Twitter photos on Flickr

To do so, Pew looked at the top 25 most popular news sites in the United States and explored audience behavior in a few main categories: how people get to news sites, how long they stay, how much they explore the site, and where they go when they leave. Pew’s statistics were provided by Nielsen.

A surprising finding is just how insignificant Twitter is in driving traffic back to news sites.

“Of the top 21 sites for which there were data,” the report’s authors write, “Twitter showed up as referring links to just nine. And for all but one of those nine, Twitter sent only about 1% of total traffic.”

This isn’t to say that Twitter itself is insignificant. Only that as a linking — or shared bookmarking — ecosystem, publishers have better options elsewhere if they want to drive traffic back to their sites. Among them, the usual suspects: Google and Facebook. Also among them is the original social tool: email.

twitter by Dave Webster

1

Perspective is key! #IgniteWhereYouGo #LPCIgnite #getignited https://t.co/zH45FKqhfj by Ignite Academy

1

via Twitter twitter.com/IgniteReps

@instagram_JKT48 : [STORIES] From jkt48beby: https://t.co/nOteLkcVTl by frzgoo frzgoo

@instagram_JKT48 : [STORIES] From jkt48beby: t.co/nOteLkcVTl (via Twitter twitter.com/instagram_JKT48/status/1001137117622255616)

I found some giant Love Hearts by Steve Berry

And I'm going to eat them all myself

auf dem Partytower, auf's Feuerwerk wartend. #Laternenfest by Christian Schock

Posted by twitter.com/cschock

1937 Mercedes-Benz M-540K https://t.co/NKruw1f0YD by Endless Loop

1

1937 Mercedes-Benz M-540K t.co/NKruw1f0YD (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/974868174805065730)

twitter_557 by Tenshi Akuma

Pussy cat doll or random baby next to pussy cat doll. U decide by TheMega

Posted by twitter.com/udothedishes

Twitter World by Felipe Augusto

1

FOTO: Recuerdo del PISCINAZO en el @campodecebada, mira esto: http://bit.ly/pTGgLt by Stéphane M. Grueso

Posted by twitter.com/fanetin

https://t.co/lZiJEjyfWr by Endless Loop

1

t.co/lZiJEjyfWr (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/988027841303531521)

Twittpalma 16 by David Martín :: Suki_ ::

1

Relato de la Twittpalma 16

Nice twitter exchange by Nomadic Mark

4

Servicio Familiar @CasaRocaCali : El ideal más grande de la vida Parte 2 #sketchnotes http://t.co/PvhPuIdAnG by Oscar Campo

1

via Twitter ift.tt/1aBZzlv

mailart_rcvd2009_christinielsen.jpg by Michael Sorgatz

1

Twitter MailArt postcard from @christinielsenn

photo with reflective material, stripes have written text (vertical)

https://t.co/j9uXfDS6Il by Endless Loop

t.co/j9uXfDS6Il (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/985495697595224064)

twitterbird by Amsterdam Museum

https://t.co/8A74BwIqJ9 by Endless Loop

t.co/8A74BwIqJ9 (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/862542205034135552)

Twitter by Mr Tom

8

Mrs Emily's not feeling very well so Mr Fox and Mrs PB are a little preoccupied. They're not even sure whether they're going to be able to take a photograph this evening.

But all is not lost! That's because Mr Fox and Mrs PB, always with the times, are now fully fledged members of twitter!

twitter.com/mrspolarbear

twitter.com/mrfoxEngineer

Mr Shaun's a member too;

twitter.com/MrShaunSheep

Happy tweeting!

twitter by No, I dont wanna love If it’s not you ~Emily~

1

ok @1DerfulJBros is now @iJoBromanceNJK, @ThePlobnrgKevin is now @GiveKevinJLove, @TheKenielleTeam is now @Keniellers and also my instagram username changed to...idk lol i'll check later....its morning ok!

by Edouard Boubat https://t.co/eP22NsdF1v by Endless Loop

1

by Edouard Boubat t.co/eP22NsdF1v (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/847033010130223104)

https://t.co/TyOGP9b9NH by Endless Loop

2

t.co/TyOGP9b9NH (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/894971337340575746)

https://t.co/gqPRAKYgBJ by Endless Loop

2

t.co/gqPRAKYgBJ (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/928328361197400064)

Twitter by houman001

武庫之荘陶芸教室スペースの藤下先生作のクリスマスプレート。かわゆい。 by Kei Noma

Posted by twitter.com/roomin_noma

BFL pumpkin. Great job Dread naught! by cachemania

----

twitter.com/cachemania

Which do you say?!? I am a Pine Knob sayer for sure #PineKnob #DTE #Michigan #concert https://t.co/rDWd4rZN5k by Liza Foelsche

Which do you say?!? I am a Pine Knob sayer for sure #PineKnob #DTE #Michigan #concert t.co/rDWd4rZN5k (via Twitter twitter.com/Livnfresh/status/824795986610573312)

https://t.co/SyPUGTwbBR by Endless Loop

1

t.co/SyPUGTwbBR (via Twitter twitter.com/zeninsidezen/status/875228205266894857)

@EarthPix : RT @OutOfWild: The Majestic Life Of Cecil The Lion In Pictures http://t.co/Ak6t8eO7Mw by Raymond Bandril

1

@EarthPix : RT @OutOfWild: The Majestic Life Of Cecil The Lion In Pictures t.co/Ak6t8eO7Mw (via Twitter twitter.com/EarthPix/status/627180664933191680)

7 by M S