I started this blog just over three years ago, and satisfyingly it’s popularity has continued to grow. Visitor numbers this year grew by over 50% on 2016. Here are the posts that helped drive this growth.
There are a couple of ways to look at popularity, the number of page views and number of post likes. Interestingly the top ten for each are completely different, with tramping / hiking and theatre related posts being the most viewed, but travel related posts being the most liked, which probably says something about the demographics and interests of people who have WordPress accounts.
Most viewed
Yet again New Zealand Great Walks Ranked was by far the most viewed post, despite only having 8 likes (hopefully not a reflection on it’s quality, but that it attracts non-WordPress users). It was followed by Patagonia, Argentina & Chile v South Island, New Zealand, and the Routeburn Track rounded out the top three, all with a tramping / hiking theme.
Showing the variety of the site the next two most popular (and the tenth) cover the theatre scene in Auckland, Best of 2017 – Auckland Theatre Performances, 2017 – Best of Auckland Theatre so far, and Best of 2016 – Auckland Theatre & Dance. As if one blog wasn’t enough I also write for the Basement Theatre Blog, interviewing the people behind upcoming shows.
At number six somewhat unexpectedly was Modern architecture in Tbilisi, Georgia, something I certainly liked but was surprised that so many others did to be honest.
Final three were more tramping / hiking posts, Hump Ridge Track, New Zealand multi-day walks ranked, and Gillespie Pass Circuit.
Most liked
Even more unpredictable than views is the number of people making the effort to click on a box to like a post. Cape Range National Park and around was a recent and unexpectedly popular post, though it did combine scenery, sunsets and wildlife.
Iceland was a very photogenic place (though so was Iran which disappointedly didn’t make the top ten), and well represented with Things I learnt about Iceland, Iceland from the Road, Highlands of Iceland, and Icelandic South Coast.
It was good to see some interest in New Zealand, with three quite different posts, South Island from the road, Power Plant – Auckland Domain, and Puhinui Reserve.
Australia was equally well represented with Sydney At Night, Cairns, and Windjana Gorge & Tunnel Creek, though given the number of Australia related posts this year (Tasmania, Sydney, Cairns, Darwin to Broome, and Perth to Broome) the strike rate was relatively low.
Couple from the UK, certainly not my favourite posts but 24 people seemed to like The Savil Garden and Wimborne.
Final in top ten, with 26 likes as of writing was a blast from the past, Seville back in 2006 / 2009.
