Website decrease in traffic on Holidays?

Drake83 Level 1

May 28, 2016, 4:13 pm

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Website decrease in traffic on Holidays?

As it is Memorial Day weekend, my website traffic has decreased (starting yesterday). I've recorded the traffic for every major holiday for four years now and the same thing happens: traffic decreases. It isn't concerning to me since I've recorded it in the past and know that it is expected. I record it in Evernote by the year and holiday vs. average stats for the days prior.

I'm curious if other people see traffic decreasing on holidays? Is it a global event (global meaning for every site that targets the demographic of the holiday)? I wonder if the big sites like Google and Facebook see traffic fluctuations during holiday periods when people are off work, outside and doing other things besides being online?

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TommyCarey

TommyCarey

Oh yeah, this is a normal trend except for gift buying holidays like Christmas and Valentines Day (if you're in that niche).

My traffic always drops around the holidays and I assume it's because a lot of people are traveling and not online looking to buy stuff. It usually starts a week prior to the holiday and stops either the night of the holiday or the next day.

I actually know a few people who have holiday specific websites that they sell shirts for. Their websites are dedicated to a single holiday and they leave them up all year round. They will work on them in order to be ranked prior to the holiday so that when it does come around, their sales spike. And with all the apps and plugins now it's pretty easy to just upload your designs and dropship your shirts

They print everything themselves and cut out the middle man, but it's an easy dropship business to set up if you're dedicated and don't need sales asap.

I target a global market and still see a drop in sales of at least 30% around every holiday. I'll see a random drop in sales for a week and most of the time it's because of a different county having a big holiday that I'm not aware of.

Holidays can get a god send or someones worse nightmare

Thanks,

Razzy

9 years ago

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robertman11

robertman11

30% seems about right. During Christmas week it feels more like 80% though, lol. What is your worst holiday for website traffic and orders?

9 years ago

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augusta

augusta

it a normal thing and should be expected. Even offline the same happens because people will be travelling and getting themselves to do other things apart from being online.

7 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

Over here people are occupied with the activities of the holidays particularly the holiday season or Christmas season which starts by December 16 and ends on the first week of January. That’s a pretty long period for festivities but that is part of our tradition and culture. In those instances you cannot expect people to be on the computer. I guess even freelancers take their vacation during the holiday season.

6 years ago

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MasterA

MasterA

My website experiences a decline in traffic during holiday too and that is kind of normal because people are out and about so they won’t be on my website. I am not too concerned about it and it seems normal. However, I think there are ways to get around this. Google has been putting more emphasis on mobile friendly websites and apps for rankings and I think this is key to this topic. Nowadays, everyone on the streets is on their mobile phones and if your website has a mobile app, then during holidays, you will probably not lose much traffic as people can still access your website easily using your app. I believe this is the reason why Google is putting more emphasis on apps and mobile friendly websites for rankings. People won’t be on their computers all the time but they will be on their phone. Therefore, I think 2016 is a year to focus on the mobile side to boost your rankings. Websites like Facebook and Google probably still has a very high volume of traffic due to the Facebook app and Google being user friendly on mobiles.

12% of my users use mobile phones or tablets to access my website and this shows that I get a decent amount of traffic from mobile users.

9 years ago

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EliteWriter

EliteWriter

Yes, I agree with Razzy on the fact that holidays can prove to be a godsend for some businesses, and a huge disadvantage for most others. However they are a part of life, and it is to be expected that people go on holiday during the summer months, or go out to enjoy an off day. I agree that mobile devices can help nowadays, as a site that is mobile friendly can still be accessed from a smartphone or a tablet when one is not at home. However they may help slightly, not solve the problem on fewer people accessing a site on certain days. Some businesses could consider offering special rates, promotions, discounts, or even come up with products or services that could complement or be of use for that particular holiday. In such a way traffic could still be satisfactory.

9 years ago

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Barida

Barida

I agree with you on this considering these are those periods that many people are really having fun and don't have time to really go on the internet to research and interact with other people. I for once even stay offline whenever I travel to the village considering the fact that there is no network in my village.

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

I think that it is to be expected because people are out enjoying their families and the last thing that they want to do is be browsing the internet. And I also think that traffic slows down in the summertime too because people would rather be outdoors than sitting on a computer. And I think that if you make a living off the internet you should prepare for the slow times and not be caught off-guard.

7 years ago

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mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

It is normal. People use holidays to visit relatives, friends, relax and even go for vacation. It is hard to find people on their desktop or visiting sites on holidays unless it is part of their daily routine.

7 years ago

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TimothyAlex

TimothyAlex

This is true even with brick-and-mortar businesses that are not retail. It comes down to priorities. So, everything else gets put on the backburner.

7 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

It is a given that holidays take away the people from the internet because of the occasion that has parties, gatherings and all kinds of festivities. For sure, you will be excited with the exchange gift or the buffet table so why would you stick to the internet? But after the occasion, expect a surge in attendance since those absent on the previous day will be working double time to catch up with the lost time.

7 years ago

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