Posted on 03/07/2007 6:57:43 PM PST by Bob J
I have diligently watched the rise in size and influence of conservative websites, including Free Republic, over the last 7-8 years. I have been shocked and concerned over the drop in traffic at the most popular ones over the last year or so. There was good growth up until 2006 but since then there has been a steady downtrend that would crash any other market.
Anyone have any ideas as to what is happening? I'm out of explanations. The deficiencies in alexa.com are noted, but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.
.....probably more choices to choose from......So many frigging sites any more these days......
Elections
Once the liberals succeeded in getting us to fight amongst ourselves, instead of against them, things changed.
Can you nazme any big ones that rolled out in late '05 or during '06? I can only think of Breitbart.com.
Probably the widening gulf of inconsistency between the stated philosophy and the real-life actions of the Republican Party got to be too much for many people.
That's just it we usually do well in election years but we declined throughout '06.
I'm guessing it's because the news for conservatives has been primarily bad for the last year. Even those who are supposedly on "our side" have betrayed the cause. It's no wonder people are spending time elsewhere.
I think you're right. After a year or so of "Speaker Pelosi", I think the graph will begin to rise again.
What makes you think those numbers are correct?
Just because you saw it on the internet???
Ask Jim if they're correct or not before you go trying to diagnose the "problem."
(PS: I can tell you why Michelle Malkin's numbers are down: it relates to her stabbing other conservatives in the back - maybe just those that are blonder than her?)
Loss of GOP power, disgust at Bush and the dearth of conservative 2008 presidential hopefuls are fueling discouragement among conservatives.
Many don't feel they have a horse in the race anymore.
We've also had a run of milder winters.
All of that means that a "year" a decade ago is simply not the same as a "year" currently.
Going a bit further we now have numerous discussion sites that've gone "private". They are password controlled and there's never going to be any new blood there. We have no idea what they're saying and they don't care. Their share will grow. That's because people get tired of listening to others' uninformed opinions and BS.
¿El partido republicano quizás?
They've all been infiltrated.
Did you notice that most are going up? We are going down. FR has become more chatty as time goes by.
God no, I can't....just speculating.....I read Real Clear Politics, Little Green Footballs, Redstate and Captain's Quarters though....all older then 2005
Political wind is blowing against us. Leads to disenchantment, boredom, purges, etc. Witness the fight between Rudy and anti-Rudy FReepers, exchanges like that tend to drive people away, especially lurkers.
Most of us are in a state of depression. The Republicans we elected 12 or so years ago turned out to be carbon copies of the Democrats they replaced.
I'm sure the bitchy Giuliani hags ragging on real conservatives who don't support pro-abortion, anti-gun candidates have something to do with it.
(Well, somebody had to say it)
I have evolved as a conservative and am searching for a plan of action. I am sick of just reading headlines and talking about them. I want to do something. Maybe everyone is getting restless like me. I am ready for Texas and Oklahoma to withdraw from the Union!! I do not want to give my children a future consisting of the consequences of a liberal and corrupt government.
I agree. It can get very discouraging and people need a break. But we must stay in the fight and not let the liberal bastards win.
A lot of those other sites are interesting to visit, but Free Republic is the "home" site that conservatives return to. As far as the falling numbers, I hate to say it but I sense a certain malaise (or boredom?) that may be coincidental with the final years of an eight-year Republican Presidency. I have a feeling things will heat up again when the campaign season hits full stride.
JimRob links to the Alexa database on the home page of FR.
Just another sign...the sky is falling!
Bump
Probably Bush's fault.
Alexa ratings are relative to the net as a whole. FR competes with all other sites for traffic and tends to have better traffic near elections or major news events like war.
Has Art Bell been informed?
My bookmark goes right to the forum so Alexa doesn't even see me.
That's a big part of it...and is soon to be followed by "Rudy's fault".
Probably the widening gulf of inconsistency between the stated philosophy and the real-life actions of the Republican Party got to be too much for many people.
DrudgeReport isn't "conservative", but it's fairly unbiased in general, which is just what most of us want.
Drudge and FoxNews may be drawing traffic away from us.
I thought I was the only person that felt that way! I'm unhappy with the way America is right now, our founding fathers wouldn't even recognize their country now. The really sad thing is we are the best place - the rest of the world REALLY sucks!
Actually we have three ... if you just count the backend! ;-)
Every time I run Spybot Alexa gets cut-off. In fact, I think the latest memory-resident spybot keeps the cookie out.
With the rise of spyware many more people are taking measures to keep it out.
The point is, Alexa may not be giving an accurate reading of how many people are on this site.
Conservatives spend more time nowadays "eating their own" rather than concentrating on the principles that drive us together. I heard today the Mike Savage says Bush is "worst" President ever.... the guy sounds like a raging dem. We are becoming the same fragmented mess the dems have become. Everyone seems to have their own agenda and priorities and damning those that don't have those priorities. Our conservative "leaders" have become self serving, and refuse to unite. We elected one leader, its ashame we can't follow his lead.
"This is not valid logic. Wrong data compared to wrong data can only produce a wrong conclusion."
Not true, it depends on what information you are looking at. Let me use the thermometer example. You got a good one that reads 70 degrees duringthe day than drops to 65 degrees at night. Then you got bad one that is off by 10 degrees. It may read 60 degrees and drop to 55 on the same night as the good one, but they both accurately recorded the 5 degrees drop.
Trolls that were pretending to be outraged conservatives ???
That's rich, the two states that are head long into selling their highways to middle eastern oil investors are going to be your hope. :)
I'm sure the bitchy Giuliani hags ragging on real conservatives who don't support pro-abortion, anti-gun candidates have something to do with it.
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