total users

Last week, we looked at recent numbers on stories that readers had been following on our website and on social media.

This week, we take a look at a year-end roundup — the full year of the Rogue Valley Times’ existence since it launched online Feb. 6, 2023. These numbers are complied by EO Media Group’s Audience Engagement Editor Julia Moore, who — luckily for us — works in Medford but also helps all of EO Media’s websites in Oregon and southwest Washington state when she’s in her remote office.

The highlights include: 

• Most read story overall: America’s most crucial waterway is drying out (79,999 views, 78,391 users) Note: This was a wire story about the Mississippi River that was likely shared online with a Times host URL.
• Most read local story: Search and rescue activated as Medford doctor remains missing (30,547 views, 25,047 users)
• Most engaging social post: Skirmish leaves South Medford, Jefferson game ‘under review’ (13,800 link clicks) 
• Most talked about social post: People on the street: New Medford bike lanes are a love-hate relationship (1,000+ comments)
• Most shared social post: Snow closes road at Crater Lake National Park (512 shares)
• From zero to more than 7,600 Facebook followers, RVT has a combined total of 9,542 social media followers across three platforms. 

We may have started small online in our first month of operation, but you can see below that the Times quickly gained steam and captured a growing audience as we went through the year.

There are other numbers, too, including our Top 10 local stories, which were:

1. Search and rescue activated as Medford doctor remains missing (30,547 views, 25,047 users)
2. Police investigate patient death at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center (28,067 views, 21,222 users)
3. Skirmish leaves South Medford, Jefferson game ‘under review’ (22,698 views, 18,384 users)
4. City officials put Medford library on notice (20,259 views, 15,195 users)
5. Sheriff’s office: Still no leads in search for missing Medford doctor (16,620 views, 11,714 users)
6. THE DEATH OF BOBBIE KOLADA, Part 1: ‘Did somebody do this to her?’ (16,415 views, 10,740 users)
7. The old Yellow Basket drive-in restaurant in Central Point will become second Skout location (15,184 views, 11,383 users)
8. Gold Hill man says he’s not crying wolf after attack (13,843 views, 11,923 users)
9. Local dad killed in fall while trying to save boys (12,771 views, 10,553 users)
10. ‘It’s all about salmon’: Klamath River’s nearly century-old Copco 2 dam is history (12,694 views, 11,168 users)

And here are our Top 10 Facebook posts:

1. Skirmish leaves South Medford, Jefferson game ‘under review’ (338 simple, 13,800 link clicks, 10.6% social engagement rate) 
2. The old Yellow Basket drive-in restaurant in Central Point will become second Skout location (2,319 simple, 10,400 link clicks, 9.3% social engagement rate)
3. New Crater Lake tour boats arrive Monday — by air (3,034 simple, 9,714 link clicks, 4.8% social engagement rate)
4. Dutch Bros will sell $300 million in stock to pay down debt (1,009 simple, 4,536 link clicks, 9.5% social engagement rate)
5. UPDATE: ‘Dallas’ star Patrick Duffy’s $11M Eagle Point ranch auctioned off at $5.75M (1,122 simple, 6,672 link clicks, 8.4% social engagement rate)
6. Dutch Bros founder’s son pays back day-trading profits (499 simple, 5,779 link clicks, 12% social engagement rate)
7. Male wolf struck, killed by vehicle 30 miles north of Crater Lake (3,402 simple, 2,978 link clicks, 7.2% social engagement rate)
8. Another wolf that might be unwary of humans spotted near Crater Lake (3,040 simple, 5,057 link clicks, 7.5% social engagement rate)
9. ‘We’re obviously happy’: Amazon distribution center planned for Central Point (1,067 simple, 4,016 link clicks, 7.0% social engagement rate)
10. ‘It’s all about salmon’: Klamath River’s nearly century-old Copco 2 dam is history (3,655 simple, 3,906 link clicks, 5.5% social engagement rate)

— Troy Heie, editor