It seems that Intermediate Media (the hosts) should pretty easily be able to see how much of their general traffic data is from spam through their analytics tools.
Looking at free web analytics sites, the data doesn't seem to reflect any usual bot patterns. I suspect the back end of the GW website might show spam traffic, but I don't think this would show as actual views on the forum counter that we see. (Again, I'm not a techie). Below is data for Dec 21 for https://forum.gardenersworld.com/
People are are staying on average 4 mins and opening at 3-4 pages per visit through Dec. Dec has the lowest traffic of the year - doubling in the summer
- - -
Most searched keywords on this site:
paint, fence, garden
allotment ideas
how and when to...?
why?
Hemerocallis
Quite why hemerocallis should be of so much interest is curious
- - -
The countries where people were located when they were viewing this website (more or less). NZ suddely got really interested in the forum.
- -
The rest of the data available was only viewable if you pay to join up the analytics company, so I couldn't see it.
Fair enough, but a few people have said on the thread that they didn't know that their personal comments were viewable on Google or quite how much traffic the site is getting.
I've spent my evening going through the posts and people's questions and tried to speak
to them in my above reponses. I hope you find that some of the ideas give food
for thought.
I'm just putting these ideas out there, mainly because I'm interested in these things. I'm not really suggesting how people should use the archive in future, but how the wider world is using the archive now. It's just stuff to keep in mind if it interests you.
Can we turn and be welcoming to young people, tech, new arrivals in forms we might not recognise? Are we not?
I hope that new gardeners will come in and join the forum - a really diverse array of people and ideas.
😊 The forum has grown hugely since I first came on board … many more regular posters, and many more that pop in, come and go etc.
Of course, another thing to bear in mind is that the forum doesn’t exist in isolation, but is part of the GW online magazine and owned by Immediate Media … an outward facing commercial entity … and is promoted as such. 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I’ve only just got round to reading this thread, and with great interest so thank you @fire.
I had little appreciation that the forum had such a reach and I wonder if readers from afar have adjusted their preconceptions of British life and attitudes. I do not know how closely the opinions expressed here reflect the mood of the country but some themes have come through strongly - vehemently anti-Brexit, in the main - scornful of our government, especially Boris Johnson - staunch supporters of attempts to control the spread of Covid - quite divided on the merits of the BBC - interested in the idiosyncrasies of our language.
One thing I particularly like about this forum, in contrast to others I see, is that there is a mood for writing in full, correct English and, when necessary, in detail. Elsewhere I see people apologising for ‘the length of the post’ when they reach their fourth sentence.
One thing I particularly like about this forum, in contrast to others I see, is that there is a mood for writing in full, correct English and, when necessary, in detail. Elsewhere I see people apologising for ‘the length of the post’ when they reach their fourth sentence.
I've never visited any others, but I think the correct use of English here probably reflects good old fashioned teaching standards!
Some themes/ subjects have only come across quite strongly on this forum because those of a different/opposite view point don't post their views. Therefore the views on the forum cannot be taken as a true indication of the mood of the country. I would hope that that would be taken into account should anyone anywhere be compiling stats/evidence for any such related projects.
Given that this is a Gardening Forum when all is said and done, only those people who have an interest ( whether serious or passing ) in the subject would be likely to be reading it anyway. Opposing points of view are often expressed but I don't think anyone is suggesting that views on here represent "the mood of the country" any more than any other forum does. Elections and referendums do show the mood but even then, it is only those who feel strongly enough about various issues to actually cast their votes whose views are taken into consideration. Voting figures in the UK are not anything to be particularly proud of. Unless statisticians have completely lost the plot, I doubt whether the views expressed on a gardening forum would have much standing.
some themes have come through strongly - vehemently anti-Brexit, in the main - scornful of our government, especially Boris Johnson - staunch supporters of attempts to control the spread of Covid - quite divided on the merits of the BBC - interested in the idiosyncrasies of our language.
One thing I particularly like about this forum, in contrast to others I see, is that there is a mood for writing in full, correct English and, when necessary, in detail. Elsewhere I see people apologising for ‘the length of the post’ when they reach their fourth sentence.
Apart from the odd new member who accidentally posts their email address, I haven't noticed anyone sharing identifiable information.
Apologies, B. I meant personal information, as in details of heart breaks, struggles with banks, deaths of loved ones, operations, suicidal feelings. That kind of thing. It might feel like one is confiding to a small circle.
Sometimes it helps to talk to strangers. I can't think of a circumstance where I would want to share that kind of information but if I did, I feel sure that I would get the support of anonymous strangers on the forum. I don't think the size of the circle really matters.
Posts
Are we not?
Of course, another thing to bear in mind is that the forum doesn’t exist in isolation, but is part of the GW online magazine and owned by Immediate Media … an outward facing commercial entity … and is promoted as such. 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I had little appreciation that the forum had such a reach and I wonder if readers from afar have adjusted their preconceptions of British life and attitudes. I do not know how closely the opinions expressed here reflect the mood of the country but some themes have come through strongly
- vehemently anti-Brexit, in the main
- scornful of our government, especially Boris Johnson
- staunch supporters of attempts to control the spread of Covid
- quite divided on the merits of the BBC
- interested in the idiosyncrasies of our language.
One thing I particularly like about this forum, in contrast to others I see, is that there is a mood for writing in full, correct English and, when necessary, in detail. Elsewhere I see people apologising for ‘the length of the post’ when they reach their fourth sentence.
Elections and referendums do show the mood but even then, it is only those who feel strongly enough about various issues to actually cast their votes whose views are taken into consideration. Voting figures in the UK are not anything to be particularly proud of.
Unless statisticians have completely lost the plot, I doubt whether the views expressed on a gardening forum would have much standing.
Yes, there certainly is a "group culture".
I don't think the size of the circle really matters.