It’s been a bumper year on the blog. I set myself the challenge of doubling my blog stats in 2021. I’m pleased to say that I’ve gone beyond doubling them and have actually TRIPLED them!
What made the difference? The biggest factor has been relentless consistency. Just posting once a week, every week – I’ve tried but I can’t seem to sustain more than this. Of course I’m trying to make my posts interesting, useful and educational too!
I post on social media when I’ve published a blog and I definitely see some views coming via my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I also have lots of lovely blog subscribers who get an email when I post a blog (thank you if you’re one of them) but the huge majority of my blog traffic comes from search engines. This means my most popular posts are simply the ones that answer the questions that people are putting into their online searches. There are ways to write that make your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) very effective but there’s a risk of your writing sounding awkward, repetitive and well, just not like you. I try to find a balance and I’m still learning.
As you know I love a bit of reflection and it’s an annual exercise for me to sit down and review the year of blogging. This year I’ve really knuckled down and kept going, even when it was tough. I’m proud of the content I’ve produced. Thank you for all the great comments on the blog and on social media.
Anyway, here we go with my most-read top ten blogs in 2021:
- How soon can I swim after giving birth? This post keeps on giving. I wrote it in 2018 and it was number 2 last year. I’m back to writing more about running now but clearly there’s still a lot of women out there wondering when they can get back in the swimming pool after having their baby.
- Can I take paracetamol and ibuprofen together? I had so many people ask me this in person so it made sense to write about it. Again, it’s an oldie from 2018 but super relevant at the moment with all the viruses going around.
- The Toxic Ten: What it is and how to get past it. I got so many comments on this and a whole lot of thanks from new runners who just thought they were unfit and more experienced runners who were grateful to know why the start of every run feels so awful!
- Why do I feel cold after I run? Again, loads of you identifying with this one. I no longer feel alone being wrapped up in thermals, hat, gloves and clutching a hot tea after a race on a warmish day!
- Why does my nose run when I exercise? It’s so annoying but it’s so common. Drippy noses, whatever the weather are a pest for runners. This one explains why and what to do about it too.
- How to return to exercise after the flu. Another one from 2018 – I was doing something right that year! Written well pre-Covid but clearly people are still wanting answers and hopefully getting some use from the take-home points.
- Why do I feel faint after a run? I love taking these common running problems and explaining why they happen. Lots of people looking for an answer to this one.
- Run Well – my new book. By far my biggest achievement of 2021, the release of my second book. I wanted to take my passion for the workings of the human body and answer as many running-related health questions as I could. I hope you enjoy it.
- Are you a real runner? I know so many people who run but aren’t comfortable with calling themselves a runner. I explore the reasons why in this blog and how I believe we should be losing the imposter syndrome.
- Homeschooling and activity levels. I wrote this during lockdown when I realised how inactive my children were when lessons were all online. It’s so important to be moving on and off throughout the day and even that walk between lessons counts so much towards good health.
That’s it for 2021 blogging. Thank you so much for all your support, for stopping by, having a read and keeping me going. I love this little space on the internet. Thank you for sharing it with me. Best wishes for 2022. I’ll be right here, you know where to find me. Don’t forget to let me know if there’s something you want me to write about.
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Featured Image: Myriams-fotos at Pixabay
