The Numbers
It’s time for my annual review of blog metrics! While I’d love to say I review these monthly or quarterly, I don’t make time for it. Better once a year than never, right??
In 2020, I published 105 blog posts. Since most of my writing occurs before 7am or after 7pm, I’m pretty proud of myself for continuing to nurture this hobby of mine (even if I’ve been in a real funk the past couple of months).
Another metric I review is page views and unique visitors. Both were fairly consistent with 2019. In 2020, there were more than 52,000 page views and 12,000 unique visitors. The majority of page views and visitors are driven by a handful of posts from prior years that do well on Pinterest, as well as common motherhood topics that I post about in mom groups on Facebook.
In 2020, I finally added a weekly newsletter. It had been on my list for years. I didn’t want it to be simply a listing of blog posts – I wanted it to have extra content that wasn’t on the blog. Because it’s a smaller audience, I feel more comfortable delving into topics than I sometimes do in a blog post. It’s turned into one of my favorite ways to share.
Most Popular Posts
Top 5 Blog Posts – Overall
ONE // A Review of My Go To Bag: I knew this would be a popular post when I wrote it two years ago. There aren’t very many posts reviewing the tote so it comes up on searches a lot.
TWO // How to Pack for a Beach Vacation: This post from 2014 proves that going viral on Pinterest lasts for years. It is consistently in the top 3 posts.
THREE // Hospital Bag: I haven’t packed a hospital bag in over 4 years. Luckily the basics haven’t changed much in that time.
FOUR // The Only Shoes a Guy Needs: I was shocked to see this post come up in the top 5, which reminds me I need to check all the links in it. It’s proof content for men can do really well!
FIVE // Uppababy Vista Double Stroller Review: I wrote this review after using the Uppababy Vista as a double stroller for two years. It is a big expense and since I did not love the stroller, I want to help anyone else thinking about buying it.
Top 3 Blog Posts – 2020
While the most viewed posts are several years old, these were the top 3 posts from 2020.
ONE // Men’s Essential Basics: Another men’s post, this time about the go to sweatpants, socks and shirts that are favorites of the men in my family.
TWO // Why I Decided to Have a Hysterectomy: A personal post about why I decided to have a hysterectomy to deal with my large fibroid.
THREE // Cyber Monday: 10 Things I Love on Sale Today: All of the holiday sales can be overwhelming. This year I focused on items that I already own and love that I felt 100% comfortable recommending. It is great that it did so well – I hope it helped others get a piece at a discount!
Most Popular Products
I reviewed analytics for the affiliate program I am part of (RewardStyle) to find out the most clicked and purchased items in 2020. My RewardStyle links were clicked over 63,000 times in the past year. That seems crazy even to me!
Most Clicked & Purchased
ONE // Madewell Zip Top Transport Tote: It makes sense this tote is the most clicked and purchased since it is also most popular post. I’ve owned and used this tote for almost two years and still love it.
TWO // Vuori Performance Joggers: I keep raving about these joggers because they were one of my best purchases in 2020. I’ve also gifted them four times. They were also the 3rd most purchased item.
THREE // Cuyana Small Carryall Tote: Since I mention this tote in the most popular post, I think a lot of people click on the link but don’t purchase it.
FOUR // Maya Brenner Character Necklace: I am forever listing this necklace as a gift idea for Mother’s Day and birthdays, basically any holiday. It’s my most treasured piece of jewelry.
FIVE // Madewell 9” Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans: I bought these jeans at the beginning of 2020 and wore them a ton. They are still one of my go to pair of jeans a year later.
SIX // Madewell Denim Jacket: After searching for a denim jacket for years, I landed on this one from Madewell. It is the 2nd most purchased item in 2020. Clearly everyone loves Madewell!
