Guess what? This is my 637th post! Can you believe it?
Yes, I started blogging way back in August 2008, and I've had so much fun along the way. On a whim the other night, I skimmed through the titles of my old posts, and I realized how many of them are still relevant. So I selected my favorite--and most popular--posts and created a Best Of List. It's on my Articles Page, and I will continue to add to it throughout the year.
I'm fascinated by what topics cause readers to read my blog. Based on number of pageviews, here are my most popular posts.
1. Vision Boards (03/24/2010)
One of the reasons this post became popular is that it caught attention on social media sites, and many people who don't normally read my blog stopped by. Unfortunately, someone pirated it and I had to send a cease and desist letter. With the good comes bad. :)
2. 3 Topics For Writers To Avoid on Social Networks (01/14/11)
I wrote this at a peak time in social networking. Many writers were getting their feet wet on Twitter and in Facebook, and this post wasn't your typical "don't talk politics and religion" advice.
3. 17 Simple Steps to Build a Fiction Platform (06/06/11)
The title sums it up. In 2011, agents and editors started really changing their tune about writers needing an Internet presence. Writers who had successfully avoided marketing themselves online realized they needed to build a platform or get left behind. All of my posts on social networking did, and continue to do, well.
For easy access to the complete linked list of my most popular posts, head to my Articles Page, which can always be found from the Extras Page. This is a permanent feature in my website, so please stop by anytime! You'll also find links to all of my videos, a page of resource links, and information about my speaking topics in the Extras.
If you're a blogger, do you know what your most popular posts are? Did the topics surprise you? Care to share?
Have a terrific Monday!
Mine still surprise me - my most popular post ever was a comparison of book!Narnia Peter and movie!Narnia Peter. My second most popular post was one I did on being a thrill-seeker and wanting to do skeleton sliding sometime. And my third was a tribute to my grandmother.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, all over the place for me! I think "best of" pages are great, they really help give new readers a flavor of what you write about.
That's really cool, Louise!! I love hearing what topics resonate with readers--thanks for sharing!
DeletePeople seem to love what I write about communication, dogs, and book clubs. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love when you write about communication, dogs, and books clubs. :)
DeleteBlogger has a popular post gadget. You can set for All Time, 30 days or 7 days. I use the 7 day to help me with blog statistics. The top post has been The 75 Safest Towns in Massachusetts with a link to the news station that cataloged the towns. I was stunned the rural farming community I live in didn't make the list.
ReplyDeleteI use that one too, CJ! I keep mine to the past 30 days. I originally set it to all time, but the same posts always showed up. :)
DeleteAnd I'm sure your community should have made the list! What were they thinking??
I don't know but now I'm going to go check it out!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea about an article page. I might need to look into that. :-)
It took several hours to put together, but it was time well spent. Good luck!
DeleteOoo, those articles sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy most popular posts were "Names of God: Adonai" and "How Doing Yardwork Improved My Marriage." I think both have a lot of high-volume keywords that people search for. :P
I love the Biblical posts, too, and I'm always a sucker for marriage posts. :)
DeleteFun! My "101 blog post ideas for writers" continues to be popular. I also have an image that I created with a free photo and picmonkey that gets a ton of hits from google image searches.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to stop by and read that one. I routinely come up blank for blog post ideas. Do you have it linked on your sidebar? You should!
DeleteHere's a link to part one:
Deletehttp://juliejwrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/101-blog-post-ideas-for-writers-part-1.html
Good idea. I should do that.
637?? Awesome! Can't wait to go through some of your old ones. I haven't really looked too closely at my stats lately, but you're making me curious:)
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of the cherry blossoms up there-come on SPRING!!!
I know!! I about passed out that I'd written that many! I usually ignore my stats, but it was fascinating seeing which ones drew the most pageviews. ;)
DeleteOh fun! Congrats on so many blog posts. It'll be fun to go back and read your classics! :)
ReplyDeleteMy most popular posts tend to be ones about my nephew Ollie, writing news and then the occasional "devo" type post that hits a nerve with people.
Ah, my "classics"!! Funny! I love reading about Ollie. What a little cutie!
DeleteHi Jill - congratulations over over 637 posts .. I'm at 501 .. but your thoughts here make a lot of sense .. how I go about finding the stats - I really will need to investigated Blogger a little more!
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
Thanks, Hilary!! If you go to your dashboard, click on the button that brings you to the list of your posts. On the right hand side, you'll see numbers next to every published post. One set of numbers is for the comments, and the other is for the pageviews!
DeleteMy most popular post is about safety pins and rubber bands. Certainly not what I consider my best post or even relevant to what the blog has morphed into - a pictorial travel log, but something that people still enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI hear you! Some of my most popular weren't that great! Ha! But who doesn't need to learn about safety pins and rubber bands, you know?
DeleteFun! I'll have to go look. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteThat's a lot of posts, Jill. Congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteI will check out your greatest hits.
Just so you know, your blog has been so helpful to me over the years. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on the online platform, and other great stuff.
Loree, that really means a lot to me. Thank you so much for your kind words. :)
DeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteI know who my most popular posts are on my Book Recommendation site, but not my writer site. I will find out!
It's kind of fun, Kelly. I was surprised at some of the popular posts!
Delete637 posts?!?!? Holy smokes, Girlfriend!! That's a ton of writing, pondering, and honing your craft. Excellent stuff! My most popular post is called, "The Most Amazing Hands" and talks about how Jesus reaches out in love - regardless of the road we have walked - to heal, love, and make whole again. CONGRATS on this blog milestone!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna! I'm laughing at the "honing your craft," since this post went live with a misspelling in the title! Ouch!
DeleteI love the concept of your most popular post. I need to hear that every day. :)