2013 Blog Traffic Report
2013 Blog Traffic Report
Something about analyzing my blog stats makes me feel all official and a part of the blogging world even when I haven’t been blogging or focusing much in the past few weeks. I looked back at my blogging report from 2012 and things have definitely improved (in most areas) but the biggest improvements I’ve personally seen on a day to day basis is that I’m getting traffic from non-giveaway posts. I’m writing (occasionally) and you are reading. You are interacting with me a little and when I get to my goals, you will see that I’m hoping to improve that in 2014. I want to write for you and for me and I want to get to know you all like you know me.
I’m going to list some “housekeeping” type information and then I’m going to remind you of some of my favorite (that you seemed to enjoy as well) posts.
These numbers don’t look as good in some areas as others, but they “feel” good to me. The overall number of people visiting my site and the pageviews are up. The pages per visit is a tad higher, but the bounce rate is still too high for my liking. I need to get you here and keep you here. I need to link to my own posts and give you something to entice you to stay and look around a little bit. But seriously, have you read my Family Story? You will stay a while if you do that! I should write more like that and you’ll stay (I hope).
Top 10 Referring Sites
- Google – 20,017 visits
- Pinterest – 7,163 visits
- Twitter – 2,364 visits
- Facebook – 2,001 visits
- android.pinterest.com – 766 visits
- tweeparties.com – 569 visits
- inlinkz.com – 412 visits
- rafflecopter.com – 337 visits
- MamaNYC (site now closed) – 263 visits
- Frugal Follies – 198 visits
Top 10 Referring Blogs
- MamaNYC (site now closed) – 263 visits
- Frugal Follies – 198 visits
- Happy Wives Club – 181 visits
- Simply Stacie – 173 visits
- Weidknecht – 123 visits
- Things I Can’t Say – 100 visits
- Miki’s Hope – 98 visits
- Literary Winner – 88 visits
- Mommy Blog Expert – 87 visits
- Practical Frugality – 75 visits
This list is a little odd to me this year because it is heavy on the giveaway blogs. I participated in a couple of group giveaways this year (cut WAY back from the previous years) and most of these came from those giveaways. The two that really stand out and I’m proud of the most are Happy Wives Club and Things I Can’t Say. I work hard to talk about the Reasons I Love My Husband and posts that are just about my life and link up with Fawn and Shell. I am happy to see them on this list.
Top 10 Most Viewed Posts
- How to Personalize Your Cubicle – 5,067 pageviews
- 5 Steps to a 5 minute DIY haircut – 3,507 pageviews
- How to Make Cake Pops – 3,033 pageviews
- Rise of the Guardians – 2,881 pageviews
- SeatPets Review – 2,400 pageviews
- Oh! The Places You’ll Go baby shower – 1,882 pageviews
- Monsters University – 1,723 pageviews
- Painting with Leaves {Crazy Crafts for Kids} – 1,632 pageviews
- Despicable Me 2 – 1,482 pageviews
- Shamrocks & Shenanigans {St. Patrick’s Day Linky} – 1,450 pageviews
I guess this list tells me a few things about me and my blog. I know who to pick to write a guest post on my blog about decorating a cubicle (and I need to write more about cubicle crafts and things to occupy my down time at work). I know how to create a fun graphic to draw people in for my DIY posts (even if the actual pics in the post are horrific). I hit the jackpot on SEO with my SeatPets review. And I need to keep up with my movie reviews and coloring pages posts as soon as a new kids’ movie comes out. You all like these things about my blog (or I know how to do good SEO for these posts, whichever) so I know where my focus can remain to keep you all coming back for more!
Top 10 Keywords
- seatpets: 445 visits
- snickers nfl minis: 386 visits
- cake pops: 211 visits
- jack frost: 197 visits
- cubicle decorating ideas: 181 visits
- despicable me coloring pages: 135 visits
- monsters university coloring pages: 120 visits
- rise of the guardian coloring pages: 117 visits
- pitch black rise of the guardians: 80 visits
- seat pet: 78 visits
Number 2 on this list makes me giggle because all 386 hits came in one day and I loved it. Who seriously searched that 386 times?! The others are pretty typical for my blog and I wish I had kept a list of completely random keywords throughout the year. I see some strange stuff sometimes!
I had 29,182 visits from Search traffic in 2013 and that number makes me proud. My goal for 2014 is to have more searches for “family fun” and “humor” type search terms (same as last year). I think that Depression, Messy House, Weight Loss, and Crafts for Kids are good goals for this blog as well. As you will see from my next category, you all respond well to these posts about my “real life”.
My Favorite (because you liked them) Posts of 2013
- My Depression Story: Childhood Memories – 44 comments
- I’m Whiny and Frustrated #ThisIsMe – 40 comments
- Personal Connections at Blogging Conferences – 38 comments
- 5 Ways to Quickly Clean Small Messes Around the House – 25 comments
- My Life is a Mess – 17 comments
- 369.8: Weight Loss and Fatty Friday – 12 comments
- My Love/Hate Relationship with Blogging – 10 comments
- Parenting an Active Child at 369.8 lbs – 9 comments
- Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia with Puttanesca Sauce – 7 comments
- Wieners for Breakfast – 7 comments
So, I didn’t intentionally pick out the top 10 comment heavy blog posts, but I wanted you to see how interactive you’ve been on some of my favorite posts. I’m sure if I could come up with at least 30 of my favorites (hint: look on my sidebar for more of my favorites), but I just thought I would stick with ten for now. You all really like it when I talk about real life and I actually love writing about real life. I need to just put my insecurities aside and write…or better yet, just tell you my insecurities in the posts! I love you guys too much.
Now that I’ve put this all out there, and I’m sure I’ll link up with other bloggers to see how they’ve grown in 2013, tell me what you think. I think I’ve headed back to my “roots” of blogging and I like it. I think you’ve been good to me this year and I love you for it. I think I’ll be writing more, working more, and hopefully inspiring more in 2014. I have plans for some blogging tutorials and more real life stuff. I want to write more about my messy house and especially about my weight loss and struggle with depression. I want you to come along for the ride. So, why not just subscribe to my email (see that box in the top right of my sidebar just below my picture?) and see what I’m up to this week!
I barely glanced at my WP Report this year because my year was such a mess and I moved TWICE! (Blog move not house.) But I am excited about doing everything I can to have an awesome report next year!
Congratulations on your success! You deserve it!
Beth Zimmerman recently posted..Plate Spinning and Learning to Let Go – One Word 2014
Moving my blog would scare the mess out of me…and you did it twice! Thanks for all your support this year and always!
Good reading, and congratulations on the improvement!
Rafael Marquez recently posted..Your Well Written Blog Sucks
Thanks, Rafael! You’ve been a great supporter of my blog lately and I truly appreciate it.