What were the ten most popular articles on Real Business in 2010?

The most-read article of the year was our exclusive news that Business Link was to be axed.

The story garnered a huge amount of interest when we first published it, in June. Although the Coalition government had already hinted at closing down Business Link before, our exclusive story was the first time that a minister actually confirmed that the business support organisation would be wound down. It sparked a firestorm of reaction across Britain’s entrepreneurial community.

Clearly the closure of Business Link peaked our readers’ interest – as the comments in the story show, the organisation is very much like Marmite: people either love it or hate it. In fact, so much so that Business Link appears in three of the most-read stories.

We hope you enjoy revisiting some of these stories.

Here is the full list of top ten Real Business stories of 2010:

1. Exclusive: Business Link to be axed: June 29, 2010 – Mark Prisk has confirmed that regional Business Links will be shut down. 
2. How to write a business plan: June 2, 2010 – So, you want to start a business. What’s the first thing you do? That’s right, draw up your business plan. It’s the first step for any entrepreneur looking to launch a startup – any entrepreneur likely to succeed, that is. Check out our handy guide on how to write a business plan and give your startup the foundations it needs.
3. Groupola: iPhone deal backfires: July 2, 2010 – Groupola promised to offer the new iPhone 4 for £99. Was the Groupola deal too good to be true? It definitely wasn’t a con, but has the deal caused more damage than good to Groupola? What can you learn from this?
4. Old Spice smashes social media records: July 19, 2010 – Old Spice almost brought down the internet last week with its two-day social media campaign, featuring the rippling former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa. Hot on Old Spice’s heels, King of Shaves has launched its own red-hot viral campaign. Who will win the battle of the brands?
5. Ten UK companies that will change your life: October 11, 2010 – Somewhere between 350,000 and 400,000 new companies are founded every year. Many will fail immediately, others will last longer. Only a tiny fraction go on to become great.
6. Budget 2010: CGT and Entrepreneurs’ Relief: June 23, 2010 – Dissecting the Budget. Capital gains tax (CGT) and entrepreneurs’ relief: what are the changes and how do they affect you?
7. The axe hangs over Business Link: February 17, 2010 – Shadow enterprise minister Mark Prisk has added his voice to the debate over the future of Business Link.
8. Exclusive: Mark Prisk announces new business advisory service: September 8, 2010 – The British Library’s successful Business & IP Centre is to be rolled out, commencing in one of the UK’s most hard-hit regions.
9. Michael Dell: We have no plans to take Dell private: December 9, 2010 – We’re reporting live from Dell’s HQ in Austin, Texas, where the company’s legendary founder, Michael Dell, quashes rumours about taking the $26bn market-cap company private.
10. Bebo’s closure: what it means for social networks: April 8, 2010 – Bebo’s two-year spectacular fall from grace is leading AOL to shut the social network down. Is this a sign that entrepreneurs should no longer bother with social networks? Has Facebook become too powerful a force to reckon with?

Which story this year marked you the most this year? What sort of story would you most like Real Business to cover in 2011? Leave your comments below.

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