Every year we spend more and more time online, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that at the top of my lists is a look at online consumer behavior. In this recap, we see Facebook and YouTube all over the Top Searches and Sites Visited in 2011. It amazes me that people actually searches for either of these sites, but it just goes to show how much of a role social networking has come to play in our daily lives.
2. 10 Most Influential RetailersKlout, for those of you who don't already know, is a site with an interesting proprietary system for determining one's social influence, and they have put together an equally enlightening list of eCommerce brands that wield a significant amount of power online. In looking at both the number of ReTweets and Mentions for the year, clearly these brands are on top of their game when it comes to engaging and interacting in social media. Three cheers for @ThinkGeek and @Target in particular!
3. Twitter's 15 Major Milestones in 2011
As a true Internet nerd, I loved this list because it nicely sums up the highlights of the past year for Twitter. From record breaking usage stats to awesome new features, 2011 ushered in many amazing things for this widely popular micro-blogging platform.
4. The 21 Most Memorable Tweets of 2011
For those of you who helped Twitter reach some of the above milestones, I have a question for you: Do you use this site to keep up current events online and off? The fact is, Twitter has become the main news outlet for many of today's younger generations. While the definition of "news" may be subjective, this is a cool look back at Tweets that marked major events in our global online society. And, tacked onto the end is another nifty list of Twitter users who came on the scene in 2011 and have since gained a massive following.
5. Top 10 Brand Pages on Google+
While I am still waiting to see this new social platform take off with all of the potential many think it has, it is worthwhile to consider the brands that are making waves at this point. Of course Google and its most popular properties are well represented on its own social network, but kudos to ColdPlay, H&M and The New York Times for staking their claim early on in the game. We'll have to wait and see the success that early adoption brings for these Top 10 Most Circled Brands.
6. Steve Jobs: 20 Life Lessons
I don't think I could put together a reflection on the past year without making mention of a great legend lost. A multitalented man, renowned tech and design idol, and all around creative genius, Steve Jobs has certainly made an impact, and he will be hard to forget. Whether you are looking to achieve greatness on a global scale or simply change your little corner of the world, these are a few great lessons to be learned from someone who gave it all he had to make his ideas a reality.
7. Top 10 Viral Advertising Campaigns of 2011
Thank you YouTube for making us laugh and making us cry, for giving us a place to share a wide range of video content, from rough cuts to professional quality clips, from ads aired on major networks to branded viral videos that garnered just as much attention at half the cost (or even less). Looking back at this list, it is interesting to see what makes a spot entertaining enough to catch the attention of the entire web. With VW's Darth Vader at the top of this list of most viral ads on YouTube over the past year, it is clear that we love children and cheesy emotion.
8. 30 Best Google Doodles of 2011
Most Google Doodles are great, but the geniuses at the Plex raised the bar this year with a new level of interactivity. I agree with this list wholeheartedly as it highlights some of the best dynamic doodles of the past year, from the silent film in honor of Charlie Chaplin to a Les Paul guitar you could actually strum. Thank you Google for keeping history alive and keeping search fun!
9. Biggest Search Events of 2011 & Predictions for 2012
This list is probably more interesting to those of you who operate in the SEO sphere as it recounts such noteworthy shifts in search like the blessing and curse that was the Google Panda update or the latest social search integrations. The author then makes an attempt at projecting where these changes will take us in the future, however, it only scratches the surface of what I imagine is yet to come in the next year because changes on the web happen at lightning speed.
10. Ask's Top Questions in 2011
While Google is the dominating force in search, niche players like Ask.com haven't fallen off the map. What makes this list fun is the reflection on our society's biggest curiosities of the year. The majority of which were people based, apparently web users are nosy, slightly skeptical people. "Was Kim Kardashian's wedding fake?" "What did William whisper to Kate on the balcony?" What's the best thing about the web? Clearly there isn't a question you can't ask.
I'd like to round out my list of Top 10's with a positive, forwarding looking compilation of advice to help you tackle the coming year: 10 Resolute Ideas to Start Your New Year
Enjoy!
Honorable Mentions:
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