million by this time next year.
Yeah…I’m talking to YOU!
