1. At number one, a pretty listicle of visualisation tools to make your data beautiful.

Yes, it includes stalwarts such as Piktochart, but also some more obscure software.

piktochart

2. At two, a thorough discussion of the benefits of customer reviews and how to use them.

This post includes stats proving the effectiveness of reviews, discussion of the extent of SEO benefits of reviews and techniques used to encourage users to review products/services.

3. Jack Simpson picks some of his favourite examples of UX from ecommerce sites, ranging from clarity of message to buying guides to one-click purchase.

ao.com

4. With content marketing seemingly at the peak of its powers, here are 17 tools for content writers and bloggers. Great for when the well runs dry.

5. Predictions for UK online retail sales proved popular, with the study coming from the Centre for Retail Research.

retail uk figures online

6. Instagram is a growing force in social media. With users spending an average of 21 minutes per day on the platform, it’s not to be ignored.

Here are 20 Instagram stats you need to know, from audiences to advertising.

7. Although I weed out annual predictions posts from this roundup of most popular articles (chiefly because they are outdated/have been superceded), Ashley Friedlein’s 2015 digital marketing mega trends are still worth a read.

A return to creativity, marketing as a service and joining online and offline are all discussed in detail.

8. Ever wondered how Google defines quality content? Find out via Jack Simpson.

word count and search ranking

9. With 2015 causing a shakeup to unscrupulous and established display advertising practices, things could be set to change in the user’s favour in 2016.

Here’s a super accessible guide to programmatic buying.

10. One of our most popular topics next, improving email subject lines. Inspired by Parry Malm’s research, here are 45 words to avoid in your email marketing.

email subject lines and emojis

11. Improving customer retention is always thought to be cheaper than acquiring new customers. So, Graham Charlton offers us 21 ways online retailers can improve customer retention rates.

12. Keyword research, on-site tools, page speed checkers, link analysis and more. It’s all here in 30 seo tools to make your life easier.

13. If you’re in ecommerce and want to redesign your product pages, use this list of 31 essential product page elements.

product page elements

14. This list of 26 web design resources will ensure you’re never lost for inspiration during a site redesign.

15. We’re often asked for more tips that smaller businesses can use, without the need for a big budget.

In this post, we give 32 such tips for small businesses doing SEO.

16. Nothing better than a bit of griping. Sometimes you can learn more from bad practice, including this list of reasons why mobile users will abandon your website.

17. The UK Apprentice was won by a contender pitching his PPC agency. We caught up with him after ‘the process’ to ask him his take on the industry: Mark Wright on SEO algortihms revolutionising the industry.

18. Material Design, Google’s web design standards or ‘visual language’ that moves towards flat design, made a big impact in 2015.

Christopher Ratcliff explains more and rounds up 10 pioneering examples.

19. Patricio Robles, our mysterious Chilean reporter, brings us the five biggest benefits of CRM systems.

20. Website users are notoriously inattentive (you’ve done well to make it this far down the list). Find out why visitors only read 20% of your web page.

heat map web page

21. We’ve brought you content and SEO tools, here are 16 more tools for email marketing.

22. Advances in web design, computing technology and broadband speeds have created a space for pioneers of immersive web experiences.

Enjoy 16 of the best examples.

23. As online and offline marketing converges, we have seen an increased interest in experiential marketing.

These six examples are a nice appetiser of real-world happenings.

24. A beginner’s dictionary of Google Analytics. Perhaps a good resource for your new marketing exec.

25. Rounding off the list, Ashley Friedlein discusses organisational structures. With a blank sheet, which would you choose?