2015 Social Media & Blog Year End Review

I LOVE this time of the year where we look back on all that has happened in the course of a year before we say hello to a new year. I don’t know about you, but time flies by. The months go by so quickly, by the time we hit December, I love going through and re-living what happened throughout the course of the year. 

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know year end reviews are nothing new here. I’ve been sharing my years ends since 2011 (before I met my husband and moved to ND!) So I am starting with my social media year end review. 

It is thanks to all of you 2015 continued to be a year of growth here at Prairie Californian. When I started this blog, I had NO IDEA it would become what it is today. Or that I would be where I am today, SIMPLY because of this blog! 

Here’s what happened in 2015 here at Prairie Californian. 

Facebook continues to be one of my fastest growing platforms. In just the course of one year, I’ve added nearly 1,000 of you to my Facebook page!! And for nearly four years running, Facebook continues to be one of the number drivers to this website! So thank you all for the shares! 

 

Top Facebook Posts for 2015: 

1. 10 Ways Marrying a Farmer Will Change Your Life

2. The Journey of Finding Trust in God’s Plan

3. Knoephla Soup

4. Realities of Being a Farm Wife

5. Harvesting Sunflowers

I haven’t nearly been as active on Twitter as I have in the past, but my Twitter account seems to show consistent growth which is incredible! I find the analytics Twitter maintains is incredible. I can check what percent of my followers education, average income, location, martial status, gender, cell phone carrier… It is QUITE creepy how much information is out there to advertisers utilizing Twitter and other social media platforms! 

Here’s a small snapshot of those analytics for PrairieCA

Top Twitter Posts for 2015:  

1. Glyphosate Survey

2. Trump vs. Corn: Who Wore It Better

3. Wheat Growth Stages

4. National Festival of Breads Recap

5. Kevin Folta on Joe Rogan Podcast

 

I continue to LOVE instagram. Honestly, it is one of my favorite platforms! All full of incredible photography that inspires me to continue learning and shooting. 

Top Instagram Posts for 2015:

I think 2014 was the year of huge growth for my blog, but 2015 has been consistent! Consistency is good! I am constantly blown away at the life of posts I wrote a year or two years ago on the blog. By far, the Lazy Cheese Buttons post continues to bring 100-300 people to my blog EVERY SINGLE DAY. Blows my mind, you guys! 

One of my biggest goals last year and this year was to blog consistently. I keep a goal in mind of trying to blog more than 2-3x a week. I didn’t hit that goal this year as I wrote nearly 40 posts more last year! Insane! I think all my traveling this year got to the blog and kept me from sharing as much as I would have liked. Thanks to Thirty Days of Food though, I was able to maintain an average of 2.48 posts per week. 

Top Blog Posts for 2015:

I am really shocked to see the difference in popular posts from last year to this year. A few of 2014 posts are continue to get traffic which is not a surprise. Germans from Russia food continues to lead the pack in traffic. But some of these really shock me to make the list! White wine margarita!? I love you guys… Just sayin! 

1. Lazy Cheese Buttons

2. What Type of Equipment Do Farmers Use to Plant

3. Dakota Kuchen

4. Knoephla Soup: A Germans From Russia Tradition

5. Five Tips for Farm Wives to Make it Through Farming Season

6. If You Choose to Believe Bad Science, You’re the One with the Disadvantage

7. The Truth About Toxic Wheat

8. White Wine Margarita

9. Where to Find Sunflowers

10. Cucumber Salad

Top Referrers For 2015

For the first year EVER search engines have been my number one referrer! It knocked Facebook of its’ top spot! I love analytics, they are fascinating… when I actually take the time to look at them. I’ve really been trying to utilize Pinterest more and more and it continues to be in the top 5 for referrals. 

1. Search Engines

2. Facebook

3. Cheeserank (Thanks to sharing my Lazy Cheese Buttons post)

4. Pinterest

5. Twitter

Weirdest Search Engine Terms for 2015

And in all this seriousness, let’s throw in a little fun… Here are the weirdest search engine terms people used to find my blog… 

• if u were a farmer living in prairies what would your day be like

• tools required in usa prairie

• pictures of beautiful ladies (HAHAHAHA!)

• wish somebody could have told me how marriage life is tough 

• what is midwest between texas and north dokota

As 2015 comes to a close, I want to say THANK YOU… from the bottom of my heart.

This year, this blog, and all of you took me places I never ever knew were possible or within reach! I want to thank all of you for continuing to share, engage, and most of all, encourage me! I love all your messages, emails, and comments. I love you guys, seriously! 

Happy New Year and here’s to 2016 on Prairie Californian!