Monday, November 12, 2007

Another way to look at the candidates' popularity: web traffic

Thompson Site Traffic Plummets, Paul and Clinton Regain Top Spots
If traffic to presidential campaign sites influenced national polls of Republican candidates, media coverage might pay more attention to Web phenom Congressman Ron Paul and folksy social conservative Mike Huckabee. Traffic to their sites surpassed Fred Thompson's in October, after the celebrity politico had steamrollered past his GOP opponents in September.

Traffic to the Web homes of Democratic candidates, on the other hand, has become more reflective of their actual race. According to Hitwise, Senator Hillary Clinton's official site drew the most traffic in October, gaining over 7 points in traffic share after languishing in second and third place for months. Senator Barack Obama lost about four points and slipped to second with about 32 percent share last month.

Meanwhile, John Edwards held steady in the third spot, but dropped about 3 points in traffic share. However, while Clinton and Edwards each had around 22 percent traffic share in August, Edwards has lost 11 percentage points and Clinton picked up about 11 since then.

Senator Joe Biden, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson remain around the middle of the Dem site traffic pack, maintaining share of around 5 to 6 percent each. Senator Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel still hold the bottom two slots, with less than 4 percent traffic share.

Similar to the Republican race itself, site traffic to GOP candidate sites seems more topsy-turvy. After dashing past his Republican opponents and gaining the top traffic spot in September, Thompson fell to third place in October, dropping more than 24 points in traffic share. Paul stepped back into his long-held top spot, scoring nearly 40 percent of traffic share, up from around 26 in September.

The Libertarian-leaning Congressman's site also attracted nearly 40 percent of site traffic among Republican candidates back in July, when October's second ranked candidate site, MikeHuckabee.com, was in fifth place with just 8 percent share. Between September and October, Huckabee, a potential Iowa caucus dark horse, gained nearly 10 points, moving from third to second place with more than 20 percent traffic share.

Rudy Giuliani rose a couple points and two notches since September to fourth place. Mitt Romney and Senator John McCain both fell. Romney slipped from 4th to 5th place, and McCain moved from 5th to 6th; both also dipped slightly in traffic share. Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo brought up the rear at less than 5 percent.

The GOP candidates may have benefited slightly from the mid-October dropout of Sam Brownback, though his site garnered less than 2 percent of traffic share in September.

Perhaps not surprising to political observers, right-wing Congressman Paul's Web site attracted more males and older visitors than Clinton's younger, female-heavy site audience, according to Hitwise. Around 27 percent of RonPaul.com visitors were 18 to 34, about 36 percent were between 35 and 54, and approximately 37 percent were age 55 and over in October. Seventy-three percent were male.

Clinton's site audience was comprised of 60 percent females last month. About 36 percent were 18 to 34, 35 percent were 35 to 54, and almost 29 percent were 55 and over.

Paul, who made headlines for raising over $4 million online in one day earlier this month, has built a loyal Web following. In October, the candidate attracted more than double the percentage of returning visitors Clinton did (53 percent compared with 24 percent).

About a quarter of both candidates' site traffic came through Google last month, while Yahoo drove about 6 percent for both. HillaryClinton.com also received traffic from MSN Search and MSNBC.com. Some visitors came to Paul's site through his official campaign store domain, as well as the news and commentary site of Lew Rockwell, VP of California's Center for Libertarian Studies.

DemocraticCandidates' Site Traffic
Market Share and Ranking

October Market Share Ranking Campaign Web site Traffic Market Share
1 Hillary Clinton For President www.hillaryclinton.com 33.46%
2 Barack Obama www.barackobama.com 32.45%
3 John Edwards For President www.johnedwards.com 12.73%
4 Joe Biden for President www.joebiden.com 5.95%
5 Dennis Kucinich 2008 www.kucinich.us 5.10%
6 Bill Richardson for President Exploratory Committee www.richardsonforpresident.com 4.67%
7 Chris Dodd for President www.chrisdodd.com 3.31%
8 Gravel 2008 www.gravel2008.us 2.32%
Source: Hitwise, 2007

Top Sites Driving Traffic
to www.HillaryClinton.com in October 2007
Web site URL Upstream Share
Google www.google.com 23.95%
Yahoo! Search search.yahoo.com 6.05%
MSN Search search.msn.com 2.48%
MSNBC www.msnbc.msn.com 1.56%
CNN.com www.cnn.com 1.53%
Source: Hitwise, 2007

Republican Candidates' Site Traffic
Market Share and Rankings for October

October Market Share Ranking Campaign Web site Market Share
1 Ron Paul 2008 www.ronpaul2008.com 39.04%
2 Mike Huckabee www.mikehuckabee.com 20.37%
3 Fred '08 www.fred08.com 12.43%
4 Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee www.joinrudy2008.com 8.59%
5 Mitt Romney www.mittromney.com 7.83%
6 John McCain 2008 www.johnmccain.com 5.05%
7 Duncan Hunter for President www.gohunter08.com 4.57%
8 Tom Tancredo for President www.teamtancredo.org 2.13%
Source: Hitwise, 2007

Top Sites Driving Traffic
to www.RonPaul2008.com in October07
Web site URL Upstream Share
Google www.google.com 26.67%
Yahoo! Search search.yahoo.com 5.02%
Yahoo www.yahoo.com 1.71%
Ron Paul 2008 Merchandise Store www.ronpaul2008store.com 1.50%
LewRockwell.com www.lewrockwell.com 1.39%
Source: Hitwise, 2007

Original article posted here.

6 comments:

The Freewheeling Socrates said...

Last week I posted the 911 truth at crooksandliars.com.

My post was deleted and the site moniter scolded me saying the owner of the site does not allow such comments.

This morning I posted an endorsement of Ron Paul and they deleted that also.

I guess I have been banned for telling the truth.

Do you know anything about crooksandliars.com?

I notice now they only allow shallow statements to remain on the threads. Posters who talk much and say little.

Should it bother me about being banned or is this site just another phony FPM-type mess?

ryanshaunkelly said...

Gravel kucinich paul nader perot carter [conyers?] united for truth elicit fear smear blacklist.

Honesty compassion intelligence guts.

No more extortion blackmail bribery division.

Da Weaz said...

Crooks and liars and buzzflash.com have a total blackout on any topics relating to 911 and Ron Paul. I had my own wars with buzzflash, see here:

http://weazlsrevenge.blogspot.com/search?q=buzzflash

That is why I say, "Fuck them." They get a lot of traffic, but they are in cahoots with misleading people and hiding the truth.

Sadly, good people rely on them for news. Sadly, few people actually notice what they are missing.

They are a sham.

Same goes for dailykos.

The web is wide, and you can tell a commitment to truth by a willingness to discuss 911 and allow discussion of Ron Paul (they have no problems pumping and pimping Hillary, Dennis and Barak).

They make me sick.

Da Weaz said...

When you realize how big the fix is, it is tough to not get a bit despondent.

We have been fucked from all sides: both Right and Left.

The Freewheeling Socrates said...

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Yes, you're right. The 911 truth is a litmus test for websites and every single individual.

Those that do, are, and those that don't, are not. Those that don't are leading by a rather wide margin something fierce like the common herd of the dark ages.

The Freewheeling Socrates said...

Yes, I remember. "It's too big for people to think about."

There is a teacher at the prison I have been friends with for many years now. I have explained most of the ideas contained in Loose Change to him and he has steadfastly countered each one with Popular Mechanics rebuttals and just shear disbelief.

This guy looks down on me psychologically and believes I am a wacko with a tin foil hat. But he genuinely is a good guy and he remains friendly with me anyway knowing he is a solid citizen with a stable world view and I am a weirdo on the fringe.

THAT is how pervasive the brainwashing is. The majority who are steeped in it would never think to question it because the lie is their bedrock of shared reality.