2024 Recap: My Highest-Performing Editorial & Video Content of the Year
This also provides interesting insight into what readers and viewers care about, and what strategies make for a more successful post.
My written recap of 2024 is yet to come, but for today, let’s talk numbers and trends. I’m breaking down my five most-read Forbes stories in order (you’ll notice a major trend here), along with my top five Substacks and top five Instagram Reels. I’ll note anything that stands out, and how to keep a similar momentum going in 2025. If you’re a publicist or founder and there’s something in this list you want to explore with me, don’t hesitate to reach out.
**Note: I’m leaving Inside the Luxury Wig Industry off my Forbes list since it had a generous push from the Editors Picks team (which, yay!).
Forbes (38 articles written in 2024; 100% my own pitches)
1. Sculptra, PRF and Exosomes: The Rise Of Regenerative Injectables
My most-viewed Forbes piece of 2025 shed light on a new, natural wave of injectables that steers away from traditional dermal fillers. Thanks to a few of the biggest names in today’s aesthetics industry, I was able to provide an in-depth look at these groundbreaking permanent treatments.
2. Considering a Lip Flip? Here’s Why Experts Say Proceed With Caution
This was actually the first article I ever wrote for Forbes, so an exceptional amount of time and thought went into this one. Especially when I wrote this, lip flips were still very commonly discussed—and my own negative experience from a couple years ago inspired me to speak to professionals and get their expert opinion. The result? A very long yet thorough analysis of what the treatment entails, the dangers, and why it’s not a dupe for lip filler.
3. Dissolving Filler: Pros, Cons And Everything Else You Need To Know
If you notice a pattern here, yes, these injectable/aesthetics stories definitely get the most traction. It goes to show this piqued interest isn’t dying down any time soon. It’s also important to note that these articles outperformed all of my other Forbes articles by a landslide. In this article (again, an extremely long one), I dive deep into what fillers actually are, who is a candidate for dissolving, why someone would want to dissolve, and side effects of fillers/dissolving.
4. Do Pheromone Fragrances Increase Sexual Attraction? Here Are The Facts
Pegged to National Fragrance Day, I interviewed a clinical sexologist, two perfumers and a pheromone expert to really understand the nature of pheromone fragrances, myths and misconceptions. An interesting read if I must say so myself!
5. Makeup for Men Is More Than a Trend—It’s a Rapidly Rising Market
At the beginning of the year, I noticed three for-men-by-men makeup brands launched within weeks of each other, sparking a whole movement. This new wave of makeup for men focuses on the everyday consumer versus the content creator or stage performer. I interviewed the founders of each brand featured.
Substack (20 posts written in 2024)
1. Here’s What NOT to Do as a Publicist Planning a Press Trip (535 views)
This is actually my most recently published newsletter (written three days ago), and it already has the most views. There are several important components to note here. It’s a combination of personal experience (relatability), focusing on the negative (readers are more likely to click on What NOT to Do, vs. What To Do), spilling tea (I copy and paste emails from a novice publicist who invited me—and essentially uninvited me—on a press trip), use of expert intel (I interviewed two seasoned publicists to share their thoughts) and cross promotion (the two publicists shared the link on Instagram). I definitely utilized every opportunity to make this post a success, and I will follow this format in the future where fitting.
2. The One PR Move That’s Hurting You More Than Helping You (516 views)
This is a post I wrote in September, two months after launching my Substack. It was the first shot in views I’d seen since posting, and it makes perfect sense. The headline keeps readers on their toes, and the post offers informative insight that can help others. I received a lot of positive feedback on this, and I believe some people shared this with their clients/PR teams. If you work in PR or own a business, I strongly advise reading this, from a longtime journalist’s perspective.
3. Pitching Sexual Wellness for Holiday Gift Guides? You May Want to Rethink Your Strategy (511 views)
Like No. 1, this enlisted the insight from two compelling experts. A sexologist/journalist and sexual wellness publicist shed light on a topic I don’t think people necessarily always know how to approach. This post actually stemmed from featured expert Suzannah Weiss, and her newly published book, Subjectified. She wanted to collaborate on something to promote the book, and I told her if she could come up with a media angle, I think Substack would be the best bet. She shared her idea with me, and that’s when I also reached out to seasoned sexual wellness publicist, Erica Braverman, which resulted in an informative explanation of how to pitch sexual wellness tastefully, avoiding gimmicky vocabulary and not offending the sex-positive community. I learned a lot while writing this, too.
4. I Just Threw My First Sponsored Event From Scratch—And It Was a Success (452 views)
This is all about how I put together an 80-person fall party, taking it from a fun annual hang, to a full-blown event with food, bar, gift bag and event space sponsors. It was one of my proudest moments of the year and I can’t wait to do it again in 2025.
5. The Easiest Way to Hook an Editor Into Your Pitch (435 views)
This one is pretty self-explanatory. You’re always going to reel readers in by leaving them on the edge of their seat, with knowledge to offer. I also think this provided a lot of insight from a journalist perspective, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was shared a bit, too.
Instagram Reels (109 video posts in 2024)
1. Lili Reinhart Personal Day Launch Party (3,945 views)
What’s interesting about Reels versus TikToks (for me, at least), is my videos frequently get over 1,000 views on Reels, but they rarely get past 2,500. Whereas with TikTok, they often start in the 350-400 range, but they’re more likely to have the occasional big jump—much bigger than Reels.
This reel (celebrating actress Lili Reinhart’s new acne-focused skincare brand), features all the components of a hit: celebrity-driven, impeccable lighting, crisp quality, beautiful ambiance. It only went live on Dec. 2, so it’s interesting that it’s already stacked up this many views. I’m proud of it though!
2. Join Me for a Curl Transformation (3,053 views)
I think with this reel in particular, people love a transformation, and curly hair is relatable to a large population. Also, the quality of this video was strong. Do I personally think it’s one of my most compelling videos of 2024? No. But who am I to judge?
3. Getting My Teeth Whitened for the First Time (2,678 views)
Again, another strong experiential post. People love a before-and-after and a how-to. Added bonus, I went to Dr. Kevin Sands, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist to the stars. Leading up to getting my teeth whitened, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, so as an outsider looking in, I can understand why this post would be fascinating.
4. Spots in Weho I’m Still Mourning Pt. II (2,611 views)
I’m glad this is among my top-viewed videos of the year, because this was my favorite one to make. It was so much fun reliving the iconic spots of yesteryear, and connecting with other people who shared my sentiments. I know that nostalgia is key to captivating an audience—it’s more about how to create this type of moment again in a way that hasn’t already been done. Part i was just shy of making this list, but you can check it out HERE. It was my most-viewed video on TikTok this year.
5. Getting a Facial on a Cruise (2,565 views)
For one, a Travel + Leisure editor friend of mine told me cruise content does exceptionally well on their website. So it makes sense that would extend to video content as well. Secondly, I’ve personally always been curious what it’s like to get a facial on a cruise. This video summed up the whole experience, so there you have it.
What are your thoughts on each list? Are there any surprises? Anything you’d like to see more of? Come back before the end of 2024 for a final EOY recap! xo