Political Websites See Traffic Surge, Huffington Post Leads The Way

Portfolio declares, "It's Arianna's election; the rest of us are just watching it."

Internet traffic measuring service comScore released its statistics for September 2008 earlier this week, showing a boom in visitors for websites trafficking in politics and the 2008 election. Here at Huffington Post, we have seen our traffic increase 474% from September 2007, making us the #1 site in comScore's "Stand-Alone Political Blogs & News Sites" category with 4,545,000 unique visitors for the month.

AmericaBlog.com (the #20 political blog/news site for September with 104,000 unique visitors) points out that the Huffington Post's September traffic is roughly equal to that of Politico (#2 at 2.4 million unique visitors) and the Drudge Report (#3 at 2.1 million unique visitors) combined.

Portfolio's Mixed Media asking, "Is an upsurge in liberal sentiment driving the traffic growth to liberal sites? Or do sites like Huffpo and Daily Kos deserve some of the credit (or blame, depending on your point of view) for the current pro-Democratic trend in politics?"

MediaPost notes that not only is the Huffington Post the most-trafficked political news site, it is also among the fastest-growing:

Ranked as the largest political site, The Huffington Post grew more than fivefold to 4.5 million unique visitors in September, compared to 792,000 a year ago. TalkingPointsMemo, run by political blogger Josh Marshall, enjoyed the biggest audience bump, going from just 32,000 to 458,000.

For a total list of comScore's top 20 standalone political sites for September 2008, visit Silicon Alley Insider.

Comments

[marymansour]

Huff Po is to be congratulated. Kudos all around. I've ceased watching television news in mornings. I get my coffee and turn on the computer. I stay with Huff and get the 'real' news - the news that the morning pundits omit because it doesn't flatter MacMoose. I enjoy every aspect of this website, including Green, Entertainment - the whole kit and caboodle. Love ya, Huff!

[jah2008]

I love HuffPo. Rachel Maddow put it best. I've gotten tired of MSM's "faux equivalency" in their reporting for the sake of seeming "unbiased" and "balanced". HuffPo gives me a more complete picture.

As for comments deletion, I think you're doing a good job. You let HuffPost readers voice their opinions without letting them get out of hand.

One area I'd like to see improved is in international news. It seems almost non-existent here.

[David1752]

I love Huffpo. Sometimes I look up and three hours have gone by....

[SeanGardner]

Arianna...your next move should be to get a 24 hour news station. Go in with another person like say, Al Gore, or George Soros, you know, someone with deep pockets.

I want to see that because I believe the squad you have working for you - Linkins, Stein, etc. - is awesome. Plus, I'd like to see a whole new set of pundits and this site has bloggers, great bloggers, who I'd like to see on TV.

I know this is not something you can have, say, the day after the presidential election. But please have this by the time Obama is re-elected in 2012.

Thanks Arianna...you rock!!!

[IllinoisTexan43]

It says a lot about the MSM in America. I have turned my family and friends to HuffPo in order to read about the events that aren't being covered by the MSM. The MSM jumps all over Sen. Biden's gaffe, but says nothing about Palin ranting about Sen. Obama being a communist? We need this site just to remain sane. After Nov. 4th, I implore all of you to push for a return of the Fairness Doctrine and bring the free press back to the people. We DESERVE this!! Thank you, HuffPo, for leading the way.

Obama/Biden08.

[macraw71]

This is the first place I come to read the news. I can admit Huffingtonpost has replaced the Nytimes as my favorite news source. I've turned ten friends who now read this site as much as I do. They love it and call me about stories.

[3dtrix]

Well, Duh! Like America it's great, but it ain't perfect. Now, about those dealetions...

[miamia]

Check here periodically throughout the day.

[tploomis]

My laptop was in the shop for a tune-up recently, and I experienced dreaded withdrawal symptoms (cramps, shakes, nausea) without my HuffingtonPost. Life just felt a whole lot bleaker without being able to immediately find out what was going on. Two days later I had my computer back, and now I can let you know... it wasn't fun being without HuffingtonPost -- no fun at all!

[Bronx56]

I like it here. For the most party the articles, & posts are rational and well thought out. When the occasional icky stuff arises, it is equally fun to engage in equal opportunity ickyness...Thanks Huff Post

[Grace0727]

Huff post is my homepage. I'm addicted to this spot. Huff has breaking News right on time...I love the format. Think I'm ready to start my own blog in here: )

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

HuffPo does a damn good job of getting stories to the masses. The commentaries and bloggers are among the best.

[Nia1999]

My son says i may not know a lot about computer's but I do know how to connect to the huffington post website. What can I say, huffington post keeps me in the mix. A lot of the candidates say they don't listent to the media. But I wonder if they check out huffington post like the resr of us?

[Blk independant]

yeah Im an addict of the HuffingtonPost...

[ginamae]

ditto. my husband thinks i'm crazy. maybe i am. crazy mad and crazy hopeful.

[ladydriver]

My husband: "What are you doing now?"

Me: "Reading."

My husband: "What are you reading?"

Me: "Oh, another article on Huffington Post."

My husband: "Again?"

Me: "Still."

HuffPo has become an addiction for me as well. I like the articles, the comments section, the humor, AND it doesn't hurt that John Cusack posts here from time-to-time. I usually don't make it much past the "politics" section, but, hey, there are only so many hours in a day, and it's just too hard to surf while driving a bus! ;)

Keep up the great work Arianna & Crew!

[Ningnang]

I will proudly admit I am one of them. Thank you HUFF post I am glued and will continue to be...