December 28, 2017

As the meme goes, “That time after Christmas and before the New Year, where you don’t know what day it is, who you are or what you’re supposed to be doing.” Most businesses are closed or running skeleton crews and 90% of Canada is watching the World Junior Championship. It’s the perfect time for year-end countdowns, most-read lists and “what’s to come in 2018” articles.

Given those 3 options, I thought the most appropriate one for my blog would be a quick most-read list. I’m kind of a stat-geek and love going through Google Analytics to see where my visitors are coming from and what they’re clicking. Not surprisingly, my most visited webpage this year was my Homepage, quickly followed by My Work and About Me. After that, it was a free-for-all between several blogs and service pages. Here are the most-read digital marketing blogs of 2017 (counting down from 6 to 1).

6. What I Learned in My First 200… Err 207… Days as an Entrepreneur

Date: August 29, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn)

I haven’t posted many articles in the “Thoughts” category of blog but maybe I should. The 6th and 7th most-read blogs this year were from that category with this blog detailing my first 200, 207 days as an entrepreneur narrowly edging out my post about What I Learned at the 25th Annual Alumni of Distinction Awards.

5. How to Outsmart Facebook and Increase the Organic Reach of Business Page Posts

Date: September 13, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Search Engine (Google)

The first of several social media based articles makes an appearance in the #5 spot and oddly enough its primary source of traffic was search engine. I think the main reason for this blog landing in the #5 spot is the frustration business owners are feeling when it comes to Facebook organic reach. Top searches for this blog included: “organic reach Facebook” and “how to increase organic reach on Facebook”.

4. 5 Windsor Restaurants with Stunning Website Designs

Date: February 7, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Social Media (Facebook)

My write-up which covered 5 Windsor restaurants with stunning website designs is the only web design based blog in the top 6 most-read articles this year. This blog received 95% of its traffic in the first 3 days of being posted thanks to an incredible amount of social shares on Facebook. In total, the post received 155 shares on Facebook making it my second most shared blog on the social network this year.

3. 6 Local Automotive Manufacturing Companies That Rock on LinkedIn

Date: April 18, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Social Media (LinkedIn, Facebook)

Wondering what my most shared blog was on social media in 2017? Look no further than #3! My blog outlining 6 local automotive manufacturing companies that have amazing LinkedIn pages. Not only was this article my most shared on Facebook with 184 shares, it was also my most shared blog on Linkedin with over 160 shares! Good enough to make it #3 on my most-read list.

2. 5 Simple Ways to Integrate Social Media Into Your Website Right Now

Date: May 15, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Search Engine (Google)

Yet ANOTHER social media based article finds itself at #2 on my list but not because of the social media traffic it received. Of all the blog posts I shared in 2017, my post discussing 5 ways businesses can integrate social media into their website, was the one that received the most traffic from search engines. By July, this blog was one of my least-read articles and then Google got a hold of it an WHAM! Suddenly it’s the #2 on most-read blog this year.

1. 6 Examples of Fantastic Facebook Pages by Windsor Real Estate Agents

Date: February 23, 2017 | Primary Source of Traffic: Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn)

It comes as no surprise that one of the first lists I reviewed when I started my business ended up becoming the most-read blogs of 2017. This post received most of its traffic within the first week of posting thanks to social media shares from several of the real estate agents included in the post. Since then the traffic has dwindled but it still comes in as my #1 most-read blog of 2017.