Stephan: if the sheer numbers *did* pay the bills, I’d certainly strive for them. But Tom and Paul’s experience (and mine, on separate occasions) seems to suggest that sheer numbers don’t sell software.

Scott (and Paul): I think you’re right that the number might just be the thing that helps you catch the right attention of “people who matter.” So … bring on the diggs! But I guess my point is that we shouldn’t be fixated on traffic for traffic’s sake, which it sounds like we’re agreed on. And yes, I write this blog mostly for the sense of having connected with people, and in particularly for feeling like I’m helping people. But I certainly don’t mind that it puts my business closer to the radar of some influential people.

While the digg attention was ineffectual to the bottom-line, at least immediately, I do feel it helps to get more exposure (especially for me since I’m new to the market). It could be the thing that catches the attention of a reviewer or editor at a major Mac site or magazine plus the more people that know about your product, even if they don’t use it themselves, the more people who may suggest it to others, in person, in forums or via email.

Yes, targeted marketing is more effective. I received more traffic and sales from an article on TUAW.com than digg. That said, neither cost me anything so it wasn’t a case of either/or. Given that most of us ISVs engage in spreading word on our products via channels that don’t charge us, I don’t think it’s a decision we have to face for some time.

Starts with a ‘p’ ends with an ‘n’. I kid, I kid.

Seriously, even if the diggers don’t buy your app on day one, they might post a link to your site, which helps your Technorati and Google rankings, which helps when somebody searches for something in the future. Or maybe one visitor is a popular blogger who finds your app and causes other people to buy it. None of it will hurt your chances of selling software. Or maybe it will help you in some other way.

In any case, you and I both know that your main reason for writing on this blog should be (and likely is) that it’s fun and interesting. If it’s not, you should stop and go do something else.

As far as the ego thing, I don’t think it’s any different than playing guitar on the street and having people gather around you. It’s nice to know what you’re doing connects with someone.

Following the freeway analogy, I had hoped that people who clicked through from AppleGazette to my site wouldn’t be the people speeding by with their camera out, or those pulling into the rest stop, but rather those who saw the “attractions at this exit” sign and decided that one of them looked interesting enough to bother pulling off the freeway and driving down one of the local roads a bit for a closer look.

I did get a huge traffic spike out of it. My overall traffic for that day was something like 4x of normal, and Mint told me that most of it coming from the AppleGazette article.

I did not get any difference at all in daily sales for my software. From a business perspective the increased traffic had zero effect. I don’t know what that says about the freeway analogy but I’m not paying a whole lot of attention to this kind of traffic anymore.

There may be some residual effect that’ll be harder to quantify. From Mint I know that my site was saved by a bunch of new people at del.icio.us. I’ve also been getting a lot more referrals from places like mail.yahoo.com, suggesting people discussing my site (for better or worse) in email.