Rate of return for views of a post
 

Just as a random exercise, I took the top 26 viewed posts in this 'Find a Third' forum and matched up their response rate. Here's what I got:

• 314 19616 1.60%
• 635 16608 3.82%
• 242 10255 2.36%
• 183 8124 2.25%
• 276 8092 3.41%
• 417 7625 5.47%
• 331 5959 5.55%
• 32 4902 0.65%
• 131 4447 2.95%
• 244 3917 6.23%
• 58 3688 1.57%
• 114 3426 3.33%
• 82 3354 2.44%
• 57 2776 2.05%
• 26 2698 0.96%
• 19 2515 0.76%
• 17 2249 0.76%
• 16 2042 0.78%
• 13 1936 0.67%
• 59 1798 3.28%
• 34 1774 1.92%
• 2 1710 0.12%
• 103 1575 6.54%
• 44 1571 2.80%
• 6 1440 0.42%
• 32 1423 2.25%

Totals:
3487 125520 2.78% ← Average response rate

So on average, a post looking for a third only converts about 3% of it's views to responses.

that doesnt take into account private messages. which alot of people do.

it doesn't take into account anything other than the responses to a post. i'm sure people are private messaging or facebooking or any other kinds of contact - especially since people will post other ways to contact them in the original post.

i only did this because i wanted a distraction for a minute at work. in general i've wondered about the return rate across boards, facebook, twitter, etc. so since i had a minute i checked this one. not a great example to be sure.

but it's interesting to me that even in any given forum the response rate seems incredibly low compared to actual views. perhaps a site like reddit is the exception - although it would be interesting to know how many posts there never gain any traction either.

Even lower if you run the number of rides that happen. I've offered three over the years and they never happen.. Part of it is on me, I have a"dynamic" schedule and part of it is that it is hard to work someone new in. I often either fill the boat or have someone bail at the last minute. This is still fun and a way to know who is riding where. I have PMed folks to flag me down if they see me on the lake. That has happened once. They got a beer at the lake house out of it :)

SD2