What's Happening to Conservative Websites?

vanity | 3-7-07 | Bob J

[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.

[msnimje]

More traffic during election cycles.

[cf_river_rat]

Ummm...Bush's Fault? (TM)

(Well, somebody had to say it)

[steve86]

If you like vitriol directed at one political candidate or another things are great now (I've been in that mood myself). But if your interests touch other sorts of topics, it's a real downer nowadays. Non-political threads (say medical or scientific) have been getting just a handful of replies and many of those are worthless retread "humor". I've been branching out to life beyond the computer myself to deal with it. A good thing (I mean the branching out).

[BeckB]

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.

[unkus]

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.

[Bob J]

Here's another one...

[Lancey Howard]

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.

[gpapa]

JimRob links to the Alexa database on the home page of FR.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Just another sign...the sky is falling!

[BallyBill]

We need more crazy conspiracies. That is what drives the lefty sites traffic.

[Bob J]

These numbers are not based on market share they are based on numbers of people accessing a site. I guess you can say overall there are more people accessing more sites, but I cannot find any new debuts that are picking up all these new internet users.

[mdittmar]

Bump

[starbase]

...but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.

This is not valid logic. Wrong data compared to wrong data can only produce a wrong conclusion.

[gotribe]

Probably Bush's fault.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Relative to other news forums Free Republic is still on top. There is less interest overall in news forums.

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.

[don-o]

Has Art Bell been informed?

[idkfa]

My bookmark goes right to the forum so Alexa doesn't even see me.

[CWOJackson]

"Probably Bush's fault."

That's a big part of it...and is soon to be followed by "Rudy's fault".

[RetiredArmy]

Oh, hell, we are doomed. Conservatives are going the way of the T-Rex. We are doomed. Gone with the wind. Out of here. Long gone. Austalavista.

[chasio649]

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.

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Yep