{"id":38510,"date":"2021-02-22T13:06:27","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T13:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediamakersmeet.com\/?p=38510"},"modified":"2021-02-23T10:57:41","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T10:57:41","slug":"publishers-lose-up-to-20-traffic-after-facebooks-news-blockade-but-theres-some-good-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediamakersmeet.com\/publishers-lose-up-to-20-traffic-after-facebooks-news-blockade-but-theres-some-good-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Publishers lose up to 20% traffic after Facebook\u2019s news blockade, but there\u2019s some good news"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Australia wanted Big Tech to pay for news. Facebook didn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than pay media companies in return for linking to their stories, as a forthcoming Australian law would require, the social network blocked sharing of news on its platform<\/a> in the country, the most extensive restrictions it has ever placed on publishers anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facebook\u2019s move had an immediate impact on traffic to Australian news sites, according to early data<\/a> from New York-based analytics firm Chartbeat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total traffic to Australian news sites fell by around 13%<\/strong> within the country, compared to the day before the ban. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Nieman Journalism Lab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The most dramatic fall in traffic<\/a> to Australian sites was from readers outside the country, which fell by more than 20%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Nieman Journalism Lab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chartbeat also saw a large drop in traffic to news sites from readers within Australia. And it looked at referral traffic from Facebook vs. Google Search to Australian publishers. You would expect to see Google Searches rise when the percentage of traffic from Facebook fall. But the analysts at Chartbeat didn\u2019t see an increase in Google Search traffic in terms of absolute numbers.<\/p>Chris Pash, Editor, AdNews Australia<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nielsen\u2019s Digital Content Ratings showed<\/a> total sessions fell 16%<\/strong> (for current events and global news) on February 18, compared to the average of the past six Thursdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total time spent on the websites fell 14%<\/strong> compared to the average of the past six Thursdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nielsen\u2019s data shows Facebook and Google are the two leading platforms for digital content consumption<\/a> in the country. Also, 22% of the audiences<\/a> of Australian media publishers consumed their content only through the Facebook app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facebook\u2019s traffic is notably strong in the Australian market. While 12% of visits to publishers globally were driven by Facebook, 15% of visits to Australian publishers were driven by Facebook.<\/p>Chartbeat<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Given the tech giant\u2019s massive reach, it was expected that Facebook\u2019s news blockade would have significant repercussions on publisher traffic. But this immediate dip may soon see a reversal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier data from Chartbeat<\/a> shows that in the absence of Facebook, people go directly to publishers\u2019 mobile apps and sites (as well as to search engines) to get their information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Facebook drives a tremendous amount of traffic to publishers, when Facebook is temporarily out of the picture, consumers still seek out the stories they want\u2014 and this is good news for publishers.<\/p>Josh Schwartz, Author at Chartbeat<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For example, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation\u2019s ABC News app shot to the top of Apple\u2019s App Store charts<\/a> in Australia following Facebook\u2019s news ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ABC has used facebook's ban to prompt visitors to download its app.. it became the most downloaded app in Australia…. although the next four are all owned by Facebook and the 6th is a company fb tried to buy pic.twitter.com\/jGxeXYxv6x<\/a><\/p>— Uma Patel (@umabp) February 19, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>