We are delighted to report that in the month of November 2011, the Supply Chain Matters blog experienced the highest readership volume since our founding in 2008.  Our domain had over 51,000 visits last month, with over 21,000 being unique, first-time visitors.  Thus far in 2011, readership is up 40 percent, with reader duration times exceeding four minutes.

Once again we would like to express a shout-out and sincere thank you to all our readers. While we are not a big organization that spends lots of money on self-promotion, our readership volume and loyalty is a tribute to the fact that supply chain teams seek quality, unbiased content and perspective. We are also being  recognized  by others as one of the top ten blogs commenting on global supply chain management.

Look for more features and sponsors in 2012 as well as the publishing of our Annual 2012 Predictions starting next week.

Sincere thanks.

Bob Ferrari

Founder and Executive Editor

During the month of October 2011, this blog experienced its best readership activity in 2011.

We logged nearly 40,000 visits during October, and broke our all-time record which was nearly 18,000 unique (first time) visitors for the month of October alone.  Our commentary of various developments across industry supply chains is resonating among readers.

Our readership currently spans 120 countries and includes the U.S., the United Kingdom, India, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and France.

Sincere thanks to all of our global visitors for your continued readership and do continue to place the Supply Chain Matters blog on your add to favorites and RSS feed menus.

Bob Ferrari, Founder and Executive Editor

Loyal readers of Supply Chain Matters may note that I am not inclined to post a regular ‘ranting of the week’ series in this blog. I do this for two reasons.  One, I believe my audience is more concerned with more important commentary on supply chain process and technology developments, rather than my personal quirks.  I’m a consultant and industry analyst who has observed the best and worst, and likes sharing insights rather than my pet peeves. Rants are something that should be preserved for meaning, when they actually have substance and can possibly be shared by others.

That is precisely what motivates me to pen this observation commentary. I for one am tired of reading self proclamations from my fellow supply chain bloggers that they are the number one or prime destination for supply chain information.  Readers already have to endure the usual press releases from technology vendors that always begin: “Company xyz, the number one and predominant solutions provider in… “.  Now some bloggers want to also practice self-endorsement.

From where I sit, the only validation of value in reading the opinions from any blog is manifested in you, the readers, continuing to visit and comment on the issues of the day.  Rather than proclamations, I will let the quality of the content on Supply Chain Matters speak for itself.  We do not regurgitate or replicate other press, analyst or blogger commentary and instead offer you a different or more balanced view.

This blog has already gained independent recognition as one of the Top 100 Analyst Blogs.  I do not proclaim number one, because no independent reviewer has designated Supply Chain Matters as such.  Like Avis, we always try harder.  We strive to provide postings and commentary that can help you, our readers, to be more successful in your personal and business efforts within global supply chain management.  After all, bloggers need to practice what we preach.  The customers, our readers, determine our ultimate value.

Bob Ferrari

Jonny Bentwood authors the site  Technobabble 2.0, with the intent to showcase where industry analyst relations, technology and social media has got it right.  The blog features helpful and insightful commentary directed at industry analyst and public relations professionals. This site also produces a ranking of the top industry analyst blogs which was updated at the end of November.  The overall rating system is quite methodical and is listed in the explanation of the rankings. Ranking combines quantitative factors such as Google PageRank, Yahoo and Google Inbound Links, Google Reader Subscribers and Twitter links  Qualitative factors include amount of influence on technology selection, volume and quality of postings, all of which combined add to an overall ranking total score.

I was very pleased to note that Supply Chain Matters was ranked Number 79 in this recent ranking qualifying as one of the Top 100 of Analyst Blogs.  I am especially thrilled since this site represents one of very few independent analyst blogs represented in the overall ranking.  I was also pleased to note that our ranking surpassed some other higher publicized supply chain industry analyst blogs, including some stemming from AMR Research and Gartner.

I sincerely want to thank Jonny and his team for both their very comprehensive ranking, as well as the opportunity to be ranked in the Top100.  The goal of this site has been, since its inception, not to serve solely as an industry analyst blog, but rather a broad forum of commentary on all matters related to global supply chains.  We are very grateful for this recognition.

We look forward to further supply chain commentary in 2010, and perhaps moving-up to the Top 50.

 Bob Ferrari