Well, it looks like we survived the end-of-the-world Mayan predictions so here we are: 2012 is almost over and a fresh new year is upon us. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read this blog.
At the beginning of the year, I had made myself the promise to consistently publish a weekly article. As I write different content for the French side of this blog, that meant posting twice per week, which I am proud to say I achieved throughout 2012. But obviously, writing content is one thing, while having a readership is another. So I truly appreciate your presence here, comments and social media sharing.
Below are the top 5 most popular posts on this blog during the past year, along with some insights on what, I believe, may have contributed to their success.
MOST POPULAR POSTS OF 2012
#1: Great Trends in Mobile [INFOGRAPHIC]
I published this post back in April and it clearly hit a nerve with many readers. The use of a clear infographic filled with powerful stats, combined with the topic du jour, mobile web, was a recipe for success. While I received close to 2,000 unique visitors on this article alone on this blog, it was also re-published on Social Media Today, where it made the top 3 trending articles in May with over 16,000 views to date!
#2: The Seven Business Drivers of A Social Media Strategy
Published in June, this post took a closer look at the core elements that must be analyzed and measured when putting a social media strategy in place. This article received a little more than 1,200 unique visitors on this blog, and it was also re-published on Business2Community where it was shared more than 165 times over. To those who say short posts perform better, I beg to differ: this was my longest post of the year, just shy of 1,500 words…
#3: How to get Facebook engagement… without paying for it?
Following recent changes to Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm, the blogosphere and social media world went into a frenzy over the meaning of these changes and how brands should manage this new reality. My take on this situation was read by close to 1,200 unique readers on this blog, and it was shared quite a bit too.
Takeaway: posts related to Facebook have higher odds of performing better, in particular if you address a current issue. Bringing your own twist to the story, of course, is of utmost importance, or else you’re just re-hashing what others are already saying.
#4: 13 marketing trends for 2013
Published last month, this post hit a nerve as could be expected: any title including “trends” in it will do well, it seems, in particular when it’s looking into the future to seize upcoming opportunities and challenges. Including some visuals was also a wise move, helping this re-post on Business2Community get shared more than 2,000 times, in particular via Pinterest.
#5: Pinterest for tourism: the best thing since vanilla? 
Back in February, a lesser known social media was taking the world by storm: Pinterest. While I could envision some potential for the tourism industry, I was still cautious in front of all the buzz, which lead to my tongue-in-cheek title. This post would most likely be ranked in the top 3, but since I only put Google Analytics in place in March (three weeks after publication of this post), it’s still clocked in near 1,000 unique visitors afterwards.
BACK FOR MORE IN 2013
There are still so many topics to cover and I realize, either discussing with clients or interacting with audience participants during conferences, that there is still quite a bit of confusion and education required with regards to new technologies, in particular within the travel & hospitality industry. So that’s what you can expect on this blog: I shall try my very best to keep exploring trends and best practices in strategic marketing, whether it’s offline or online, mobile or social…
Examples will most likely be from the travel industry, my niche and field and expertise, but I am always open for examples, good or bad, from various industries.
I wish you the very best for the Holidays, and I look forward to engaging with you all yet again in the New Year! Cheers and have an awesome 2013!
Frederic
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