RationalWiki and Google referral traffic
RationalWiki.org is a politically left leaning, wiki website that skews towards atheism/agnosticism in terms of its worldview. See also: RationalWiki and web traffic
RationalWiki and loss of Google referral web traffic since 2013
See also: Internet atheism and RationalWiki.org: May 2020 to May 2022 loss of Google traffic and the loss of the strength of backlink strength relative to other websites from 2-15-2022 to 5-15-2022
SEMRush.com data on RationalWiki and Google referral traffic
In addition, according to SEMRush, RationalWiki dropped from a 66 domain authority score on October 21, 2023 to a 44 domain authority score on September, 2025. Domains with low domain scores typically have less traffic, less authoritative websites linking to them and more lower quality websites linking to them.
Google uses over 200 factors to evaluate the quality and the relevance of a website to various topics.
In addition, according to SEMRush, RationalWiki dropped from a 66 domain authority score on October 21, 2023 to a 43 domain authority score on June 30, 2023. Domains with low domain scores typically have less traffic, less authoritative websites linking to them and more lower quality websites linking to them.
Google uses over 200 factors to evaluate the quality and the relevance of a website to various topics.
In November 2020, RationalWiki.org was receiving 413,529 web visits a month according to SEMRush.com. On October 21, 2022, RationalWiki.org received 152,236 web visits in the last 30 days according to SEMRush.com. Google referral traffic is commonly referred to as organic traffic by web marketing professionals.
Google uses over 200 factors to evaluate the quality and the relevance of a website to various topics.
Ahrefs.com data on RationalWiki and Google referral traffic
See also: Internet atheism and the coronavirus pandemic
Google uses over 200 factors to evaluate the quality and the relevance of a website to various topics.
Specifically, according to Ahrefs.com, on August 10, 2022, the website RationalWiki was receiving 240,713 monthly referral web visits by Google. By October 3, 2022, RationalWiki.org was merely receiving 131,083 monthly referral web visits by Google.
Google uses over 200 factors to evaluate the quality and the relevance of a website to various topics.
RationalWiki gets far less Google referral traffic than in the past
See also: Internet atheism
As you can see in the above graph, Google has downgraded its estimation of RationalWiki in terms of the quality of its website and RationalWiki is getting less Google traffic (Please click the graphic above to enlarge it).
Key point: If you click on the graphic below, you will see that RationalWiki was receiving 300,000+ monthly referral visits from Google desktop computer users in April 2021. So RationalWiki lost a large amount of its Google referral traffic in 2021. Specifically, RationalWiki lost 115,000 Google monthly referral visits from Google desktop computer users from April 2021 to December 2021.
Worldwide Google searches for the search term "RationalWiki"
See also: RationalWiki and its branding problems and Google trends - Atheism and agnosticism terms
As can be seen below, the number of brand searches for the term "RationalWiki" is on a downward trend.
Google searches for the term "RationalWiki" from 2007 to February 6, 2022 in the United States
As you can see in the above graph, as far as the United States, the number of searches for the term RationWiki at Google is much lower than its peak in May of 2015.
RationalWiki.org: Referring domains and other websites delinking to RationalWiki
While the quality and quantity of a website play a part in a website's Google rankings for its various keywords, so do the quality and quantity of its backlinks.
On May 23, 2022 there were 22,132 websites linking to RationalWiki according to Ahref.com. But by November 7, 2022, there were 21,327 websites linking to RationalWiki.org.
A website that has the interest and trust of the public has a steady inbound link growth from other websites.
According to LinkResearchTool.com: "Link Velocity describes the speed of link growth to a page or domain. Link Velocity can be measured in new links per month or new linking root domains per month."[1]
In addition, according to Link Research Tools: "A very negative link velocity trend (LVT) means that the web has lost interest in the page or domain."[2]
On July 17, 2021, according to Link Research Tools, RationalWiki.org had a -35% negative link velocity trend which is a very steep loss of domains linking to the website.
Link Research Tools is the Cadilac of link research tools in terms of showing websites: number of backlinks, number of referring backlink domains, quality of links linking to a website, competitor link data, link building opportunities, toxic backlinks, etc. It is also one of the most expensive backlink tools to use. It is more expensive than some of its competitors such as Ahrefs.com and SEMRush.com.
1,300+ websites delinked from RationalWiki.org from May of 2021 to July 15, 2021
Semrush offers solutions for SEO, PPC, content, social media and competitive research. Semrush is trusted by over 7,000,000 marketers worldwide.
In May of 2021, there were 22,394 domains linking to RationalWiki.org according to Semrush.
On July 15, 2021, there were 21,090 domains linking to RationalWiki.org according to Semrush.
From May of 2021 to July 15, 2021, RationalWiki lost 1,304 domains linking to it.
That's about a loss of 1,300+ websites linking to RationalWiki.org in a few months.
Two of the leading website marketing analytics websites indicate that the link velocity rate of RationalWiki is negative, not positive (SEMRush and Link Research Tools).
According to Link Research Tools: "A very negative link velocity trend (LVT) means that the web has lost interest in the page or domain."[3]
SimilarWeb.com indicates RationalWiki lost traffic in 2021 and that it is currently losing web traffic.[4]
In May of 2021, there were 22,394 domains linking to RationalWiki.org according to Semrush.
On July 15, 2021, there were 21,090 domains linking to RationalWiki.org according to Semrush.
From May of 2021 to June 15, 2021, RationalWiki lost 1,304 domains linking to it.
RationalWiki.org has a negative link velocity. When a website loses interest with the online public, it often has a negative link velocity. A negative link velocity means that the number
According to LinkResearchTool.com: "Link Velocity describes the speed of link growth to a page or domain. Link Velocity can be measured in new links per month or new linking root domains per month."[5]
In addition, according to Link Research Tools: "A very negative link velocity trend (LVT) means that the web has lost interest in the page or domain."[6]
On July 17, 2021, according to Link Research Tools, RationalWiki.org had a -35% negative link velocity trend which is a very steep loss of domains linking to the website.
In December of 2021, RationalWiki was experiencing a high negative link velocity
Websites that compete with RationalWiki for Google referral traffic according to the web marketing website Ahrefs.com
Kiwifarms.net which is the second biggest organic traffic competitor of RationalWiki is being partly hosted in Ukraine subsequent to activists and tech firms trying to ban it
On September 19, 2022, The Guardian published the article It’s not that hard’: Does kicking Kiwi Farms off the internet prove tech firms can act against hate speech? which stated:
| “ | As the internet continues to evolve from its earlier days as an unregulated wild west, the big debates about what people should be allowed to see and do online has shifted away from major platforms like Facebook, Google and Twitter to focus on the actions of a small group of tech companies.
These service providers operate under the radar to keep the engine of the internet running without the fanfare of their more recognisable counterparts. But for activists interested in eradicating toxic hate speech and harassment online, they have become the latest targets in an ongoing campaign. Last week, the roving spotlight landed on a new player called Diamwall. Open to the public for only a month, the Portugal-based content delivery network (CDN) provider, which filters website traffic and blocks malicious requests, had been engaged by the notorious trolling and doxing website Kiwi Farms after it was dropped by its previous provider, Cloudflare. It wasn’t long before Diamwall’s CEO, Hugo Carvalho, was explaining his decision to do the same in a blog post on the company website:
In August, users of the site targeted Canadian Twitch streamer and trans activist Clara Sorrenti, who fled Canada after Kiwi Farms users called in a fake bomb threat at her home and police turned up to her house. The Kiwi Farms trolls subsequently tracked her around the globe to continue their harassment. The big tech platforms by now have stringent content moderation practices to prevent the proliferation of this kind of online behaviour, but as a standalone website Kiwi Farms is beyond their reach. Instead of pleading her case to a regulatory body that doesn’t really exist, Sorrenti used her large online following to turn the tables, starting a “Drop Kiwi Farms” movement to get the site kicked off the internet by targeting the companies that kept them operational.[7] |
” |
As can be seen below, the KiwiFarms website is being hosted by four companies - one of which is based in Ukraine.
Kiwifarms.net which is the second biggest organic traffic competitor of RationalWiki is being partly hosted in Ukraine. Specifically, Kiwifarms.net is hosted by the Ukrainian company FOP Smirnov V'yacheslav Valentunovuch. RationalWiki is very pro-Ukraine when it comes to the war in Ukraine.
According to Wikipedia, a website founded by an atheist and agnostic: "Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults is legal in Ukraine, but prevailing social attitudes are often intolerant of LGBT people, and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for any of the same legal protections and recognition available to opposite-sex couples...Most Ukrainians affiliate with the Eastern Orthodox Church, which has a significant influence on the perception by society of members of the LGBT community. The Orthodox Church has opposed LGBT events and groups, often in the name of "combatting immorality", and has even encouraged violent attacks. As such, many LGBT people in Ukraine report feeling the need to lie about their true sexual orientation or gender identity in order to avoid being a target of discrimination or violent harassment."[8]
See also
- Internet atheism
- Internet evangelism: Christians vs. atheists
- Internet evangelism
- Decline of the atheist movement
- Decline of the secular left
- SJW atheists
References
- ↑ Link Velocity Trends (LVT)
- ↑ What are typical uses of Link Velocity Trends?, Link Research Tools website
- ↑ What are typical uses of Link Velocity Trends?, Link Research Tools website
- ↑ SimilarWeb.com - RationalWiki
- ↑ Link Velocity Trends (LVT)
- ↑ What are typical uses of Link Velocity Trends?, Link Research Tools website
- ↑ It’s not that hard’: Does kicking Kiwi Farms off the internet prove tech firms can act against hate speech?
- ↑ LGBT rights in Ukraine - Wikipedia