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Today The Wonder of Tech turns six years old. Thanks to you, dear readers, this blog continues to grow and thrive.
Tech continues to change and I delight in learning about what’s the latest and greatest tech for your life. I truly appreciate you letting me share my passion with you.
I truly believe fun and useful tech can make our lives better. My goal is to find the best tech and share it with you.
2016 Wonder of Tech Annual Report
In previous years, WordPress has presented websites an Annual Report at the end of each calendar year that I’ve shared with you in my anniversary posts. The timing has always been perfect to give you a snapshot of the past year here at The Wonder of Tech.
But this year WordPress decided not to give its websites an Annual Report so I decided to create my own in this infographic:
Visitors to The Wonder of Tech 2016
2016 was yet another growth year with more visitors and subscribers to The Wonder of Tech. Visitors arrived here from 211 different countries in 2016, with 62.4% of visitors coming from the US.
Other top countries visiting The Wonder of Tech include:
- UK
- Canada
- India
- Australia
A special welcome to Gambia, Congo – Brazzaville, Gabon, Samoa, Cuba, Burundi, Tonga, Burkina Faso, Isle of Man, and Cook Islands, who each sent one visitor in 2016.
Top Articles
Each anniversary in the past I have conducted a poll of readers about which types of articles you want to read. But the top three articles from 2016 make it clear that readers especially enjoy “how to” articles.
Here are the top articles from 2016:
- How to Arrange Your Pinterest Boards in 1 Easy Step!
- How To Find Out What Google Knows About You
- How to Delete Kindle Books from the Cloud vs. Your Device
- In Flight: See Every Plane in the Air Right Now
- Home page and Archives
Top Referrers of 2016
The sites that sent the most visitors to The Wonder of Tech in 2016 were interesting. Google has always been the biggest source of traffic to this site, but a new top referrer was Bing. I don’t know whether more people are using Bing now or whether Bing has suddenly discovered The Wonder of Tech, but either way: Welcome Bing visitors!
Pinterest and StumbleUpon are two sites that have always sent plenty of visitors to this site. Missing from this list are sites I would have expected: Facebook and Twitter. Those sites are next on the list, but those two sites combined don’t even add up to half of what StumbleUpon sends me.
Google is still far and away the top source of traffic, sending this site six times more visitors than the next biggest referrer, Bing.
My Favorite Article of 2016
My favorite article in 2016 was 5 Free Tools to Create Infographics. I had never made an infographic before writing that article.
Since then I’ve created three infographics: the infographic in that article, one in The Most Googled Terms Around the World in 2016, and the infographic in this article above. I look forward to creating more infographics in 2017 and beyond thanks to that article.
That’s what I love about tech and blogging, there’s always something to learn.
Voice of America Learning English
Many of the articles published here in 2016 were co-published at Voice of America Learning English where I have a weekly personal tech column. In my column I write about fun and useful tech while trying to help people learn English. The articles there are in a different format and add a podcast to help English learners with the spoken language.
I have wonderful editors there who help me grow as a writer.
Looking Ahead
In 2017 I look forward to writing more about fun and useful tech to help you in your daily life. I plan to start a Smart Home series about tech devices to help your home be smarter.
My 1000th article is due next month and I have an interesting article planned to celebrate that milestone.
I plan to do another article based on the tech tools I use in my daily life. In May 2015 I published Top 25 Tech Tools I Use in My Daily Life! and that became a very popular article.
Many of those tech tools have changed so I’m thinking that an updated version of that article may be helpful.
This Site Is for You
For six years this site has never had any paid advertisements, sponsored posts or sponsored links. I don’t charge for a subscription or for reading these articles. I don’t accept free products for review or payment for reviews. While I do get offers daily for advertisements and sponsorships, I have turned them all down and have no plans to accept any in the future.
The same holds true for Voice of America Learning English. That site also does not accept advertising, paid reviews or paid sponsorships.
My sole goal is to write about what I regard as the best tech news for my readers.
Thank you kindly for your visits, comments and sharing. You make writing about tech so much fun!
Your Thoughts
What were your favorite articles in 2016 at The Wonder of Tech? Do you enjoy “how to” articles? What would you like to see at The Wonder of Tech in 2017?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Thank You!
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*Thank You image (edited) courtesy of Pete Linforth via Pixabay and Creative Commons
Well, not thriving because of me because I have been pretty much a slacker. I’d like to say biking became my new hobby which took my time but in reality I think I was out of the blogosphere even before then. However, I am somewhat of a lurker and if the mood strikes and have some time to jump in, I will….:).
6 years, wow; I could have had one of those badges, huh?
Two of your top posts did spark an interest to go back and check out though, Pinterest and deleting books from my Kindle.
Congrats and keep it going; let me know if you need help spending all that money, just sayin’….:)
Hi Bill, Yes, as I near my 1000th post I think, what if I had been paid just $1 for each post? But the joy of meeting wonderful readers like you is worth more than money. At least that’s what I keep telling myself…
Yes, be sure to check out the other 990 posts and let me know what you think. Now that you’re no longer blogging you have plenty of time on your hands, I’m sure!
Happy anniversary Carolyn! Wonder of Tech has been a terrific resource for ordinary folks like me. I look forward to your posts every week. Wishing you many more years of success!
Hi Penny, Thank you for your kind words. I look forward to celebrating the sixth anniversary of Stories from Scratch in 5 1/2 years!
Hi Carolyn,
Happy Blogiversary, my friend, to you and your blog 🙂
Can’t believe it’s been six years! Yes, just the same as mine, and perhaps we started off the same time, isn’t it? Of course, you blog SO-SO regularly and this is one place I never stop to visit for the ease of tech knowledge, for which the credit goes to you, as you make it all so easy to read and understand.
1000 post coming up…wow! I look forward to that one for sure! That would be a milestone indeed. It’s commendable how you have managed to keep going ahead consistently, without any advertisements, or paid reviews etc. I guess that’s what makes you stand apart from the crowd. 🙂
I look forward to the Smart Home series as well – anything that makes us know tech a little better is welcome. And I cannot pin point just one or two posts, they ALL have taught me so much these past years, and I am truly blessed to be a part of your blog, and know you as a dear friend now.
Thanks for sharing your joy with us, and wishing you many more years of success and happiness 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, we stared our blogs within a month of each other, such a coincidence! We didn’t know each other then, but you have become such a close friend over the years. You have given me great advice, including guiding me to publish twice a week and which days of the week to publish. My traffic actually increased when I reduced my publishing schedule!
Yes, so far I haven’t missed a blog post yet. I’ve published according to schedule in spite of life throwing me many curveballs in these six years. Some day I will have to miss a post but I hope that day is far in the future.
Your site has always been an inspiration to me, Harleena. You’ve built so much more than a blog at your site. Your success is commendable and I appreciate your support of me and my website over the years.
Thank you for everything, Harleena!
Hey Carolyn,
Congrats on your anniversary. I do enjoy reading your blog and have learned so much. It is interesting where your visitors are coming from particularly Bing. That is definitely an additional source of visitors to check out.
Thanks for listing your popular posts as well as the infographic site. All good to know about. I appreciate your informative posts. I have found them helpful! I look forward to your upcoming articles.
Hi Cathy, Yes, at first I was upset when I learned there wouldn’t be an annual report this year from WordPress. But then I realized I could make my own which was very enlightening. I may not have paid too much attention to my stats if I had received my Annual Report from WordPress, thinking they were similar to past years.
Lo and behold, Bing is now a major source of traffic to my site and Facebook and Twitter are being far outpaced by Pinterest. Who knew?
Thanks for being a loyal supporter of The Wonder of Tech since the very beginning, Cathy!
Congratulations, Carolyn! What an accomplishment. For this non-tech person, you’ve acted as a translator bringing tech onto my radar screen in an understandable and interesting way. I love that you’re sharing this knowledge with people new to English as well. Many thanks.
Hi Louise, Thank you. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to write about my favorite subjects and have others read what I write. This blog isn’t written for techies, it’s written for everyday people who are trying to find out about tech that can help them in their daily lives.
I’m so glad The Wonder of Tech has brought tech onto your radar screen in an understandable and interesting way. I hope you continue to enjoy the articles here.
Its been 6 GREAT years !
Thanks for all the helpful information
Thank you, Rene, for all of your support over the years. I’m glad to hear that The Wonder of Tech has been helpful to you!
Congratulations and happy anniversary Carolyn!!! What an accomplishment! I continue to admire your discipline in providing consistent quality articles for us to consume. You are an inspiration! Keep on writing.
Thank you, Jen. I appreciate your kind words. Yes, I do plan to continue writing. I do so enjoy writing for The Wonder of Tech and so appreciate wonderful readers like you who take the time to add to the conversation.
Congratulations, Carolyn, on reaching your 6th year! I too, found your infographics article most helpful over the past year (in fact I forwarded it to a client just tonight – thanks for the reminder), but always appreciate what you have to share here. I’ve culled a lot of my e-mail subscriptions lately, but you’re not one of them ;-).
Hi Nanette, That’s so cool to hear that you enjoyed the infographics article too. Thank you for your kind words and for forwarding that article to a client.
You’ve been here since the beginning, Nanette, and I truly appreciate all of your support and encouragement throughout the years.
Congrats. And keep it up up up!!! =D
Thank you, Jayce! That’s the plan!
Congratulation Carolyn
6 years is pretty amazing and a point that many bloggers never reach. As you know I reach 6 years myself a couple of months ago. Even that I started a few months before you, you got traffic that I can only dream about. Very amazing. On the other hand, with 104 posts published in 2016 you have also been very productive and earned you success. I hope you can keep up the good work in 2017.
Best of luck
Thomas
Hi Thomas, Thank you very much! This means a lot coming from you, a fellow tech blogger who has been blogging for longer than I have.
I really enjoy your quarterly reports, they were the inspiration for this article. When I found out WordPress wasn’t sending out its annual report, I was upset until I thought about your quarterly reports and realized I could do my own annual report!
Thank you also, Thomas, for your incredible support over the years. I hope we’re celebrating together for many years to come!
Congratulations Carolyn! Six years blogging makes you a veteran! I’m very grateful to you for all the tech news you provide! Here’s to the next six years!
Lori
Thank you, Lori! I do hope The Wonder of Tech is around for (at least) another six years. I would be very sad to give it up.
Congratulation Carolyn
I glad to know your 6 years hard work journey. Hard work always pay off.
Hi Shoaib, Thank you very much! Yes, the work has been fun but also very enjoyable.
Carolyn, that is awesome, 6 years! I’m so glad to be a reader of your site over the years as you always produce very informative pieces. No ads huh? Wow, that’s quite a feate. So many do not even make it past one year online. Congrats and here’s to another great year for you Carolyn!
Hi Lisa, Thank you! Yes, I want readers to know that I am not swayed by ads or sponsored posts, I only write about tech I believe will help them in their daily lives. I feel very fortunate to be able to do that and to write for Voice of America that also does not accept ads.
I understand many sites need ads to survive and I have nothing against that. I just don’t want any perception that ads influence my articles.
Hey Carolyn,
Happy 6th Anniversary, The Wonder of Tech
Nice, your great 6 year.
Thanks
Hello Pankaj, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Thank you very much for your kind words and for adding to the conversation.
Happy anniversary Carolyn. I am a new subscriber to your site. I read some of your posts. And they were very informative and helpful. Wish you continue your writing:)
Hi Thomas, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m so glad you have found helpful articles here.
Thank you very much for subscribing and for your good wishes.
Congratulation for this amazing journey of six years. Growth was almost similar to previous year. Hope in this year your blog reaches higher position and waiting for another exciting information and review. Keep it up 🙂
Hi Pahul, Thank you. Yes, I look forward to another year of growth at The Wonder of Tech.
Hi Carolyn,
Happy anniversary to “The Wonder of Tech” amazing journey of six years.
Best of luck,
Junaid Kayani
Thank you very much, Junaid, for your good wishes and your wonderful comment.