The beginning of a new year brings lists of the best, biggest and most memorable moments of the previous twelve months. In January 2018, we looked back at the articles that attracted the most readers to the Progress Communications blog during 2017.
A roundup from Communicatie Online provided the inspiration. Its popular articles included communications cases, practical advice and reflections on our profession. One of them had also inspired my own article about explaining what we do in PR and communications. Unfortunately for me, that did not make my contribution our most-read post. So who took the honours?
Just outside the top three: influencers and Petya
In fourth place was Charise’s article on the role of influencers in a successful PR strategy. It explored why working with the right creators could be a useful part of a broader approach to communication.
Fifth place went to a joint contribution by Inger, Lianne and Corinna about the communications surrounding the Petya cyberattack. Their article, What can PR managers learn from Petya?, examined how organisations responded to a major news event.
For readers whose agency kept talking about newsjacking, it offered a practical way to think about the opportunities and pitfalls of joining a fast-moving conversation.
Number three: communicating around cyberattacks
Ruud also wrote about communication during cyberattacks. His article focused on building confidence in technology, a subject that matters when unsettling news threatens to undermine trust in innovation.
He offered three communications tips. Repeating a clear message was one of them. The article’s popularity reflected the attention that cybersecurity and trust received during the year.
Number two: five fundamentals of crisis communication
Sofie took second place with her five fundamentals of crisis communication. The article gave readers a starting point for thinking about a crisis communications plan.
It narrowly missed the top spot, but its central message deserved attention: make time to prepare before a crisis arrives. When an incident is already unfolding, it is much harder to agree responsibilities, gather information and decide how to communicate.
Number one: blockchain for beginners
Blockchain was the winner. Interest in bitcoin and the technology behind it was a prominent feature of 2017, and colleague Robbert wanted to understand more.
After attending the Dutch Blockchain Conference, he wrote “Blockchain voor dummies”, an introduction intended to make the topic easier to understand. It became our most-read blog of the year.
The result was a reminder that readers value clear explanations of unfamiliar technology. A subject may generate plenty of headlines, but there is still a place for an accessible account of what it means and why people are discussing it.
What would you like us to explore?
This roundup records our readers’ interests in 2017. The mix of technology, trust, crisis preparation and media relationships also shows the range of questions a technology PR agency encounters.
Have a communications question you would like to discuss? Meet the team and tell us what is on your mind. It might even inspire another article.
Allard
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