Our Speakeasy – nine years later
/It’s been just over 9 years since I opened the Speakeasy to guests, when Tamarack Communication was a young consulting firm based in Washington State. Every few years I look back to see what articles have been most popular over the past year or so. Today I’ve decided to look all the way back and see what’s been happening here in the Speakeasy since shortly after the doors were opened and the first conversation began. You’ve been part of those conversations, so you might be interested in what I found.
The Speakeasy has been visited about 21,000 times by 19,000 visitors. The vast majority have come here based on an online search for which Tamarack Communication was cited as a possible source. Only 5 or 6 percent have been directed here via social media. Interesting! More than half still arrive via a desktop device, although mobile access has grown tremendously over the past couple years. Google is by far the best originator of traffic to the Speakeasy, and Chrome is definitely the main browser in play. It makes me sad (as a dedicated Apple/Mac user) that twice as many visitors come by way of Windows as by way of Mac.
What are they seeking in the Speakeasy?
Perhaps the most interesting question is this one: What do they come here for? So let’s start with the top four articles ever posted in the Speakeasy over nine years:
Nearly half the visitors have come to learn how to correctly pronounce the smallest word in the English language: a (“The Word is ‘Uh’” published in April 2015)
The second-most sought-after article, if you can believe it, is the distinction between the words “jive” and “jibe” – close to 10% of all those 19,000 visitors!
Third place goes to a whole new category: My summary of the important book, How Democracies Die.
But fourth place takes us back to correct word usage: More than 1200 visitors have dropped in to learn the correct usage of the word “myriad.” (published July 2016)
Before I go any further with this analysis of reading trends (and I’m definitely going to return to a discussion of topics and issues of interest), let me humbly admit the uselessness of all of this: If half my visitors want to learn the correct pronunciation of “a,” and yet we rarely – hardly ever – hear that word correctly pronounced on TV, the Speakeasy is not having much effect on the speakers most people listen to. (Sigh) And what about “jive” and “jibe”? Same result: More than 1700 have read the article, but how often do you hear someone use the word “jibe” (which is the correct word more often than “jive”)? And 1200 readers of the lesson in how to correctly use “myriad” are having little effect, as we consistently see and hear it incorrectly used as a noun instead of an adjective. (Another huge sigh) You might then rally around the third-place finisher above, “How Democracies Die,” but then, take a look at the current state of our democracy, and... well...
Okay, so the blog I launched 9 years ago isn’t changing the world. I admit it, but I don’t regret the effort. After all: Here you are, right now! That’s got to count for something – it counts with me.
Where do they come from?
Another interesting way to look at 9 years of Speakeasy activity it to consider where in the world the readers come from. Well, yes, of course, well over 60% come from the US (with most of those – 12% – from Wisconsin), and a good number jump in from Canada. But what do you suppose is the third-most popular country in the Speakeasy? The Philippines! India is right behind, and then the United Kingdom. Fewer than 2% of our readers come from Australia, and just over 1% from Singapore. But get this: The Speakeasy has been visited by readers from every one of these countries, in descending order of number of visits:
What do they read when they arrive?
Now we know where they’re coming from and the four articles they’ve been most interested in over nine years. However, if we organize all the posts in the Speakeasy by general topic, what subject areas have been most attractive? Well, that’s hard to determine, because it all hinges on what Lynn likes to write about, doesn’t it? So, let’s start by listing the seven categories most of my articles have fallen into over the past nine years. That way maybe we can figure out what has been offered to guests in the Speakeasy. Here we go:
Here’s another way to look at what I focused on as a writer and what got a response from Speakeasy readers:
So, what shall we conclude? Interestingly (and encouragingly!) people seem hungry to read articles about working with words. In addition, those stories about general life topics have been popular. Look at the “gun control” category: 6% of total posts, and it earned 6% of the total readership over the years. Boy! My stories on the Mueller Report surely haven’t been popular – and who wants to go back and revisit that now? Sadly, the work I did on Critical Race Theory, which was as much a learning experience for me as it would be for my reader, hasn’t garnered much interest.
Recommending my all-time favorites
Well, if you’re still with me at this point, here’s what I’d recommend, after nine years of interesting action in the Speakeasy: How about I mention to you posts I really think you’d enjoy – and briefly tell you why? If any of them arouse some interest in you, click the link and have a look. Otherwise, just pass. Here are my favorites over the years:
Acronym or Abbreviation: My very first post, February 2015. Have you read it? Do you actually know the difference? Because the vast majority of Americans now call them all “acronyms,” and they’re wrong in almost every case! This is a short read.
The Word is a (uh), not a (ay): This is the classic, folks, the offering that has brought nearly 10,000 readers from 98 countries to the Speakeasy. I reprised the topic in January 2023 with It’s Only Getting Worse.
Is it Preventative Medicine? Nope. Never: Seriously, do you know the difference between “preventive” and “preventative,” because even most medical professionals don’t, and that drives me nuts. I recommend you have a read.
Myriad – Is any word more often misused? I’ve got to say, if you’re telling me you saw “a myriad of stars in the sky,” you’d better have a look at this article.
Ensure, Insure, Assure: Do you know the difference? Really? Hmm... it’s tough.
Less or Fewer? Just in case you always say “less” because “fewer” seems weird, well, maybe have a read. It’s a really short article.
Why the $10 Word, Folks? This was my first diatribe against “utilize”; that was back in 2016. Things have only gotten worse, so I recently wrote the sequel...
Utilize this! That’s one of the newest. I recommend you read “the $10 Word” first and then its sequel. Yeah, I really recommend you read both of them. Seriously.
Does it jive or jibe? Do you home in or hone in? No kidding – you’ll be surprised!
Electoral College: Do you ever hear this word correctly pronounced? Likely not. I recommend you read this – it’s the shortest thing I ever wrote.
Take Refuge in a Book: I introduce one of my very favorite novelists! Love her work!
How Democracies Die: I posted this in 2018, but the book is more important now!
Democracy in Danger – that book again. Less than a year later, I felt the need to call attention again to How Democracies Die, this time tying the concepts to current political events. Now, five years later, I’d definitely make this book a priority read.
A Fun Book for Everyone – Unbiased, Straightforward: If you’re just looking for a fun read, check out this summary of – well... a fun book! No pressure. It’s about fifty inventions that shaped our current lives. Love it!
Exactly what is Critical Race Theory? Two years ago I committed to developing an understanding of this topic, so strange to me, that everyone was discussing. I wrote the article as I learned, inviting my reader along with me to learn also. Five months later I returned to the topic and wrote two additional articles about CRT. This is serious stuff, not fun, but I surely do recommend all three.
I Oppose Gun Control: I first revealed my unique position on “gun control” in May of 2022. I went on to write several more articles on this topic, suggesting an approach to “gun safety” much more dramatic than I hear from anyone else. Read if you dare:
One of the Best Reads of a Lifetime is the longest article I have ever posted in the Speakeasy, and it took me the longest to compose: about 3 months. It summarizes one of the most comprehensive and mind-boggling books I’ve ever read: The Emperor of all Maladies: a biography of cancer. It takes time, but I highly recommend it.