back to article Record numbers of readers flock to The Register

The Register and its sister publications Reg Hardware and Channel Register climbed new heights in November 2011, bagging 46 million page impressions and 6.6 million "uniques" for the month. We now have a certificate to prove it. abc.org.uk/Certificates/17591287.pdf That represents a lot of thought, planning and hard work by a …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hooray!

    So now you can charge an even larger premium for those articles which mysteriously swim against the tide of Chronological Ordering.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Swimming against the tide

      To answer your post seriously: Well over 90 per cent of the articles that defy our reverse- chronological-drip- down are Reg Hardware reviews. Most of the rest are recruiting sergeants - watch this event - please help us with this survey - and so on. We do not charge a premium for these articles. Or charge per se, but obviously we are being paid for the things that we are promoting.

      Also in late December we ran a series of articles promoting our own e-books, which we anchored to the story grid for a couple of weeks, much to our readers delight and gratitude. We might do this again - but only one at a time...

  2. jai

    congratulations!!

    Was there a particular November event that drove the spike in readership or is it definitely year-on-year growth?

    All good news either way! Congrats El Reg!!!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Numbers started jumping in September '11 and have stayed jumping. I'll tell you next year if it is sustained!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Drewc

        Enough boasting about your love life.

  3. DZ-Jay
    Pint

    BRAVO!

    Have a pint to celebrate!

    Now, get back to work. :)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    only me!

    Just testing out a new denial of service technique. !-)

  5. nigel 15
    Stop

    So you are sharing your un-anonimized logs?

    congratulations, but all i saw in this story is that you are handing over your full logs, IP addresses intact to a third party.

    how does one opt out of this :p

    1. AdamT

      this is pretty clearly stated in the Privacy link at the bottom of every page on the site ...

      1. nigel 15

        is it?

        I've read the privacy policy and it doesn't say that logs are shared with third parties.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      ABC guidelines

      I am not aware of anyone submitting anonymised files to ABC.

      But here are the organisation's guidelines, for further reading.

  6. Andus McCoatover
    Windows

    Well done, El. Reg.

    Essential daily reading for me.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Huge jump in US readership?

    How do you factor out folks like me, working for a multinational in Europe, sometimes connecting from home in France, sometimes via corporate proxy which could be UK or US? Everyone in my company could in theory show up from one IP address :)

    Still, congrats on the total.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      We use standard tools to figure out where people come from - they claim 98-99 per cent accuracy IIRC.

      Admittedly one person could and often is more than one unique. But equally a "unique" could - and often does - represent more than one person.

      1. Version 1.0 Silver badge
        Happy

        356 readers right here!

        I guess that setting my new router to pull a different IP address from AT&T every night is really paying off for you folks!

    2. Peter Richardson

      re: Huge jump in US readership?

      Yep, that's me too. Very much in the UK, but all my internet traffic at work goes via a proxy in the US.

      How I enjoy getting adverts on the BBC news site! I did get to see Google's logo blacked out yesterday, made my little day, such as it is.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        From The BBC website

        <snip>

        How reliable is the technology that does this?

        An independent report found that it was 99.96% accurate. However, if you are a UK licence fee payer viewing the website from within the UK but can see advertising, please report this to us.

        </snip>

  8. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Hey Mr Tally Man

    Thanks, now I'll have the Banana Boat Song going round in my head all afternoon. Grrrr.

    1. TeeCee Gold badge

      My runthrough of that came complete with a roomful of diners being grabbed by their prawn cocktails at the end.....

  9. Craig 12
    Happy

    Well, being the hipster I am, I shall seek a less popular site that reposts engadget news! :)

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now if you could just change those "hilarious" headlines that need careful studying to work out what the hell they're talking about, instead of being obvious at a glance!

    1. mike2R
      Happy

      Welcome, American friend!

  11. Stuart Henderson
    Coffee/keyboard

    weesht

    yeah yeah yeah. now stop slapping your own back and say something funny, monkey boy. that's what we don't pay you for.

  12. greensun
    Thumb Down

    In order to

    [Next Page]

    bump up your

    [Next Page]

    page views

    [Next Page]

    even further,

    [Next Page]

    maybe you can continue

    [Next Page]

    subdividing your articles

    [Next Page]

    into even smaller pieces ?

    >-(

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      This is not a big thing on The Register or Channel Register. Reg Hardware, in common with most review sites, is an enthusiastic proponent of pagination. Sometimes too enthusiastic. I am trying to encourage them to curb this enthusiasm.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Pagination doesn't bother me too much

        I just open the "print" version for preference and come back once all the images have loaded.

      2. druck Silver badge
        Happy

        Good.

        In the meantime Firefox users can install AutoPager, which turns all the multi-page articles back in to one easily scrollable story.

    2. Alex Walsh

      Could be so much worse. I regularly read reviews on Tech Radar than span 9+ pages.

    3. Sceptic Tank Silver badge
      Coat

      @greensun

      Extra pages generate extra ad revenue. With extra revenue they will be able to hire real reporters.

      (Ha ha. Just joking. Ahem... Sorry, I just love The Register and I have been telling my friend about you)

      ((Quick! Hand me my asbestos jacket please.))

      ((( I'll check tomorrow if my account still works )))

  13. Geoff Thompson
    Thumb Up

    Congratulations

    Keep up the excellent work.

  14. Ian Halstead

    Just wondering....

    .... how techeye.net is doing?

  15. Alex Walsh

    Well done, the endless non story, click baiting, Apple speculation stories have obviously had the desired effect.

  16. Anomalous Cowherd Silver badge

    Can't see why

    t's all shit. Especially the comments. And I've been reading it for 12 years so I should know.

  17. 404
    Thumb Up

    You're Welcome!

    That's about the same time I activated my Twitter account - there is quite a bit that gets reported here that doesn't ever make it to the US media (or what passes for one, anyway).

    What's it been? Since 97? And I still have my El reg pin - Thanks to John Lettice! (kiss my butt Lester! lol)

    ")

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Flame

      "That's about the same time I activated my Twitter account...."

      BURN THE HERETIC!!!!

      1. 404

        Yeah yeah, I know :)

        I use it for politics, not 'I took a piss and it burned" or "OMG! I got a new iPwn" thoughts lmao

        :)

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wisdom of crowds, my arse.

    Yeah, I can tell by the decreasing quality of the commentards.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Wisdom of crowds, my arse.

      Hey Mr. Misanthrope. Lighten up.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      They are enlightened compaired to commentards for other publications (knuckle-draggers). That's the problem with the internet, any muppet can have a voice - whereas in Victorian times we would put them in an Bedlam and have organised visits to bait, ahem view them.

      Bring back the stocks I say

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        El Reg user forums - we started trialling this week.

        User Forums are here

        I guess we will be opening the floodgates soon. But right now there are no navigation links. So if you want to give it a poke, it is probably better to bookmark the link.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Pint

          hasn't that been around for a while?

          I know I've ended up there inadvertantly(sp) several times.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: hasn't that been around for a while?

            Currently forums are repositories for comments to articles.

            This is a <em>user</em> forum. Members can start up their own topics.

            1. James O'Brien
              Devil

              Hey drew

              Seeing as we go way back can I finally start that topic thread about why you smell? :P

              On a side though are you sure the jump isn't from employeers checking for flamatory comments about their company on here after you guys "lost" a bunch of email addresses?

              Just sayin ;)

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Hey drew

                It would be nice to think that each time we fuck up we gain more readers. Would rather not test this premise.

                You are welcome to set up aforementioned thread. Have a feeling that it might not last too long though.

  19. Snar
    Thumb Up

    I'm a long term fan - El Reg has been my home page for over ten years :)

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Congrats El Reg!

    < Well deserved!

  21. b166er

    Cool beans, just make sure you keep biting the hand, please!

  22. alain williams Silver badge

    How is that measured ?

    If it is by analysis of your server logs, OK - but if by counts from doubleclick.net then you don't count me -- firefox noscript blocks that.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Doubleclick figures

      As a tech site we have an unusually high percentage of readers using ad blockers, so no we don't use doubleclick for measuring readership.

      We acknowledge all the reasons that people use ad blockers - and we don't have any plans to get into a fight over this - but let's keep in mind Ars Technica's attack on ad blockers in 2010.

      1. Nanki Poo
        FAIL

        Ad-blockers

        I am severely tempted to add El Reg to the ad-block list just purely for that bloody MS advert that resizes after it's finished, about 10 secs after you scrolled down to start reading the article! Is the point of the ad to remind us how horribly inconvenient and time-wasting Microsoft is?

        a delay for every story + finite free time to read stories = less page impressions for El Reg.

        That's all. nK

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Resizing MS ad was canned on Jan 10

          We forwarded complaints to our ad ops team who killed the resize. Are you saying you are still getting this?

          1. Nanki Poo
            Go

            a-ha, coincidence!

            It stopped resizing the day I moved (10th), I presumed it was a weird (and welcome) glitch because I am temporarily using slow mobile internet.

            Naughty ad ops team, good El Reg. :)

            nK

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Aw, thanks!

    I just started reading El Reg again in November, after a break of a year or two. I'm quite touched that you noticed my triumphant return.

    [Although slightly surprised it's had a measurable effect on your 'viewing figures'!]

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Madra, promise me one thing

      Never leave

  24. fishman

    Congrats!

    Congrats on the new record. I've been reading the Register as far back when it was an email digest before the web existed.

  25. b166er

    Re ad-blockers, I don't use them because the internet is powered by ads and I get that. HOWEVER, that recent spate of Microsoft page shifting ads nearly made me do it!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      We killed this ad - and have told ads not to do that again

  26. Southern
    Pint

    Have a celebratory pint.

  27. Dibbles

    ABCe?

    Out of professional curiosity, why ABCe and not one of the online measurement companies like Nielsen or comScore? Not that they're better, just more commonly used, particularly if you're selling ads outside the UK...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      We have used both Neisen and Quantcast in the past.

      Not necessary for UK or Oz markets - and for a small company with a big website like us, not hugely necessary in the US.

  28. James Micallef Silver badge
    Boffin

    el Reg units?

    "de facto standard for measuring website size" no, no, no, this won't do.

    I propose a new web traffic measure, the "Reg", equivalent to 6.6 million unique views.

    The Register traffic for the month of November 2011 was therefore 1000 milliRegs

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: el Reg units?

      I think you are onto something here.

  29. geekclick
    Pint

    Is there a break down..

    where by you see who used what, such as browser types, device OS's such as MS, Android, iOS etc etc

    However congrats on the figures, still read el reg off my google flavoured device whilst laying cable each morning, i have been reading for about 7-8 years, so thats alot of cable...! I even read off my PC in the afternoon as well, no other publication can boast this kind of readership from me...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      We do have that info - but don't monitor closely - except when we were trying to figure out when to kill support for IE6.

      I'll drum something up in a week or two.

  30. JimmyPage Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Well done gentlefolk

    I know I was reading El Reg in 1998 .... have no idea when you persuaded me to sign up (I could check my profile I guess, but CBA).

    Anyway, congratulations on (in the main) keeping me informed, and entertained, in a uniquely British way.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Possible pessimistic reason?

    Of course the surge in hits could be down to more techies on the dole, with nothing to do all day but surf their favourite geek news site... ;-)

  32. earl grey
    Happy

    And yet.....

    I still miss the Moderatrix and hope she's in form control, wherever......

    congrats and have a pint!

  33. ElReg!comments!Pierre
    Devil

    So, for the sake of comparison...

    ... how well is The Inquirer doing?

    About that infamous MS ad: first time I heard of it is here, and now. I do have JS turned off at all time; these days, I don't see any ad but the text ones. I suspect I might be stealing -part of- El Reg's lunch by doing so; serves you well for relying on JS.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So, for the sake of comparison...

      You would have to ask The Inquirer that. Let us know when you get the answer ...

      1. ElReg!comments!Pierre

        About that ad thing

        Sorry I didn't get any answer from The Inquirer. It might or might not be related to the fact that I did not send the request to begin with.

        Moving on, about that ad thing; some clever people are trying to find ways to monetize ad-blocking readers without being TOO evil. You guys probably know how to do it; I'm mentionning it in a pblic space because I would actually support it (for text-ads only, obviously). I almost feel guilty, not rewarding you guys for the stuff I read (not guilty enough to allow JS back on my systems; but guilty enough to publicly support "sneaky workarounds" that you guys could implement).

        A nice example can be seen on:

        http://damnsmalllinux.org/noscript-ads.html

        (although John is seemingly having a hard time to sell that niche advertising space; El Reg has a larger audience so in your case it might just work).

  34. Trevor_Pott Gold badge
    Pint

    6.6 million readers

    That's...really impressive. I'd like to put in my loud "hell yes" on the topic. I am glad my favourite technology magazine is doing so well. I maintain that El Reg is the best on the net for current events in IT; I don't think I could do my job without it! (Gotta know what the current and upcoming tech consists of!)

    Cheers to El Reg and all of her staff. May the readership continue to grow year on year unto the end of time.

  35. FrankAlphaXII
    Thumb Up

    Well thats cool

    Id rather read El Reg than most other tech sites because of the larger focus here on enterprise and development. Actually its about the only one that doesn't drive me crazy with the exception of Wired's Danger Room, though Spencer Ackerman grates on my nerves alot of the time.

    And November was about the time I started being a commentard here. <sarcasm>So Im completely sure its my magnetic, non-abrasive personality driving up the scores</sarcasm>

  36. Richard Altmann
    Pint

    Bofh hooked me up

    at a time when he was still terrorrising the campus.

    That´s how i found You,dear El Reg and i never lever left You for a day since.

    Setting up internet connections via HF Radio on tea estates in east-africa You where my reference test site.

    (New Bofh out yet?). I´m shocked,you are worshipped by only less than 140.000 germans.

    I´m gonna work on that.

    Keep it up

    Have a german Lager

  37. Martin Maloney
    Trollface

    I hate to break it to you folks...

    ...however, the readership stats have nothing to do with the quality of the articles on El Reg.

    Rather, it is the increasing level of sophistication of the puns in the comments that is attracting your audience.

    If you don't understand what I'm talking about, then get thee to a punnery!

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