I started writing TechCrunch one year ago, on June 11, 2005. Looking back, it’s been the best year of my life, although there were also some incredibly difficult times as well. I’m sure years from now I’ll have more perspective on things. All I can say for now is that I’m exhausted.
For people interested in statistics, here they are. This will be the 884th post on TechCrunch, and 23,713 comments have been left on those posts. Hundreds of companies and products have been featured here over the last year. Traffic and RSS subscribers continue to grow - there are around 65,000 RSS and email subscribers based on my Feedburner count, and TechCrunch serves 1-2 million page views per month. TechCrunch is now my full time job, and then some.
I’ve looked back at some of the milestones, always marked with a blog post. Six weeks after the beginning, we had 500 RSS readers and I decided it was time for a redesign. Fred Oliveira, who’d previously criticized my design skills, came in and built a great new look for the site (see it here).
In October, I launched CrunchNotes, a new blog where I could write more freely about whatever was on my mind.
I remember writing this post, thinking after a long day of writing, that six months had passed, when really only five had (I changed the post title after publishing). At that point, last November, TechCrunch had 8,000 RSS readers.
In January, long time blogger Oliver Starr partnered with me to write MobileCrunch, a blog focused on new companies and products in the mobile space. MobileCrunch recently passed the 3,000 RSS subscriber mark, and is going strong.
In February, TechCrunch France launched. TechCrunch France is now one of the largest blogs in French, if not the largest, and was recently added to the default feed in Yahoo Mail France. My friend Ouriel Ohayon writes the blog while working full time as a venture capitalist in Tel Aviv, Israel.
TalkCrunch, a weekly (ish) podcast, launched in March. I’ve learned two things about podcasting since then. First, I love to talk to people. Second, I hate editing sound files. On the topic of podcasts, I want to thank Steve Gillmor for including me on the Gillmor Gang. I love being on those weekly podcast calls.
Lots of people have written guest posts on TechCrunch. Fred Oliveira, Keith Teare, Nik Cubrilovic, Frank Gruber, Adam Bouskila and Neil Kjeldsen have all written from time-to-time. Thank you to all. More recently, Marshall Kirkpatrick has joined and will be taking a big part of the writing load off of my back (more on that in a future post).
I also want to thank Media Temple. This is an incredible hosting company that has not only grown with me, but has provided superb customer service along the way. I just can’t say enough good things about them.
And of course, the star team at John Battelle’s Federated Media Publishing has made it possible for me to work on TechCrunch full time.
I think that the best part of TechCrunch, though, has been actually meeting people in person. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people who share my passion for startups in Israel, London, Seattle, and at many parties (here, here, here, here, here) here at my house in Silicon Valley.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me today to say “Happy Birthday”. And thank you to Brian Oberkirch for writing on his blog.
A lot’s changed in the last twelve months. I can only imagine what the next twelve will bring.
Congratulations!
I love reading you!
Your blog always inspired me and will be always Top ONE on my favorites list!!
Good job friend.
Orli
“Mazal Tov” from Israel.
Great blog, I read it every day!
Good job, hope many years to come.
Happy anniversary!
Congratulations, and well done.
Your blog is where I keep up-to-date with what’s going on.
Hey congrats Mike! It’s been one heck of a year for you. Look forward to catching up next week, when I arrive in the Valley. I intend to find out all the secrets of your success, so I can use them for my own humble blog
Congratulations. I’ve enjoyed the ride and will continue to do so.
Pretty good! Congrats. This kind of popularity after only one year. Definitely sets the standard for the rest of us.
congrats vom Germany
Hey Mike, I am a regular reader of TechCrunch from India and I’ve found it to be pretty useful.
Here’s wishing you a very happy b’day. Hope TechCrunch lives long enough to celebrate many more birthdays like this.
Cheers
Congrats Mike! Truly and outstanding year. Keep it coming.
Congratulations!
Congrats!
Dare I ask how you got the idea for TC in the first place? I’m always interested as to why people start these great blogs.
Happy B’day, TechCrunch! You’re doing a great job, Mike. Vaazhga valarga (that means long live and may you continue to grow and prosper in my native language, Tamil).
Mike
the 5 first months of TechCrunch in France provided some of the best moment i have experienced. Thanks for your trust and welcome to Marshall
Happy Birthday and congrats for your outstanding contribution to the new internet
Congratulations! I had been reading your blog and quote quite a few post in my 2.0 Chinese blog. Keep it going!
Congratulations and Happy Birth-Day
Nice article, nice blog.
Keep it up.
Happy Birthday. Glad to hear things are working out for you.
We as a startup find TechCrunch to be a great resource to draw from. Congratulations and looking forward more great readings.
Techcrunch is definitely my favorite website! Thanks for all the effords you putt in. It helps me with my news addiction. Keep the good work!
Cheers from Amsterdam!
I myself have only been a reader for the past 2 months or so, but can already say it is the first thing I check every morning on my daily (’cough’ - hourly more like) rss feed check.
thanks for being us such great news everyday andinforming us on the latest and greatest web2.0 sites…
keep up the good work
Congratulations quite a site.. i check it daily
You should be very proud of what you have accomplished..
Wishing you the heartiest birthday for you Tech Crunch.
I was just talking to Liz on her site successful-blog about how many people celebrate their blog birthday’s and I see this today, woppee.
Well let the party begin its great fun to have one’s online identity turn a year old.
The content on your site is always superb so I just wanted to wish you for the next 10 years in advance, btw I have marked this in my calendar too.
[..]Wishing TechCrunch a very Happy Birthday and hoping you have lots of these for 100 years to come. [..]
Congrats Michael and Happy Birthday TechCrunch!
Congratulations Michael! Yours is one of my favourite blogs and I hope to see another year of regular posts and updates on new companies and gadgets (which you started posting about with Sonos). Keep it up! Good stuff….
PS: I can help myself… TECHCRUNCH RULZZZ!
(that’s supposed to be a “can”)
I’ve been hooked for about 6 months now and read it everyday along with the WSJ.com
CONGRATS and thanks
Eric
Your subscriber number is quite an achievement. I suggest expanding your blog into other major languages.
Mike,
Congratulations ! You do it everyday, you provide something that’s insightful, interesting and useful.
I read your blog everyday. Thanks.
Guido
Congrats Mike.
Happy Birthday TechCrunch.
Yoyeux Anniversaire !!
What’s the next country you will open for this second year ?
you’ve come a long way. Congrats. Most bloggers burn out in the 2nd month. I know. I take care of 7 blogs and its a hectic job
Happy Birthday TechCrunch!
No doubt that TechCrunch is one of the key components driving web 2.0 developments.
Happy B-day and thanks for all the information you have passed our way.
Many Happy Returns!
Keep up the good work.
Happy B-Day !
Wow, congrats Michael and Happy Birthday Techcrunch.
In one year, this is just amazing.
Congratulations from Norway- discovered your bog a few weeks ago & ‘yes’ it is top of my ‘things I read every day list’ : )
Congratulations and happy birthday. Hope there are many years to come. Techcrunch is the only blog I read every single day. Great service, great product, keep on going and Thank you!
Herzlichen Glückwunsch!
I´m reading your posts since the beginning of this year and I put your feed on the first position of the my yahoo-page.
O.k., after the world cup I will start reading again as before (at this moment I´m absolutely fan of the world cup).
By the way: it would be interesting to find out how many readers you have outside the US!
Again, congratulations from Berlin, Ger.
Congrats on all the success
Congrats, Mike. Hard work, smarts,more hard work and passion make a huge difference and the amazing growth in Tech Crunch proves it….yes, nexr year should be equally intense–here’s to looking back on more success in 2007.
Congrats Mike!
Hopefully “web 2.0″ will last long enough to give us another full year or more.
Congrats Mike, from Canada!
Keep doing what your doing. This blog is a true inspiration.
Congrats Mike and Happy Birthday TechCrunch. I am glad I was able to help out by contributing. It has been fun and a great experience. Thanks.
Congratulations from Russian readers! You blog is the best! Keep on posting!
I even started translating it into Russian language (the address is http://newweb.wordpress.com/, although I mix it with some news about Russian startups). I didn’t want to give you this link until I translate significant amount of you articles, but birthday of Techcrunch is a good reason for a present, isn’t it?
Hope you will like it and someday it will become as popular as french version
Congrats, your site is an extremely valuable resource!
Now if I could only network with all of these great people efficiently!!!
Congrats Mike, amazing stuff. Looking forward to seeing what year two brings!
Congrats, and Happy birthday!