Written by: Greg Ellifritz
Last week, I posted an article linking to my most popular posts in 2019. In that article, I discussed how my “most popular” articles were not the same as my “best” articles.
I liked many of the most popular articles (ranked by page view), but I think other articles that I wrote were better. Not necessarily better written, but more valuable overall. Many other articles contained far more useful information than the ones deemed “most popular.”
What I consider my “best” are articles where I provide the most unique and valuable advice on a given topic. My “best” is doing what others cannot. All of my “best articles” contain ideas or tactics that you won’t find anyplace else on the internet. My best articles contain groundbreaking information and analysis that is superior and unique when compared to other writings in the field.
Below is a list of just that…articles that I think were most useful and valuable for my average reader. I didn’t rank them in any type of order or preference. I think all of them are extremely useful.
One more thing…
Here’s a little “behind the scenes” look at what goes on with my website.
Only about 23% of my visitors come to the site directly or read my posts via email updates. The vast majority (76%) of my readers arrive at my site from either a social media link or a search engine.
The social media giants are notoriously anti-gun. The largest search engines are regularly directing searches away from websites with lots of firearms or self-defense related content. This “shadow ban” is very real.
My website pageviews peaked in the year 2016. In that year, I had 5,120,608 page views. Coincidentally, that was the year that search engines and social media sites began their effort to “de-platform” content they don’t like. My site is filled with content that the large social media giants hate.
I went from over five million pageviews in 2016 down to 2,981,315 pageviews in 2017 despite releasing more and better content. Since 2017, my page views have continued to plummet. In 2019 I had 2,347,144 pageviews.
I intentionally created 22% more content in 2019, hoping the additional articles would boost my readership. It didn’t matter. Page views continue to slowly decrease year after year. Despite writing more than 50,000 more words (half a fictional novel) in 2019 as compared to 2018, I lost half a million readers.
Why am I telling you all this stuff?
You need to know about it because you probably find my stuff via social media feeds or search engines. If you continue to rely on those methods to obtain my content, you will be seeing fewer and fewer of my articles in the future.
There’s a real good chance that you missed some of the articles listed below. Check them out. Even if you follow my site diligently, I predict there will still be some articles on my list that your social media feeds didn’t promote.
This is the best of 2019. I thank you for your continued support.
When Cops Shoot an Unarmed Kid
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Sidewalk Stabbing
Group Identity Concepts
Recent Active Killer Trends
Some Thoughts on Police Community Relations
Institutional Memory
Skill Development- When Are You Good Enough?
Where Should You Sit?
The Gas Station Clerk
Active Killer Response Options for Armed Citizens
The Serpa Compendium
Knife Attacks: Dealing with the Charging Attacker
Seat Belts and Appendix Carry
Choosing a Buckshot Load for Home Defense
The Best Tourniquets- A Research Review
Criminal Motivation
How to Spot a Bad Guy- A Comprehensive Look at Body Language and Pre-Assault Indicators
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Shaking Hands
Cartels, Drugs, and Human Trafficking in a Vacation Paradise
Taking a Look at the Athens, Georgia Police Shooting
Avoiding Scam Artists at Home and Abroad
Real-Life Disparity of Force Case
SWAT Raid or Home Invasion?
Timing School Shootings for Higher Body Counts
Defending Police Departments and Government Buildings from Active Killer Attacks
Hold on Loosely…
Drawing Attention Away From Your Concealed Carry Gun
Shooting Through Doors and Walls
Guns, Gear, and Training Issues in Last Weekend’s Shotgun Class
These are my top picks for 2019. I look forward to providing you with more useful content in the new year to come.