Facebook’s stats page indicate that they’ve 250mm uniques users, with 120mm unique visitors per day. I rarely believe numbers provided by vendors as they can easily be stretched so it’s important to compare third party data sources. Looking at just one source is never enough, but comparing trend lines across 3 multiple data sources really gives a greater view.
The specific numbers themselves aren’t as important as the overall trend that all three are indicating: Facebook continues to grow in unique visitors from three separate data methods. Two of the data sources indicate Yahoo.com is slipping.
Below Image: Alexa indicates Yahoo is trending down while Facebook trends upwards over last 2 years
Below Image: Quantcast indicates Facebook’s on the rise over a 6mos period
Below Image: Compete indicates while Yahoo and Google remain relatively flat, Facebook angles up in last year
So what’s it mean? Not a lot really, while Google a search portal, Yahoo, now a media and applications site, really are different than Facebook, a communication and social site. While Facebook may be receiving more unique visitors over time, their business model hasn’t lined up to profit from direct page views as advertising performance is sub-standard. Unique visitors, while certainly an indicator of mainstream adoption –arn’t an fool proof way to measure revenues of any website.
Always nice to see these three data/stat sites compared. Perhaps add Hitwise to the mix here, Jeremiah?
I have noticed Yahoo! relies a lot on niche areas (sports, financial, etc.). In my opinion, that spells doom over time. I would be interested to know which areas they see as horizons. Am afraid the growth curve will slowly trend downward for them . . .
Good article Jowyang! In addition I think Google trends data gives weight to this article. http://www.google.com/trends?q=yahoo,google,facebook,myspace
Barbara, I looked at the hitwise site, I’m not sure how to find the web comparison, got a URL?
John, good point. Yahoo builds out apps and media centers –Google just aggregates them all, or builds platforms which others can create content regardless of niche.
Thanks for the data.
Would be good to put sites like QQ in the mix but it looks like compete and alexa are very bad at measuring non US sites/socnet.
Any suggestion on how to do that ?
How does compete gather its data?
How does compete gather its data?
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