'Why is the UK’s web traffic dropping?' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Lawrence

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Why is the UK’s web traffic dropping?" Blog.

Please click reply to discuss below.

[threadbanner]box[/threadbanner]

nick.gale

Is the lack of response to this down to MSE forum members wit?

i.e. no one's seen it 'cos they're not surfing the web any more?

Denando

Blame the credit crunch ... all those people who were made redundant from their office jobs in the City don't spend as much time in front of a computer any more!

kitka

interstng thought...dont think the credit crunch would effect web traffic, more the opposite really...people sholud be seaching through more and more sites for better deals?

tubbee2

i've been using the web since 1996, firstly for research purposes and then - inevitably - for recreation and lifestyle. I visit MSE and a couple of other sites when I remember, but there is so much stuff on the web now it takes ages to find anything else worth finding. I wouldn't be at all surprised if falloff is due to users finding it difficult to discover what they are looking for and using other routes of discovery.

instaunt

Like you said, Google trends only works with people who have the Google toolbar installed. Most of them are not Facebook users I would imagine. Forums are for the solid internet user. Facebook is for people with attention deficit disorder which I hear there is a growing number of.

Joe_Bloggs

Is it browser technology ? Can you view a site without leaving a foot print ?
J_B.

billythechimp

Joe_Bloggs wrote: »

Is it browser technology ? Can you view a site without leaving a foot print ?
J_B.

I was wondering this. In particular, I use an rss reader for almost all my news sites these days, MSE included. If prevalent, this would hugely reduce web traffic, but I'm not sure enough people use this kind of technology enough yet to make such a significant impact.

MSE_Martin

billythechimp wrote: »

I was wondering this. In particular, I use an rss reader for almost all my news sites these days, MSE included. If prevalent, this would hugely reduce web traffic, but I'm not sure enough people use this kind of technology enough yet to make such a significant impact.

Interesting point - but then it wouldn't show up in our site figures either as you're reading off site - so that isn't the issue.

For me it has to be about the UK's proportion of world web traffic as there's a growth in country in early stages of internet adoption.

russell07

My initial thoughts are that perhaps, like me, people are slowly moving towards website aggregators (such as google reader, netvibes, etc) to cope with the sheer volume of information now on the web into bits that are most interesting to the users. As such they would typically spend most of their "surfing" time on this particular site - viewing external content within it (e.g. most blogs post their full blog text via RSS).

Now I've never looked into Google Analytics and how the data is collected. From other posts I understand that you need a toolbar installed which would IMO give a sample of people more inclined to use other google (or web) tools such as RSS aggregators.

Also given that, possibly, a larger proportion of time is spent on the aggregator's site, less time is available to "free surf" the sites you've looked at like the BBC and Facebook which may lead to the apparent decline in actual visits?

Just my first thought...

jay_girlsgirlsgirls

interestingly, job sites like monster.com is also dropping rapidly - you would have thought this may be increasing due to the credit crunch!