How many readers? Where from? What were their favourite posts? Report back on 2015 on FP2P

Hi there, I’m briefly emerging from writing purdah to do the usual feedback post on last year’s blog 2015 stats:

Overall: 318, 825 ‘unique visitors’ – not quite the same as ‘different readers’, as if you read the blog on your PC, laptop and mobile, that counts as 3 people.  Within the year, the usual trend – a weekly cycle of low weekend reads, and summer and Christmas lulls (see graph). Those numbers represent a small (7%) increase on the previous year, but what is more striking is the similarity with previous years – however hard I try, the blog seems to have found its natural readership level!

Most-read Posts: these continue to surprise me – this year’s stock were a mixture of the geeky and industry insider guides and how-tos, plus a reassuring (given the impending book) level of interest in how change happens. Most of them were from previous years – interesting, given the reputation of blogging as a short term activity – they must have made it onto some large reading lists. Only 2 of this year’s top 10 were actually published in 2015.

1. What are the limitations to a human rights based approach to development? Was, inexplicably, top of the pops – published in 2014, and only came 10^th in that year, but has been picked up by someone, obviously.
2. How to get a PhD in a year and still do the day job (from 2011)
3. What is a theory of change and does it actually help? (from 2013)
4. How much should Charity Bosses be paid? (from 2013)
5. The world’s top 100 economies: 53 countries; 34 cities and 13 corporations (another 2011 post, down from last year’s number 1 slot)
6. How to write a really good executive summary (2014 post)
7. How is climate change affecting South Africa? (a 2009 post – the oldest in the list)
8. Where have we got to on theories of change – passing fad or paradigm shift?
9. Has Zimbabwe’s land reform actually been a success? A 2013 book review
10. The implications of complexity and systems thinking for aid and development – guest post from Owen Barder

I was sad to see ‘what Brits say v what they mean’ drop out of the rankings – may just have to repost it…..

Where were the readers from? Again very similar to last year, with Kenya the only new (and very welcome) entrant into the top 10.

If you can see any other patterns or useful lessons do let me know, but for now my main conclusions are

a) there is no way of telling in advance which posts will do best (very pleasing)

b) ‘how to’ posts are appreciated by the blog’s largely development wonk readership

c) the readership is mainly in developed countries, but well spread between them, and the developing country readership is rising (need to work on that).

What have I missed?

Right, that’s it from me – no more blogging til February – let the (suitably seasonal) cold turkey begin……