If my Google Analytics report is to be trusted, Beyond the Rhetoric received a fairly substantial (we’re talking about double) spike in traffic these past couple of days, and it seems to have to do with the 2007 NHL playoffs kicking off. I wrote some posts predicting the playoff race in the East, choosing the winners in the West, and doing some NHL playoff pool picks, and they’ve been driving visitors my way.

In fact, the top five referral sources (in order) are Google, Mobile Magazine, Direct, Yahoo, and MSN. In the past couple of days, I’ve also seen a trickle of traffic from Kumiko Suzuki (probably because of that banner) and Digg.

Before yesterday, I very rarely (if ever) see Yahoo or MSN crack into that top five list, so something’s happening in search engine land. Another thing I should note is that in the past week, Google has been responsible for a whopping 56% of traffic.

sedin.jpg

 

What search terms have been the most active?

  1. 2007 nhl playoff predictions
  2. nhl playoff predictions 2007
  3. 2007 nhl playoffs
  4. mortal kombat armageddon characters
  5. nhl hockey pool picks

Four out of those five search terms have to do with the 2007 NHL playoffs, and more specifically, have to do with hockey pool picks and predictions. The even scarier thing is that the mainstay on that list — “Michael Kwan” — has been bumped off completely.

If we look at just the last two days, eight of out the top ten search terms are NHL playoff related (the exception being two variations of Linkin Park – Minutes to Midnight). All I have to say to that is… Go Canucks Go!