Web traffic statistics released for the Reddit ExJW Subreddit

darkspilver

FWIW, the moderators have released the traffic statistics for the Reddit ExJW Subreddit

Web statistics are not generally an exact science - the 'best' indication is normally the 'unique' visitor number - although one person may be using more than one device to access the website (ie using desktop and mobile), but also more than one person may being using the same device (ie a shared home desktop).

On a forum-style website, the number of 'page views' is a bit pointless as it will normally always be much, much higher than a non-forum-style website - but it can give a general idea on how engaged visitors are (how many topics/threads they are reading)

nonjwspouse

I have wondered if the higher Jan statistics ( I have seen this elsewhere as well) are due to the new computers, phones, laptops, tablets etc, from Christmas, resulting in new devices.

The trend here is definitely going up. I personally have visited more on that site this year than I used to.

darkspilver

Yeah new devices could be a reason - though I suspect most of them are replacing existing devices, so less incentive to web browse purely for the novelty.

Ex-JW-wise there where a number of major events in January, including

Dr Phil TV Programme with Tatiana

FaithLeaks released the JW 'PalmerLeak' documents

John Cedars released Pillowgate videos

For Reddit, there was also a highly voted comment on a popular 'AskReddit' thread

See the post below for more info:

Traffic / Subscriber 'spikes' and co-relation with events

John Free

3 million page views in a month! Am I reading that correctly?

slimboyfat

Plus wasn't the abridged annual report released in January?

How does it compare with Mormon readits or whatever you call it?

darkspilver

slimboyfat: Plus wasn't the abridged annual report released in January?

I don't think that would have necessarily triggered visits to an 'ex-jw' website / forum.

The annual report was released at the end of December 2017.

I released my own version (gleaned from the JWorg website) on December 26, 2017:

2017 Service Year Report Worldwide Table with individually lands/countries

JWorg released their own 'official' version on December 31, 2017

From JWorg 2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - with individually listed lands/countries (incl baptisms and memorial attendances)

slimboyfat: How does it compare with Mormon readits or whatever you call it?

The ExMo reddit has around 3-and-a-half MORE members/subscribers than the ExJW one.

John Free: 3 million page views in a month! Am I reading that correctly?

I think the highest is around 2-and-a-half million page views - but on a forum, page views are a bit meaningless as each topic/thread that is viewed counts as a 'page view' - so it is easy for visitors to rack up high numbers, compared to a standard (non-forum) website.

joe134cd

Even if page views are pointless. Let's say only 33% of the page views represented serious research. That would equate to 1/8 of all active jw having done serious research on TTATT.

steve2

Joe, how do you reach the conclusion that active JWs are the ones 'doing the serious research' and that it is 1 in every 8 of them?

Simon

Are the analytics collected on the server or client?

Server based analytics can mean it's measuring bots and scrapers.

Client analytics are preferable as they more often reflect real users (because bots tend not to execute client-side JavaScript to cause their requests to be counted)

Google Analytics is pretty much the standard to use.

Even if page views are pointless. Let's say only 33% of the page views represented serious research. That would equate to 1/8 of all active jw having done serious research on TTATT.

That's the kind of reasoning that you see with people on Dragons Den ... "It's a $1b industry so lets say we only get 1% of that ...". Unless there is some reason to indicate that particular demographic applies, it's just pure speculation and wishful thinking.

Personally, I think most visits to exJW sites are from people who have already started questioning things and are looking for validation and information to confirm their suspicions. They are unlikely to be 'active JWs' in the sense that they are true believers diligently going out on service every month.

Again, that's a sweeping generalization and something I have no evidence for but it just feels more believable given most people's exit stories.

problemaddict 2

Simon, frequenting that site I would say it is one that quite a few teens and 20 somethings "stumble" on when allowing themselves to be naughtly on the internet. My experience is only anecdotal, but it appears to be a pretty nice mix of people, including QUITE a few PIMO people planning their exit or unable to for one reason or the other. Some subscribers (almost 20K) are ex-mormons or other "cult cousins" that take an interest. There definitely seems to be a correlation between some of the larger events in JW land and more people being driven there.

Nice as one more resource. I always recommend this site over there in particular for the archive which has some of the most amazing research and "old school" conversations from some of the best of former years. Its a window into a world that WT wants to whitewash as much as possible.

Web traffic statistics released for the Reddit ExJW Subreddit

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