59 of 60 Web Users Prefer the Drudge Report

The ad broker for the Drudge Report says that Matt Drudge's site broke traffic records on Election Day with 2.3 million unique visitors and 25.1 million page views.

The scariest part of the press release:

This proves, once again, that when Americans want reliable, unbiased, instant news on what's happening and what's important, they trust Matt Drudge and the Drudge Report to deliver.

Drudge also had 100 million ad impressions that day. If you figure a click-through rate of one percent and 5 cents a click, both of which are on the low end, his two-person site earned $50,000 in 24 hours.

Right-wing critics of the Drudge Retort often taunt me with stuff like this, believing there's karmic justice in Drudge's traffic being so much bigger than ours.

On Election Day, the Retort had 38,900 unique visitors and 100,900 page views. That's microscopic potatoes compared to the Report, roughly one-sixtieth its traffic, but large enough to justify my journalism degree.

Our all-time traffic record is still the day that Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction sent thousands of people to the web for partial frontal celebrity nudity, which nearly melted my server in February 2004.

Journalism · Politics · Television · 2006/11/09 · 9 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

Yes, but your site is a minor one in lefty blogistan, no offense. What kind of traffic was there at dailykos, tpm, mydd, prospect.org/weblog, etc.

#1 · dbt · 2006/11/09

Weekly page views as estimated by BlogAds, which might not include Tuesday:

Daily Kos: 11,193,690
Talking Points Memo: 4,322,208
MyDD: 1,192,816
Drudge Retort: 425,607

Here's the Alexaholic comparison of those four sites and the Retort.

#2 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2006/11/09

I read story not too long ago about the popularity of Drudge's site in seemingly liberal newsrooms. I don't remember much about it but remember thinking it was their job to read the damn thing, so who cares?

Drudge looks like a porn producer. And before any of you dirt-eating druids posts a sniffy liberal reference to the drudge report being obscene or some such bumper sticker nonsense, know this: I command the fish of the sea. That's right, I'm Aquaman. So unless you'd like to take a haddock in the breadbasket the next time you're on a boat, keep your patchouli proverbs to yourselves.

#3 · Uncle Mikey · 2006/11/09

Aquaman lives in Austin? Lake Travis isn't big enough to give you maritime credentials. I think you've been spending too much time breathing patchouli fumes at the clothing-optional Hippie Hollow.

#4 · Young Possum · 2006/11/09

I like fact based analysis and don't consider myself a liberal or conservative. I like sites where balance and rational thought predominate. Although I look at Drudge I go to your site first.

#5 · The Griz · 2006/11/09

I am one of those 59 of prefer it to.

#6 · Alice · 2006/11/16

Maybe you should show drudge what a .css is? Wonder what that would increase his traffic to.

#7 · Marshall Collins · 2006/11/16

Drudge is making a fortune on his website. Pretty Amazing really.

#8 · Ames Tiedeman · 2006/11/18

"weekly page views as estimated by BlogAds, which might not include Tuesday"

Is including Data from Tuesdays an arbitrary thing over at BlogAds?

Why do BlogAds hate Tuesdays so much?

59 outta 60 folk prefer the tabloidesque trash that is Drudge?

Blech! Just goes to show ya...

Just cos something's popular doesn't mean it's worthless shit.

Really good rule of thumb though.

Pogs were popular at one point.

Be Well.

#9 · dethspud · 2007/06/02