This bar chart shows the annual daily average Wikipedia page views for Genealogy since 2016. There was a gradual increase from 2016 to 2019, then a hit in 2020 and 2021, with a rebound in 2022 (so far).
I’ve more questions than answers! Was the initial increase due to more resources coming online, with genealogy a COVID-19 victim?
In 2019 there were two days with more than 1,000-page counts, 16-17 October 2019. The only other days since 2017 with more than 1,000 visits were 15 February and 19 October 2017. What accounts for the peaks?
Rootstech in London, the best genealogy show I ever attended, came shortly after the October peak. Is there a link? Online genealogy resources were enhanced during the pandemic, with free access to Ancestry through many public libraries, and relaxation of other price barriers. In-person meetings could not be held. Could that lack of in-person events account for the dip, and the recovery, or some of it?
These statistics were produced using Search Gizmos by the amazing Tara Calishain of Research Buzz, one of my daily go to resources.
Lockdown effects? Cheers, BT