Hands up all of you who wish 2009 had never happened... Well, look on the bright side, you have survived, you're stronger, and now you're looking ahead to 2010 with all its challenges and opportunities. So it wasn't all bad.
Despite the recession many companies and organisations have reached out to the needy with a huge range of social initiatives aimed at improving the lot of those less fortunate. From all of us, to all of you, a big thank you - despite what some cynics may say, it goes to prove that business
does have a heart.
On the media and advertising front, many companies cut back on their advertising and promotions budgets and that made it tougher for newspapers and magazines; nevertheless, even though some went to the wall, the vast majority hung in, held on - and survived... leaner, and even better placed to handle the upturn, which will come.
We at Bizcommunity.com have also had our share of challenges, but it has also been a year that, apart from a much-needed revamp, has seen us continue to gain new subscribers at a rate of around 3500 per month, every month. To support that steady growth in our subscriber base, this year across our four sites we have sent out more than 22 million newsletters, dailies and weeklies, to a subscriber base that currently stands at more than 166 000 - and it's growing.
So what were our more popular articles and galleries? These were our top two most read articles:
Our top two most popular galleries were:
And which articles attracted the most comment? Here are the top two:
Did you vote any of our polls? Here are our two most voted polls:
For a full rundown of all our top-rated editorial material,
go here.
Today's newsletters are our last for 2009, and we will be sending out the first of our 2010 newsletters on 11 January 2010. Until then, to all our subscribers, clients, contributors, business partners and visitors to our sites, may you all have a restful, peaceful, safe and enjoyable year-end break [add your own message to our
Festive Tribute 2009 page!]. 2010 is going to be a year to remember - for all the
right reasons!
Simone Puterman and Rod Baker
PS In this week's
Ornico Ad Showcase, we feature TV ads for
Allan Gray,
Kia Sorento,
Kulula,
South Africa and
IDC, and radio ads for
Air Bair,
Apple,
Contempo,
IDC and
Twisp.
Please send all marketing and media news to marketingnews@bizcommunity.com and opinion pieces to contributors@bizcommunity.co. Responses to this column welcomed in our online editor's column archive or on our editorial blog: http://blog.bizcommunity.com.
