Alexa data predicts AudioReview.com future? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Mash
11-05-2006, 10:47 AM
Alexa data does not suggest a pretty future for AudioReview.com

Alexa data fpr AudioReview.com’s average daily reach per million:

2002 …..130
2003 …..130
2004 ……95
2005 …..110
First Quarter of 2006….. 125
Second Quarter of 2006….. 75
Third Quarter of 2006….. 55
October of 2006 ….45

The reason I visit a particular bulletin board is that I find that bulletin board both interesting and informative. And when I can, I will try to help other participants reach their goals in the most time- and cost-effective ways.

The Alexa data shows that AR.com’s web popularity is now sinking fast. Why?

This is probably a result of the “see-no-product-snake-oil-evil, speak-no-product- snake-oil-evil” posting policies put in place here c2004. Looks to me like these brave-new-world policies have caused “unintended consequences”. I think that the ‘site admin’ forgot that the various posters, not the Moderators, are the source for all interesting and informative site content.

I read some threads here today and they were both very uninteresting and very non-informative. I did notice that the “Moderators” seemed inactive, but then I saw no posted sparks of controversy to draw them out.

Some posters had once predicted here, for example, that the Audio Lab would become an unused ghetto. Why have these people been proven correct? The Moderators who have obvious unfair advantages always ruthlessly attacked Audio Lab postings that had pointed out the emperor’s lack of clothes.

I have visited HDTV bulletin board sites where I learned which LCD TV’s and up-converting DVD players were superior based on objective tests. And the best were seldom the most expensive. I have visited tool-enthusiast bulletin board sites where I learned what capabilities I would need in a pressure washer to clean my concrete, and what impact wrench torque-capability I wanted for my anticipated quickie mechanical jobs. I found other bulletin board sites that provided info to allow me to optimize our big-block powered boat. Now all that boat needs is wings.

I will continue to follow the Alexa data to see how this situation matures.

Mash
11-17-2006, 03:36 PM
From Alexa:

Where do people go on audioreview.com?
· audioreview.com - 84%
· audioholics.audioreview.com - 5%
· forums.audioreview.com - 5%
· ecoustics.audioreview.com - 4%
· archive.audioreview.com - 1%
· gallery.audioreview.com - 1%

Alexa shows that only 5% of all the people visiting AudioReview.com visit these forums. I suppose the reasons for the decline of interest for AudioReview.com must then extend beyond the forums or perhaps not even involve the forums. Unless, of course, two and three years ago the higher total traffic count visiting AudioReview.com was the result of a much higher traffic going to the forums.

ericl
11-17-2006, 03:59 PM
Forums traffic has always been a low percentage of our traffic, except in the very early days, before AudioAsylum and AVSForum. In absolute terms, Forums traffic is at it's highest level ever. I have no idea what you mean by "see-no-product-snake-oil-evil, speak-no-product- snake-oil-evil posting policies" as people say what they want about what ever products they want. There's all kinds of product bashing here, and that's an essential part of an audio website. If you're talking about the DBT stuff, that's fine too, but not as a tool for attacking any person who says he hears a difference between his gears. And that's what was happening. People were using it to bully and bludgeon unsuspecting hobbyists, and it was just plain lame.

Just the existence of an admin and moderators chased out those site bullies that had been running the asylum, and unfortunately some good posters went with them. But again, in absolute terms, they were appreciated by a small group, and turned off A LOT MORE people - like all the people that currently make up AudioAsylum and AVSForums. It was the lack of moderation that caused a mass exodus several years and lead to the creation of those sites. Those were all old AR folks. They only people who stuck around were the bullies and trolls that chased them out, and THAT is when forums traffic was at it's lowest. They left when I arrived in 2004, and that was a rather small loss in real terms - especially compared to the massive exodus that occurred around 2000-2002. Traffic in the forums has been mostly way up since my arrival. It will be tough to get back to the original days, now that there are so many other established sites, but we're working on it.

Regarding the main section of the site, we've been having a number of issues with search engine indexing that have a affected our traffic over the last year or so. Some changes we made in the second quarter has a huge adverse effect on our ranking, indexing and traffic. We're working on resolving that, and making progress.

Thanks for your concern & interest, it's appreciated.
eric

JoeE SP9
11-18-2006, 08:34 AM
Thank you ericl. When I joined in 2003 I didn't post much because of those who have since left. It's a much nicer place now.:)

jrhymeammo
11-18-2006, 10:27 AM
It is nice in here. But I do think it's too nice. Those who like to shout usually dish out some great info, but after 2, 3 replies, it gets hard to remember what the original topic was. Modeerators do great jobs to let things continue, but know appropriate time to step in.

I miss heated discussions.

-JRA