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Is RMweb a niche interest?


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Over the years I have, on occasion, heard dismissive (that's possibly a bit strong but you know what I mean) comments about the transience and cult of internet forums and sites within the hobby. It's not a phenomenon that's the demise of the 'old guard' either but tends to be a viewpoint of those who don't partake. October 2007 was the first time that there had been an RMweb stand at a show (thank you to the Manchester MRS) and it quickly became apparent that there were a lot of readers, lurkers and infrequent contributors out there from the comments received. So; I've known for a long time that there's a lot more to our reason for being than some conversational tool for a few hundred people at any time. I've happily accepted that the significant majority of people who fill an exhibition hall are not readers and probably have no interest whatsoever in goings on around here. By the same token I've happily accepted that magazine readership is far higher than RMweb readership. I was happy in our own little world.

 

That world has been rocked.

 

I've seen site online/traffic/bandwidth figures increasing more and more so just over a month ago I installed Google Analytics code into the site; a tool for measuring site traffic and behaviour. Don't worry; it's all anonymous and no-one's tracking you! The results were surprising but it takes a while to have enough data to have confidence in the numbers. So; I've now got data for the shortest month of year.

 

Analytics.jpg

 

 

Don't get too excited though as that's not a truthful picture. I'll try to explain why.

 

  • An Absolute Unique Visitor is a visitor to the site whether it's once in the given period or a 1,000 times.
  • Around 20% of the Absolute Unique Visitors only visited the site once (the other 80% are, on average 50 visits) so I shall discount that 20%.
  • That leaves just under 50,000 Absolute Unique Visitors, but that figure still isn't the truth.
  • A lot of you read the site at work as well as at home, quite a number of you read it on the phone or netbook/laptop in addition to the desktop. The range of devices on which people read the site will therefore range between 1 and 4 in the vast majority of cases so let's say it's an average of 2.5 devices.
  • Divide the 50,000 by 2.5 and you come to a round figure of 20,000.

 

I don't know what the circulation of BRM magazine is but the big three titles fall into the 30-40,000 monthly circulation so I'd say we're probably 4th or 5th in the readership resource stakes. I'm genuinely delighted by the figures as being able to put a stake in the ground and say RMweb is important within the hobby and is not just a niche interest.

 

Anyway; a few facts:

  • The daily figure for Absolute Unique Visitors ranges from 4,500 to 5,500
  • The total number of visits to the site in February was 258,000
  • The lowest figure is for Saturdays
  • The highest figure is for Mondays (so glad to be back at work?)
  • The longest average visits are on Sundays
  • The average visit lasts for around 11 pages
  • Over 60% of (the 80%) readers visit the site each day.
  • Over 4,000 visits were made using mobile devices.

Despite this not being an exact a science compared to a magazine knowing precisely how many subscription and news-stand copies they sell per month; from this point forward I shall be taking the above method of working out what our monthly readership is compared to that 20,000 benchmark.

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Excellent news Andy and a tribute to the hard work put in by you and the others who have built the best site of its kind. Lets hope it continues to grow.

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Guest baldrick25

How very interesting there, Andy. I'm always amazed at swapmeets, Modelex's etc, just how many people are members here. It doesn't matter which side of the 'counter' or 'stand' they are, once a conversation has been started it quietly 'creeps out'.

 

Chatting over the hypothetical 'front garden fence' last week whilst myself and neighbour both decided to test out the lawnmowers, when I metioned 'railways and modelling' - suddenly he replied his Son did that as well.. We've lived next to each other for twenty plus years and just found out.

Went to local newsagent ( not a WHS) to get a copy of Railway Modeller mag last month, and when I went to the counter , one of the two middle aged women starting glancing through it. Strange , I thought , what was she checking for?... Suddenly she said ' My husband does this for a hobby, he went to ????? show last weekend , did you go?' I was suddenly a 'normal' not a closet modeller. RMWeb got a plug at the same time.

Then this afternoon I had to go for a medical examination at a Doctors that I don't normally attend, when he asked ' and how does this pain affect your hobbies etc?'. I went on to describe how it affected modelling , and noticed he seemed to very 'understanding'. Out of the blue , he just said ' I know what you mean , that's a hobby of mine.'

 

I'm frightened to get chatting to the bus driver just in case he is a modeller as well.........

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That's still a lot of people who are getting the advantages of seeing the modelling and the ability to ask questions and discuss much more quickly than would be the case with traditional magazines. I think forums complement the magazines as each has it's advantages. Mags will survive despite the huge advantage of the forum in instant response as I doubt large screen pcs will ever be cheap enough to leave lying around without worry in the car etc and the large format is certainly best for pictures.

Congrats on the ever growing forum.

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I'm frightened to get chatting to the bus driver just in case he is a modeller as well.........

 

As it happens, I drive buses and coaches on a part time basis. So you never know, our paths might cross one day.........

 

Andy

 

That is good news regarding the traffic and I like the way you have done your analysis to achieve a realistic figure.

Long may the traffic rise and who knows, in the near future maybe RMWEB will overtake one or two of the magazines which means that they will have to pull their finger out!!

 

Regards

 

David

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Guest LNER Tom

This is very interesting news Andy....and what appears to be a good sign.

 

I know this place is always my first port of call...and I enjoy the mags too,

 

but for Model Railway news....I know where I always go first ;)

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Andy,

 

thank you for all the work you the moderating team and others who work behind the scenes making RMweb function for us.

 

RMweb serves a different need from the trade magazines, but it's immediacy is highly valuable, as is the opportunity to interactively share information and learn from other enthusiasts.

 

I'm glad the data demonstrates that your efforts are a big success.

 

To answer your question, I would say yes, RMweb is a niche interest, but only because British outline railway modelling is itself a niche interest. For those who model railways with a British outline, RMweb has evolved into a very relevant, interactive communications medium - dare I say even mainstream. It continues to be my first choice for information on the hobby.

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Despite this not being an exact a science

It certainly isn't.

A significant proportion of companies block Google Analyitcs making the javascript it sends out null and void.

So that's me out of the stats ;) for one.

But accepting that I'm an oddity when it comes to using RMWeb (on all day but not at work on night shift) the numbers are still very impressive.

 

As you know I can never quite fathom users in a forum that do not interact at all with it. Sitting on the outside partaking of the vast amount of information here and wealth of experience and knowledge but not participating in what is fundamentally a social medium. I understand the lurker as that is usually a part of a process of evaluation before joining-in.

 

Still, there is no need to justify the existence of RMWeb.

 

What is it now? 12 days before it goes all t!ts up again? ;)

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That's very impressive Andy!

 

It's a far cry from when I first joined where, I reckon, I knew personally or had at least met maybe 60% of the membership!

 

It also shows a huge difference in staus - once ModelRail heavily criticised the 'self appointed experts' on the internet, now the same people behind that are members on here.

 

RMWeb got a plug at the same time.

I suspect a lot of existing members suggest people have a look on here! I've recommended it to all sorts of people; at shows, on station platforms, in the pub, in T3's even!

 

I do, however, wonder how many models haven't been made or completed as a result of people spending time on Rmweb! :lol:

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Andy, (and the Mods) for my tuppence worth, the site is now a well established part of my 'modelling' life.:lol:

 

I get ALL the current modelling mags but the beauty of the site is the access to the unaccesible, ie up to date advice from a (usually) knowledgable readership, up to the min advice re new releases, hints, tips, glitches etc with models, inspiration, etc and updated every day and throughout the day.

 

Stunning layouts and photography (Chris Nevard,) superb modelling (New Street to name but one of very many) good debate and contact with like minded choo choo players like myself.

 

Having been here from the early days, RMWeb has changed, evolved and become what it is today. It has its rightful place in the hobby and I would argue the hobby would be worse off without it

 

.I DONT agree with everything on here (as others will think much of what I write is crap!). I also have little time for 'armchair critics', after all the person who never made a mistake never made anything.:rolleyes: :angry: :rolleyes:

 

But hey, thats all part of what its about.:P

 

I just wish others would take the plunge and join in with the threads etc and add a comment, even if its I dont like this!

 

Like James tho, its all to easy to get tooooooo involved at the expense of ones own projects!

 

Good tho aint it!;)

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I also give tanks to this site

I am on almost every day and several times a day

I live in the south of France and as far as model railways / clubs / mags / shops / shows are concerned

its nowere ville

 

I am in the uk several times each year due to my work and normaly buy all the mags i can find

this site and the people that frequent it are a life blood for me

 

rgds

Mike

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You may be cross wiring 'readership' and 'circulation' here Andy; I spent too many years working in advertising sorting out these things!

 

You suggest 30-40,000 sales/circulation for the magazines, which I suspect is fair.

However, the actual number of people reading each copy may be higher.

Not on a par with womens magazines, which often have 5 or more readers per copy but a, say, 1.2 readers per copy factor for the mags would suggest readership in the 36 to 48,000 range.

 

However, I would like Dutch Master query your 2.5 devices figure.

My instinct would be that most RMweb viewers use one device only.

So, even at a probably generous 1.5 devices, RMweb may be achieving circa 33,000 'readers' per month.

 

But, your core point is correct: RMweb is a serious player in the model railway communications mix.

 

Well done and thanks,

 

Glover

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Watching Google Analytics is addictive, isn't it? :)

 

It is possible to have a website's traffic formally audited (ABCe) if you wish but i have no idea how rigorous the measurement criteria or data needed are.

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I access regularly from 4 different devices (that may be 6 depending on whether using different PCs on the works connection counts).

 

Anyway What I think is that the amount of Rmweb content that has been used in magazine articles in the last couple of years has increased vastly, its almost rare now not to see something in one of the mags every month, I think that shows how far RMweb has come more than site visitors. However the numbers do make good reading dont they. I'm sure you must be very proud Andy and so you should.

 

Regards

 

Dave

 

 

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Excellent news Andy, more power to your elbow.

 

On average I log on once a day, but as your stats prove, on a Sunday I am always logging on! Plus its usually only from the PC as the site is one of many blocked at work :-(

 

As I have said before its a great resource and clearkly wins in the immediacy stakes over the printed media.

 

Thanks for bringing us RMWeb.

 

Regards,

 

PS: I wonder how the other model railway forums fair?

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Guest dilbert

The interesting point about the RMWeb numbers is that there is a base set of numbers that for future months that can be monitered and compared to give some sort of consistent trend (in BD BS language this would enable a true 'oranges-to -oranges' comparison :P).

 

 

How these numbers stack out against the printed press is another matter ... it would be interesting to understand how many unique visitors purchase one or more of the mainstream mags and how this ratio will evolve ? In the current climate what would have go first if it came to the crunch - a mag sub. or an ISP Internet access ? I know what my choice would be.

 

 

Also there are the demographic splits and how forum sponsors sales as a result of the forum compare to that of advertising in the printed press ? (I don't care per se for the actual numbers, but this will have an effect moving forwards)... dilbert

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Comparisons to the printed press may have some use, but I doubt there is a wholly-internet source that sees more traffic (except for a thrice weekly page of limited use, unless you want to read reviews that state how many times a particular model has been released or take part in a monthly quiz with less than unique solutions). Simply, I doubt there is a more popular modellers forum than RMweb.

 

Another interesting comparison would be the percentage of readers who contribute to a magazine on at least an annual basis. I bet the figure for Rmweb is many times higher.

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The pat answer to Andy's question has to be - yes, but a bloomin' great big niche! In French a niche is a dog-kennel, and that kinda fits, because I find I sit on here most of the day, keeping out of Deb's way!

 

As far as relativity to the printed media is concerned, I have just allowed my subscription to Model Railroader to lapse after 25 years. This reflects a change of focus back to UK modelling - so I am a natural candidate for subscribing to one or more of the British monthlies. Having seen a couple of copies of most titles, I am not rushing, though. I think RMWeb - over and above the very enjoyable social side - is providing most of what I need to get back in the swing of UK modelling, and the positivity of most threads is just excellent.

 

That online measuring devices indicate takeup is ahead of Andy's modest projections suggests I am not alone in finding most of what I need right here. Thanks, Mate!

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Another interesting comparison would be the percentage of readers who contribute to a magazine on at least an annual basis. I bet the figure for Rmweb is many times higher.

I think I get the point you are making, but I'm not sure.

 

Even if there were 10 contributed articles (not counting regular staff columns) per magazine issue at say 12 issues per year, 120 contributions from a circulation of 30,000 is really a very small number (0.4%).

 

I'm sure the relative number of people who contribute layout or how-to examples on RMweb (not counting opinion threads) is indeed much higher.

 

Naturally the same rigour isn't applied to posting on RMweb as it is for a magazine article, though many of the modelled works featured are of equal quality.

 

By the way, I greatly admired your Model Railroader contribution.

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This website has just been the best possible tool I could have had for progressing my model railway. Thanks to all the contributors, who give so freely and willingly of their time and knowledge, to help those like me, in need of help from time to time.

 

I remember one Andy York asking me "hey Bob.....do you think a proper Railway Modelling website would be a good idea".......I think I said yes. And look where we are today.

 

Top man Andy......Thankyou,

 

Bob.

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I would like to add my heartfelt thanks to Andy and the mods as RMweb is now part of my life!

I enjoy logging on more or less first thing, with my cuppa while I wake up, I dip in through the day as work allows and I usually have a browse last thing to unwind before bed.

You could say it's sad but I view RMweb as a great source of inspiration, entertainment and generally "partaking" of the hobby with folk around the world - incredible!

And yes, I only use one device - but with many 'tabs' open!

Fingers crossed for the future,

John E.

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I access from at least 2 devices ( er, every day...).

I realised how much this forum had become part of my normal life when I wanted to reply instantly to an article in a magazine and became frustrated there was no Reply button at the end !

 

What's also interesting to compare is to acheive their circulation output of magazines, they rely so much on the advertisers to fund it. I know there are banner adverts on here - I'm surprised there has not been more pro-active marketing or advertising by more of the modelling suppliers. ( or maybe they've tried and Andy's said no).

Stu

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