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My friend Gini Dietrich over at Spin Sucks recently shared her most popular blog posts of 2012.
The cool part, aside the links to all the intelligent (and entertaining) posts, is that her friend Adam Singer, who now works at Google, has created an analytics dashboard that makes the process simple. (Follow the link at the bottom of this post to get stats for your own blog.)
First, let me say that this was a refreshing exercise because it did not use number of comments as one of the measures. Instead it plotted the more important reader behaviors, things like pageviews, unique page views, unique visitors, social shares and average time on page.
And guess what? The posts I thought were my most popular ones, in some cases, didn’t even make the list. Read on for the ones that did.
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2012
Here they are, then. My 10 most highly ranked posts for 2012, in descending order. (Just click on the title to visit the post.):
1. Facebook and the Death of the Encylopedia Man: Who Can We Trust?
This post took the number one spot, a bit of a surprise to me. This post mixed a story with the point I was making, that social media has made information more accessible but also makes it harder to sort the facts from the untruths.
Blogging Lesson: Making a point by telling stories in a post can get readers more interested and more willing to share my content.
2. Guy Kawasaki Hits a Home Run with His New Book, ‘APE’
This one offered a review of Kawasaki’s new book on self-publishing.
Blogging Lesson: Covering new products and social media personalities is a surefire strategy, but including a very entertaining video will increase the chances of social shares.
3. Stuff that Matters: A Blogger’s Creed
In this post I shared the more personal side of me via the core principles I live by.
Blogging Lesson: Readers enjoy it when you peel away the layers and show them what’s in your heart.
4. The Hollywood Guide to a Better Blog Tagline
A look at how Hollywood writers pitch and promote their movies and what we can learn from that when we approach creating our blog header’s tagline.
Blogging Lesson: Mixing movies and pop culture into a how-to post can make a boring topic more fun.
5. A Holiday Wish from the Dunns
Here, a simple holiday greeting with a Christmas story from my childhood and observations on how fast our kids grow up.
Blogging Lesson: This one surprised me, too. But I think it was that readers understand that universal truth: that everyone’s family is weird in some way or another.
6. Here She Comes to Save the Day!: ‘Wanton Exclamation Point’
I had a little help on this one, I think. A reporter from the Boston Globe came across the post, interviewed me for an article he was writing on inappropriate use of punctuation, and his readers visited my blog. I also used humor by sketching how Wanton Exclamation Point would look and behave if she were a character.
Blogging Lesson: Be open to media interviews, even if it frightens the $@*&% out of you.
7. How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
I examined the Pinterest phenomenon and how bloggers can leverage it to get more traffic to their own sites.
Blogging Lesson: Helping my readers understand new social media trends and use them to bring more reader interest and engagement on their own blogs is a popular topic.
8. Zombie Blogs: How Dead Ideas Walk Among Us
This was Word Swords’s Di Mace’s first guest post on my blog, where she tackled the scary topic of blogs that have outlived their usefulness—and how to prevent that happening to your blog.
Blogging Lesson: I can’t really take credit for this one, so I won’t. But Di hit it out of the park by 1) finding an interesting theme (zombies); 2) making us laugh with her outrageous photos; and 3) giving us tons of strategies to ensure that we don’t end up with zombie blogs. Good job, Di!
9. 21 Things I Did to Get My Blog to Top 10 Status
A self-reflection post designed to give my readers, not the “magic bullet” for success but, rather, a few of the things I have learned on my blogging journey.
Blogging Lesson: Readers appreciate honesty in a blogger’s “lessons learned” post.
10. Cowboy Macaroni and Divorcing Witches: The Changing Face of Blogging
My personal take on how blogs are going to have to change if they want to differentiate themselves from the masses. And one way to do that is to drive a point home with a story.
Blogging Lesson: In all honesty? I think it was the title on this one. If you have read my blog for a while, you know that I strongly oppose hooking readers with a deceitful headline, one that has nothing to do with the content of my post. But, hey, if the title is interesting and relevant to the post, I say go for it.
Want to find out the posts that were most popular with your readers in 2012? Just click here.
Please note: Since the information comes from Google Analytics, you do have to have an account with them in order for this to work. But it’s free and fairly easy to set up. I use GA to track my basic blog stats (page views, unique visitors, how people find my blog, what content is most popular, etc.) Here is a link with instructions on how to set up Google Analytics for your blog:
http://support.google.com/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1008015
Oh, and speaking of lists, a huge congrats to my friend Ralph Dopping for making Danny Brown’s 5 Bloggers to Watch in 2013. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Ralph’s blog, The View from Here, you really should. Ralph attacks a variety of topics with lots of creative smarts and a healthy dose of humor. And thanks to Danny, who is so generous with his support of other bloggers. (I made his list last year. Thanks, Danny!)
What about you?
Do you have any ideas about which of your posts in 2012 were reader favorites?
If you ran the report, do you think it might turn up ones that weren’t on your radar screen?
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Judy, I tried the link in your “10 Most Popular posts” for measurement of my blog, but all I got was a 404 message. The link is evidently bad. Clay
Okay, Clay. I’m guessing that you are getting the error message because you don’t have a Google Analytics account. It’s a free service (has a premium side, too,. but I don’t need that much detailed information). I use GA to track my basic blog sats (number of page views, unique visitors, visitor demographics, most popular content, etc. You can get started by following these instructions to set up a basic account.:
http://support.google.com/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1008015
Once you do that, the above link should work. Hope this helps.
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted.. Guy Kawasaki Hits a Home Run with His New Book, ‘APE’
Clay,
Let me look into this. It worked for me. I’ll get back to you. : )
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..A Holiday Wish from the Dunns
Thanks Judy for sharing your popular most blog posts with us. I have just stopped by the post “21 Things I Did to Get My Blog to Top 10 Status”. I agree with that Twitter is the best among the renowned Social Media sites. This is a great idea to share the popular posts with viewers by creating a special post.
Shiful Alam recently posted..Customer Relationship Management (CRM) with Blogging: How Is It Possible?
Shiful,
Thanks for visiting the blog! Glad you found something useful, and do come back again.
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..A Holiday Wish from the Dunns
Really wanted to try this, can you repost the link, as I got an error when I tried it.
The Isa Guru
The Isa Guru recently posted..Get Your FREE Isagenix Enrollment! Expires At Stroke of Midnight January 3, 2013
Shame on me for assuming everyone uses Google Analytics! As I told Clay, you need to have a GA account (it’s free) in order for this to work (the retrieval of your 10 most popular posts). If you want information on that, visit this link:
http://support.google.com/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1008015
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..Stuff that Matters: A Blogger’s Creed
“9. 21 Things I Did to Get My Blog to Top 10 Status” <– loved this one because it ticked all my boxes – a list, encouragement, personal reflection, blogging, and great advice!
Kitchen worktop guy,
Glad that one spoke to you and thanks for stopping by.
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..Stuff that Matters: A Blogger’s Creed
This is my first visit to your blog. I have just read the titles. Will have to check out them one by one. Hey I think you have missed links on 1st and 2nd post titles. Please check I couldn’t find any link on them.
Atish Ranjan recently posted..Does Blogging Reduce Stress?
Hey Atish,
Thanks for calling that to my attention. Those first two links should work now. And thanks for visiting the blog. : )
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..What I Learned On My 5-Day Social Media Diet
Just to thank you for the Pinterest post, as I should have done the first time you posted it, as it was really useful. Thank you!
Patent box lawyer,
Thanks. Glad it was useful.
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..Cowboy Macaroni and Divorcing Witches: The Changing Face of Blogging
Oh my. I’m soooo embarrassed! Goes to show I shouldn’t go on an extended social media diet … even if it IS a gorgeous Aussie summer with the beach down the road calling me.
I’m totally knocked out my guestie made the list of your top posts for 2012 … as you know I was so overwhelmed when you (one of my dream blogs and bloggers) asked me to guest, that I had massively unheard of stage fright. Let alone the horrors of learning all about the ‘charming’ demeanour of zombies to reframe it into a post!
But, it just goes to show that we all need to stretch ourselves into the uncomfortable (or yet uninhabited) places of ourselves to do some of our best work.
Again many, many thanks much for opening the door for me. And pushing me through it
Di Mace recently posted..Editing clips: Inverted commas
Di,
I forgive you., mostly because I am envious of that “gorgeous Aussie summer” and the “beach down the road.” We are on the sound, but the “real beach” would be better.
And it is so interesting to me that sometimes the post that doesn’t get tons of comments is the most viewed and shared. And that’s really the important thing, isn’t it?
You made the list and deservedly so. Your zombie post was clever, unique and helpful. Enjoy your summer!
Judy Lee Dunn recently posted..A Blogger’s Dictionary: First Edition
Thanks Judy. Today it’s 39C (over 100F) here on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and despite havng a pressing client deadline, I’m sure the beach and rockpool will triumph! Talk soon
Di Mace recently posted..Editing clips: Inverted commas
I googled for top post and found your blog. Nice post and blog. Thanks!
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