Ranking websites is an inexact science. There are multiple ways to measure success, including pageviews, users, unique site visitors and, perhaps most important, influence. To create this list of the top conservative sites, PJ Media looked at a variety of sources that rank them and determined the average score for each center-right site. Alexa, SimilarWeb, and Quantcast all look at different data sets, so considering all three helps to present a more complete picture.
Alexa's ranking is based on "a combined measure of Unique Visitors and Pageviews" over a three month period. According to Quantcast, they measure "
We did not include in this ranking websites associated with TV networks or radio shows (Fox News, Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, etc.) and we also excluded websites related to daily print newspapers (New York Post, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, etc.) because we wanted to focus solely on web-based content.
The big winner this year was, not surprisingly, Drudge Report. According to SimilarWeb, Drudge had 157.06M total visits in November. That dwarfs number two Breitbart, which had 82.75M visits. Beyond raw traffic numbers, Drudge has an outsized influence as a top referral source, with some sites on our list getting 10 to 20 percent of their traffic as a result of Drudge links. In fact, for many of the sites on our list, Drudge drives more traffic than Google and Facebook. In some cases, Drudge traffic is more than Google and Facebook combined.
Rounding out the top five are The Daily Caller, Zero Hedge, and newcomer The Daily Wire, the Ben Shapiro-led venture that launched in 2015. PJ Media came in at #13 this year, with 12.59M total visits.
National Review, which staked out an early position as a site critical of Trump, came in at a robust #12, defying predictions that the site's "Never Trump" bent would lead to its demise. The site had 9.25M total visits in November.
And now, the 50 top conservative websites in 2017, based on an average of rankings from Alexa, Quantcast, and SimilarWeb:
Using only SimilarWeb's total visits metric, the top five sites were Drudge Report (157.06M), Breitbart (82.75M), Zero Hedge (50.56M), The Daily Caller (25.33M), and The Daily Wire (23.23M). The list tracks closely with the overall rankings, though there are a few variations.
Based on total visits in November reported at SimilarWeb:
Drudge Report (157.06M)
Breitbart (82.75M)*
Zero Hedge (50.56M)
The Daily Caller (25.33M)
The Daily Wire (23.23M)
Conservative Tribune (18.74M)*
The Blaze (16.32M)
Newsmax (14.79M)
The Week (14.17M)
Washington Examiner (14.09M)
PJ Media (12.59M)
Townhall (10.38M)
National Review (9.25M)
WorldNet Daily (WND) (9.22M)
Independent Journal Review (IJR) (8.17M)*
Twitchy (5.85M)
Free Republic (5.84M)
HotAir (5.69M)
The Federalist (5.61M)*
American Thinker (5.17M)
Reason (4.7M)
The Washington Free Beacon (4.47M)
Lucianne (4.45M)
Newsbusters (4.29M)
RedState (3.85M)*
The Conservative Treehouse (3.76M)
The Federalist Papers (3.64M)
The Weekly Standard (3.21M)
The Western Journal (3.03M)
CNS News (2.86M)
Weasel Zippers (2.72M)
Powerline Blog (2.57M)*
Jihad Watch (2.36)
BizPac Review (2.34M)
The Daily Signal (2.26M)
Bearing Arms (2.07M)
The College Fix (1.86M)
FrontPage Mag (1.66M)
The Right Scoop (1.37M)
The Spectator (1.2M)
Judicial Watch (1.18M)
Conservative Review (1.11M)*
Campus Reform (1.05M)
Cato (1.04M)
American Enterprise Institute (AEI) (930.1K)
Legal Insurrection (909.5K)
OneNewsNow (594.1K)
The Resurgent (371.5K)
Young Cons (249K)*
As noted above, this is an inexact science and the rankings only capture a moment in time (the last 30 days for Quantcast, the previous three months for Alexa, and the month of November for SimilarWeb). But even though the definitions of success vary and the metrics fluctuate monthly often daily these rankings and data sets provide a glimpse of the center-right media landscape as it currently stands.
still arrest people Ba Ba Ba Bucky. Just last two weeks, 4 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. However I no longer wear a uniform, answer calls or even deal with criminal shitbags. It's a great gig and I'm making a second pension from another state. lol
LOL...
Can you divulge the nature of busts? What types of criminality?
I'd rather leave it as a mystery... but the LF family will be happy to know that between early October and first week of December, I worked with other agencies to arrest two officers.
When I retire (for a second time) I'll fill you all in. It's a cool job and I get my authority from the DA.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
How can Free Republic be considered "Conservative" when they've banned me several times? WHILE supporting Jackass-Globalist and 0bama-Supporter, George Dubya Bush UNTIL this past year?
I've got a problem with the definition of "conservative"...(and obviously so too does the media.)
"Conservatives" do NOT get banned for exercising free-speech in support of conservative values and issues. OR for dissing Dubya for his Globalist policies. Or for criticizing and his liberal, pro-abortion Stepford wife. OR for criticizing the phony reasons for the phony Iraq-Afghanistan Wars. Or for merely questioning the "Official" 911 investigation. And for inconveniently pointing out that JR shilled for and supported Dubya's pro-Illegal Invasion policies back in 2005 and joined in demonizing the Minutemen. (oh wait -- ok, THAT will still get you banned there.)
Anyway, isn't it funny that THOSE kinds of Conservatives and reasons for being purged are now normalized and lauded? Better late than never.
DRUDGE (Centrist at best; Leans left.) National Review (NEVER-TRUMPER Central is NOT QUITE "conservative." Red State AEI (Globalist-Firster think-tank) The Weekly Standard (HA!! It's just slightly to the right of WaPo!) The Blaze (Beck is NOT "conservative." Just a co-opted nut
What say you all? There are several hybrid-centrist/closet-left websites on this list masquerading as "conservative" but actually do the bidding of Leftist suspects. And for that reason its writers are most often referred to as "our conservative guest" at Moonbat shows at CNN, MSNBC, CBS, etal.
Are you really gonna trot out this .0000000001% incident as the typical LE confrontation? And supposed retort to GI?
VERY lame. You CAN do better than this, can't you? In the past you weren't so lazy and used to buoy your argument with an actual intellectual rationale and support.
I remember you, Buck, from back in '99 at FR and of course, at LP. You were a very capable debater.
"Fraud"? That's too broad an indictment -- I can also say anyone is a "fraud." What's been "fraudulent" about him? His promise of MAGA? Can you be more specific? He's only been President for 11 months.
And what "part" or role is Trump "trying to play"?? I mean the guy IS President. And doing what Presidents are elected to do (for ALL Americans.) Unless you can cite a policy that isn't and more like King 0bama?
At his core Trump is a NYC Bernie Bro, big government nanny state progressive thug.
You can't possibly prove this hyperbolic charge ad comparison to either Comrade Bernie, Herr Bloomberg, or claim that Trump is either a Prog-Thug OR Nanny-Stater.
I want YOU in your own words to explain what YOU feel. And what you see. You're merely taking someone else's argument/case and subbing it as your own.
Who cares about labels? Or what Trump has said in the past? What matters is what he's been doing as Prez, his vision and accomplishments. This is about an ideology of MAGA.
Remember -- The man still must deal with Globalists, Leftists, Party-People, members of Congress owned by Lobbyists, Saudis, the Homo-Fascists enablers, Muzzie-Enablers, Snowflake-Enablers, the treacherous GOPe, Commie-Dems, the Uni-Party element -- and he's got to get a majority of them to legislate MAGA.
Already the accomplishments of Trump are reversing the Poppy-Clinton-Dubya-0bama NWO trashing and globalizing of the USA. FACT. REALITY. That makes Trump the Real-Deal.
As far as you can see thus far, is Trump making good on his promises to "Make-America-Greater" thus far? Are we in much better shape than a year ago? 8? 16? 24 years? Yes or no?
In your opinion or from what you recall since Clinton's Presidency (or during Poppy/Dubya/0bama respective regimes), were there any policies or agenda that were positive? HELPED America be great? (think about it...Thanks.)
HA! You can't rebuff my post #21 but crawl towards Liberator for comfort and to suck his teat.
"Rebuff" WHAT?? A vid of one very insanely bad cop?? What's that got to do with GI?
Try an actual debate and making your point instead of taking the lazy way out and posting a video.
Me? What do *I* have to do with your beef with GI other than providing a red herring instead of debating whatever fallacious debate "point" you have (other than "GI = Cop = All Evil/Bad Cops.")
Just a few observations. I was surprised to see Zero Hedge at #4. It's mostly a business/finance site although somewhat conservative leaning. They do feature conspiracy theories on occasion. I've posted some of those from that site and it didn't take long for the usual sheep to start their disinformation posts.
Reason at #20 is another one - they are libertarian-leaning but overall conservative. Some posters here (you know who they are) call them leftist but that couldn't be further from the truth.
The College Fix at #32 is a great site to read about leftist shenanigans occurring on campuses, as well as conservative victories.
I agree completely about the pseudo-conservative sites you mentioned. They shouldn't be on this list at all.
Truth is treason in the empire of lies. - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
None of us has the time to peruse all these sites.
Zero Hedge -- yes, I like it for its fearlessness in going where others won't: Shining the light on "CTs" and events where "Official" explanations normally are eschewed and challenged by most others.
Reason -- Hear ya.
The College Fix at #32 -- Now I'll check it out.
Always on the look-out for TRUTH. That means writers and websites that fearlessly attack the implausible, irrational explanations for probable/obvious Black Ops/False Flags and un-official cover-ups of Leftists/Marxist/BLM/Anarchist/NWO activity.
Debating skills are not required with GI. He is a lamer and doesn't know what he unconsciously professes. I have no axe to grind with you Liberator; in fact, I supported you in a few real DEBATES in the past; you may recall those on 4um.
I don't need your rant. Unlike yourself, looking back at this 2017 year, I am cruising this weekend having made more money in my entire career; I have yet to draw on any retirement capability.
It is because of State's rights that the market(s) have done well. A great example is cannabis sativa; its been a good year in the stock market for me.
We did not include in this ranking websites associated with TV networks or radio shows (Fox News, Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, etc.) and we also excluded websites related to daily print newspapers (New York Post, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, etc.) because we wanted to focus solely on web-based content.
Also,there were no such web sites to mention.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Notice that they didn't make the first list at all. But if they were the #1 or #2 on the second list, then the average of the three rankings could make them #17 on the second list.
I guess that is what caught my eye. And we did used have one of these ranking lists every year or two back at LP so I decided to post one here to see if there was any interest or any real surprises. I notice some crapsites get more traffic than much better news sites if these rankings really are anywhere close to accurate.
OTOH, this listicle came from PJMedia so...you know.