Over here at the mozPlex we thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of our “Best Posts” of 2010. But how do we determine what a best post is? Do we look at the number of thumbs up… or do we care more about traffic generated by the post? Or since we’re SEOs over here, is a top post based on the number of linking root domains it’s obtained?
Well why not look at all of these aspects? So we did! What's interesting is that as we began to look at these "top" lists, we realized that what the SEOmoz community liked (based on thumbs up) weren't necessarily the most linked to posts, nor were they the most trafficked. Digging just a bit deeper, I went back and looked at the feedback we received back in April when we asked what we could do for you, to see if the topics chosen as the top picks, were the same topics with the most thumbs up.
Back in April, 650+ people voted and the following 10 topics were the ones the community wanted to see more of on the blog:
- Link Building & Link Analysis
- SEO Tools & Automation
- On-Page Optimization / Keyword Targeting
- Conversion Rate Optimization
- Site Architecture & Navigation
- Analytics & Tracking
- Social Media Marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, etc.)
- Keyword Research
- Content Creation Strategies
- Blogging Strategies
Now let's take a look at the "Best Posts of 2010" based on Thumbs, Traffic and Backlinks and see if we've brought you the content you wanted.
Top Posts of 2010 By Thumbs Up
For these posts I simply used the popular post feature from the right nav. The top thumbed up post wins by a huge landslide and every single one of these posts are based on topics from the top ten list of topics above. Apparently you weren't lying when you filled out that form in April. :) Plus, check out the value of community! Four of the top posts started in YOUmoz and one was guest post promoted directly to the main blog. When the community speaks... the community likes. (Also, Rand is a blogging machine)
1. All Links are Not Created Equal: 10 Illustrations on Search Engines' Valuation of Links
By randfish on May 27th, 2010
Wow! This really shows you what SEOs care about... links baby.
2. The 8-Step SEO Strategy, Step 1: Define Your Target Audience and Their Needs
By laura on April 6th, 2010
This was the first of eight great guest posts from Laura.
3. 
Link Building 101 - The Almost Complete Link Guide
By scott.mclay on September 14th, 2010
Originally posted in YOUmoz, this is yet another example of the community loving some link building.
4. 
SEO Problems & the Tools to Solve Them (Part 2 of 2)
By randfish on April 28th, 2010
Tools, tools, tools! This is the follow up post from Rand that goes through an amazing list of free and paid tools to help you do your job.
5. 
Boy Do I Love Linkbuilding - And You Should Too
By Seoteric on July 1st, 2010
Originally posted in YOUmoz, this heartfelt post from Matt walks you through his love of linkbuilding (a theme here!)
6. 
Google + Bing Confirm that Twitter/Facebook Influence SEO
By randfish on December 2nd, 2010
Look at the date on this one! It's in the top posts on the site and it's only 2 weeks old... cool.
7. 
Facebook Marketing: Ultimate Guide
By timsoulo on July 14th 2010
Originally posted in YOUmoz, this post grabbed the heart of the community it was retweeted like crraaazzzzy.
8. An Illustrated Guide to Matt Cutts' Comments on Crawling & Indexation
By randfish on March 17th, 2010
Based on the interview with Matt Cutts by Eric Enge, Rand proves that SEOs are visual learners.
9. 4 Things That Are Getting Me Rankings, Right Now
By Glen Allsopp on March 11, 2010
Originally posted in YOUmoz, Glen opens up and tells us exactly what he's doing to rank well. Obviously the community loved it.
10. 
I'm Getting More Worried about the Effectiveness of Webspam

By randfish on August 17th, 2010
It looks like Rand isn't the only one worried about how well the webspam team is doing.
Top Posts of 2010 By Unique Visits
We've looked at the posts that the community decided were top notch, but what about if we look at traffic stats? Will we see the same posts in the top 10? No, actually. Only half of the top thumbed up posts, were also the top trafficked! If you take a look at these posts, you'll notice that the topics aren't necessarily the ones that the community wanted to see more of. Which says to me that the traffic we received on these posts mainly came from new visitors or non-regular mozzers.
1. Launching a New Website: 18 Steps to Successful Metrics & Marketing
By randfish on November 9, 2010
That's right, our #1 trafficked blog post of 2010 didn't make the top 10 in thumbs up! This post made it on Delicious popular and Hackernews which made this our winner. It was also just published in November, and has 1,203 retweets (I believe this is our most ever to one page).
2. Facebook Marketing: Ultimate Guide
By timsoulo on July 14th 2010
Again, the Facebook Marketing Guide makes the top 10 list. Since this broke out of the SEO only crowd, it did really well in the social networks.
3. All Links are Not Created Equal: 10 Illustrations on Search Engines' Valuation of Links
By randfish on May 27th, 2010
Our top post from the community is obviously a post about links. :)
4. 7 Cutting Edge Web Design Trends (that Can Actually Improve SEO)
By randfish on July 29, 2010
Once again Rand knocked this one outside the SEO stratosphere!
5. SEO Problems & the Tools to Solve Them (Part 2 of 2)
By randfish on April 28th, 2010
Us SEOs, we sure love our tools. This post also has 416 Delicious bookmarks!
6. The 8-Step SEO Strategy, Step 1: Define Your Target Audience and Their Needs
By laura on April 6th, 2010
7. Google + Bing Confirm that Twitter/Facebook Influence SEO
By randfish on December 2nd, 2010
8. SEO Salaries - How Much Should You Make (updated May, 2010)
By randfish - originally posted in 2006, but updated in May 2010
What SEO doesn't want to know how much they should be getting paid? Even though this was an old post, the traffic spike caused when the post went up makes it relevant to the list.
9. Google vs. Bing: Correlation Analysis of Ranking Elements
By randfish on June 8, 2010
This post started a controversy among the SEO community which no doubt pushed this into the top 10 visited pages.
10. 30 SEO Bookmarklets to Save You Time
By randfish on February 9, 2010
More tools! Anything that saves us time, we're going to like.
Top Posts of 2010 By Linking Root Domains
In order to find the posts from 2010 with the most backlinks, specifically looking a total number of linking root domains, Casey Henry dipped into the Linksape API to help me grab the data. Only two of these posts are also in the other two lists, while finally two Whiteboard Friday's make their way into this top list. I wonder what makes someone link to a post, but not thumb it up? Either way it looks like Rand is our #1 linkbaiter. :)
1. Google vs. Bing: Correlation Analysis of Ranking Elements
By randfish on June 8, 2010
2. The Science of Ranking Correlations: How Does PageRank Perform?
By randfish on April 22nd, 2010
3. All Links are Not Created Equal: 10 Illustrations on Search Engines' Valuation of Links
By randfish on May 27th, 2010
4. SEO Problems & the Tools to Solve Them (Part 2 of 2)
By randfish on April 28th, 2010
5. Whiteboard Friday - We Bought Links and It Worked!!
By Scott Willoughby on June 24th, 2010
6. Whiteboard Friday - Google's May Day Update & What It Means for You
By Scott Willoughby on May 13th, 2010
7. One Dead Simple Tactic for Better Rankings in Google Local
By randfish on March 2nd, 2010
8. 30 SEO Bookmarklets to Save You Time
By randfish on February 9, 2010
9. An Illustrated Guide to Matt Cutts' Comments on Crawling & Indexation
By randfish on March 17th, 2010
10. The 12-Step Landing Page Rehab Program [Infographic]
By Oli Gardner on July 26, 2010
Top Comments
Just for a little fun, let's take a look at the top 5 comments this year based on thumbs up:
- Rand on "Using Anchor Links to Make Google Ignore The First Link" with a whopping 45 thumbs up.
- Jane Copland on "It's Only a Clique if You're Not In It" with 27 thumbs up.
- Lucas Ng on "The 8-Step SEO Strategy, Step 1: Define Your Target Audience and Their Needs" with 17 thumbs up.
- Darren Shaw on "Pagination: Best Practices for SEO & User Experience" with 15 thumbs up.
- Jane Copland on "Whiteboard Friday - Click-Through-Rate and Usage Data in SEO" with 14 thumbs up (and 1 thumb down).
//Note: These top comments seem to be incorrect, I'll try to update this later today with the correct ones.
Top Posts of 2010 By Retweet - New!
Woo hoo! Thanks to the fine folks over at PostRank (specifically Ilya Grigorik), this morning I got a list of the top 10 retweeted SEOmoz posts of 2010. Since I got the data last minute, it doesn't look quite as pretty as the ones above, but seriously cool data! Thanks PostRank! It's interestng to see the differences in what gets retweeted and what gets traffic. About half of these posts are about social media... so does writing about social media get you more tweets? Could be an interesting test. :)
- 7 Cutting Edge Web Design Trends (that Can Actually Improve SEO) with 2748 tweets (HOLY COW!)
- Google vs. Bing: Correlation Analysis of Ranking Elements with 1629 tweets
- Launching a New Website: 18 Steps to Successful Metrics & Marketing with 961 tweets
- Facebook Marketing: Ultimate Guide with 704 tweets
- 5 Quick Google Analytics Hacks with 696 tweets
- Best SEO Blogs: Top 10 Sources to Stay Up-to-Date with 638 tweets
- Comparing SEO & Social Media as Marketing Channels with 632 tweets
- Lessons Learned from 21 Case Studies in Conversion Rate Optimization with 620 tweets
- Segmenting Social Traffic in Google Analytics with 606 tweets
- Calculating and Improving Your Twitter Click-through-Rate with 594 tweets
Whew!! It was fun to go through the old posts, and personally I felt pretty good knowing that I had already read every single one of these great posts. I hope you'll take the time and read through the posts you've missed, this is our best content of the year! I think it's pretty obvious that for 2011 we all need to work on beating Rand. His posts won all three areas, plus he even got the most thumbs up on a comment. Come on people... we can do this. :)
We're hoping to get nominations for the Crunchies for "Best Internet Application" and "Best Technology Achievement" - we'd love your vote! It's easy... just click on the badges below, then nominate SEOmoz. Plus you can vote once per day in each category until Februrary 24th. Thanks much!
Really a nice compilation of great posts. Yes, it has been a great year of great readings here... and still we have 16th days and great posts that will be published still :)
What I want to remark is this: 4 of most thumbed up posts are coming from YOUmoz. That means, dear readers-only-the-main-blog that there you can find really great gems, SEOs and Web Marketers that have great things to share and that you are probably missing. So, I invite to visit it more and to subscribe to its RSS.
Finally, Jennita, I miss one Top Ten List: the most commented posts of 2010.
I miss it because of these reasons:
And... well, maybe this is an old fashion kind of idea: what about an essay kind of printed book every year with the best of the best of the blog? Maybe a limited edition sold directly through the SEOmoz site?
P.S.: I would like to thanks all the people that thumbed up my posts, commented it and that were too way generous with my comments here. And thanks also to those ones that thumbed me down and criticized me, because they too helped me being a better SEO.
I'd hazard a guess that the new format for the website is responsible for the major drop in thumbs up and lack of comments.
Personally, I find it more difficult to track conversations as the spacing is greater and seemingly more disjointed.
Another glaring issue is the "new" marker. It used to be easily visible while quickly scrolling down the comments to see what new comments there were. The color and typeface they are using makes it impossible to see unless you scroll slowly and carefully. And often, I don't have the time so once I comment, I'll not go back to see what came after my comment.
The #1 wish on my Christmas wish list is improving the layout to fix theses issues.
Don't worry GNC these are all things that will be improved upon in 2010. :) We feel your pain!
Thanks Santa!
Thumbs up for the shout-out to YOUmoz. Some of us got our start there, at least in terms of SEO blogging, and it's still a great resource. Plus, Jen does a great job of running the show over there. I've stepped in for a few days here and there when she's out, and even tag-teaming with Casey, it's a tough job. You people write LONG posts :)
Haha! Yes I meant to make the point actually that I was originally going to show the top YOUmoz posts as well, but then realized that many of the top YOUmoz posts were actually part of the top main blog posts! That's a pretty big deal and it makes me very happy!
Two things
1) This is the kind of summary that reminds all how much truly great stuff we get here at the Moz
2) This past year we nearly lost our Jennita. I am so thankful you came back to us. But it reminds me how fragile this all is and how easy it is to take those around us for granted.
Thanks for all you do
Here's to a year better than we dare hope for.
Yo Jeff! I have sorely missed your commenting here in mozland. It was reading yours and Casey's badinage that made me want to get involved with commenting.
And I totally second your point about being grateful Jen was spared. That's prolly the #1 thing for us to be thankful for this Christmas.
PS - Is your new avitar you in the local Christmas pageant?
It's my new Blue Tooth. A little klunky but my Pandora sounds great!
Can it do Skype video as well? If so, where can I get me one of them thar bluetooth headsets?
Aww I <3 you guys. :)
Gianluca where were you 3 days ago when we were determining what would be part of the post?? That's a great idea to look at comments. Since it looks like our "top comments" list isn't quite right, maybe I'll do a whole post just on the top comments and top commented posts and why. Thanks for the suggestion!
Its nice to see my blog post being listed here, I just hope it helped a few people out - if so it was a success in my eyes.
Congratz to everyone else listed here that posted via YOUmoz :)
Congrats to you for such an awesome post Scott. Your accolades are well deserved.
Now the pressure is on for you to top it in 2011 ! :-p
This post made me sad. Where's the love for Dr. Pete? *sniff* ;)
As much as it pains me to say nice things about Rand, I reference (1) and (8) in the first Top 10 all the time in Q&A. His "All Links are Not Created Equal" is incredibly useful. If you haven't read it and you do SEO of any kind, read it now.
Yes it proves that Rand is THE man, but it gives the rest of us something to shoot for next year. :)
wohoo! :)
My very first post @ SEOmoz got such a huge attention! :)
Ditto in the congratulations Tim. I really love it when YOUmoz crosses over in such a big way.
Tim,
I was thinking the same thing - I just happend to notice your first post and mine made the top ten! Maybe we should try and devote more time to writing... we just might be good at it ;)
definitely a point :)
It's been a great year for SEO and my first with SEOmoz. I can't speak highly enough about the quality of the content and sharing of information from you guys. Thanks a lot and merry Christmas from the UK.
I like the retweets nomination, cause my post scored 3 out of four :)
sweeeeeeet (c) Eric Cartman
Great post it's very useful for me!!!Thanks
Jen, can't thank YOU enough for this recap and agree with many you chose and found some unread nuggets. There has been a glut of "things to read" this past year, and you just consolidated my reading list into one package - feels like a gift!
Oops I forgot to add that this post was your Christmsas gift! :) Merry Christmas <3
Opened, excitedly! Actually, I just "booked" time to make sure I read all these insights on SEOmoz to ensure I fully enjoy your gift!
Totally Agreed.
Jen, you said "I wonder what makes someone link to a post, but not thumb it up?" I think I can give you a hint. In order to give a thumbs up to any post or comment, the user has to be logged in. That means they need to register. Granted, registration is free, and only takes a minute (if that), but linking to a post is even LESS hassle -- just copy and paste the link in your address bar. What's more, you don't need to part with your email address or come up with a user name or password. In short, if you're just a casual reader, it's easier to link to a post than give it a thumbs up.
Really Great Posts! I remember all of them when they first came out. The Facebook marketing guide is my favorite.
thank you :) I'm very pleased to hear that :)
Hi All,
Just signed up. Finding this blog list helpful. Great list.Â
Nice sharing.Thanks for sharing such valuable information with us.
All of the articles were really helpful, would like to see such awesome article in 2011 as well :)
I've been away from SEO for several months, and just now having the need to jump back in. This was like a nice refresher course. Thanks for compiling these posts.
I'm ashamed of myself. I know I can do better next year... :-)
Thanks Jen - great roundup. Looking forward to seeing the new top comments!Â
Better next year?!?!?!
Great list. Just re-reading some of them; lots of link building posts!
Roll on 2011 :D
great job everyone. Next year, let's give Rand a harder run for his money :)
Wow..huge list..definitely *worth* reading each & every post.Â
It may be tough task for you jennita for compiling all these in one post, isn't it?
ermm.... heeellooooo......
https://www.seomoz.org/blog/whiteboard-friday-we-bought-links-and-it-worked#jtc114532
my comment 23 thumbs up ZERO thumbs down, didnt make the list?Â
what gives? dissent precluding me from being on the list?? ;)
:(
EDIT: pretty sure Ive got others in the high teens early 20's as well, just dont remember on which posts.
Wow, so as I mentioned below, this is my fault.  I was using a database that I use to catch SPAM and it looks like it may have missed some comments.  I'm working on getting it updated so Jen can update her post with the correct comment.  My apologizes again.
hey casey, Im sticking to my 'dissent' theory :D :D :D
on a more serious note, sorry though, didnt scroll down and read the other replies.My excuse is a very sore back and Im munching painkillers (possibly a bad idea as Im having beers with @seogadget in an hour... )
cheers mate,
m
I rarely comment on blogs, but this post was a great resource. Â I read each article and learned a ton in under an hour.
Downside: now my to-do list is exponentially larger.
Nice post.
Oh Boy! I love these lists that come out around Christmas. I know there will be more lists coming out, but this is my favorite!
Great post!  It was good to be reminded of a couple of them I hadn't thought about it a while.
You also led me to a couple of very interesting ones I never read. Can't read everything, I have to actually work on clients sites once in a while!
Great list, have my holiday reading list sort out now!!!
What about top 10 posts retweeted or shared?Â
Psssst... that information is in the post. :)
Great list
I love Randfish, he has many post and many thumb up. Very cool..
Jennita you may be surprised but i keep a record of all the good things said about me or done by me on the internet. Its my way of building my testimonials. I keep an eye on what people are talking about me, what they are sharing,who is following, who is not following (thanks to social media monitoring tools). I have got both record thumbs up and record thumbs down on this blog. I beat both Darren and Jane in top comments and on par with Lucas in getting thumbs up. This is my comment posted on August 9, 2010 which got 17 thumbs up and 0 thumbs down:
https://www.seomoz.org/blog/a-simple-guide-to-creating-linkbait#jtc118395
This is my another comment posted on September 28, 2010 which got 15 thumbs up and 4 thumbs down (total number of reactions: 19)
https://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-danger-of-overdoing-seo#jtc122835
Thumbs downs are also better than no reaction in a way that at least people care to disagree :)
That could be my fault. Â I collected that information for her from a database I use to fit spam on the website and the data can be spotty at times depending on the last time my crawler visited the post. Â I checked and thought all my data was updated within the last week, must have a hole in there somewhere.... Â Sorry about that, great comments though, keep it up!
Tsk tsk Casey. I'll bet it's because instead of working harder in your coding, you were killing time watching Glee!
Mmmm, are you stalking me on Twitter again!?!? Â I bet your right with your comment though, too much TV!
Himanshu - personally Id subtract thumbs down from the thumbs up to give a running total, otherwise obvious link drop spam would rank well in this list.
having said that, and I guess contrary to my post above, this is all a bit of fun so we probably shouldnt fixate ;)
Totally agree here. When counting thumbs, I always subtract the thumbs down. Sorry about the mishap with the top comments!
I am not fixating on anything. Just presenting the facts here. I would also like to point out that someone just thumb down my most thumbed up posts to falsify my claims. People agree or disagree only when they value your opinion in the first place period.