Finding the WW&F on Facebook

[Mike Fox]

Interesting break down Ed. How does that chart relate in numbers? Obviously the US has the most, but how many views in Germany? And can you tell if these views are from different viewers or just the times watched?

[Ed Lecuyer]

Attached is the same chart with the number of viewers (assumed to be unique) who watched 3 seconds or more of the video.
Total reach (number of views) of the "Blow Down" video is now at 104,039.

Since the "Blow Down" video went live on 5/6/2021, we've gained 700 new followers.

By way of comparison, here is the updated list of the 5 most liked railroad attractions in northern New England, according to Facebook:
#52,680 - Clark's Trained Bears (aka Clark's Trading Post) [1% increase]
#31,531 - Conway Scenic Railroad [8% increase]
#30,202 - Mt. Washington Cog Railway [4% increase]
#14,784 - Maine Narrow Gauge [18% increase]
#13,876 - WW&F  [12% increase]
Then EVERYONE ELSE!

FYI, MNG staff now regularly "boosts" (pay to promote) posts each week to increase viewership and likes. We do selected boosting only for key posts and events. The "blow down" video was not boosted or cross-posted, it went viral completely organically!

[Mike Fox]

Thanks Ed. Great numbers.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The FB posts over the last 30 days have been filled with updates on projects such as the engine house foundation, coach 9 build and progress with engine 11. Combine that news with photo albums of special events like: (1) steaming together with three engines in service (2) Dynamo Productions, a special B&SR day and (3) the annual picnic with a double headed train from M.P. 8 to Sheepscot and you have the perfect storm of news photos and information. 

The other service the WW&F FB page provides is promotion of up-coming events which have been very popular this Summer.  Most trains have sold out which proves that the quality of the event (many shared with SeaLyon Farm) and the friendly way our volunteers interact with visitors keep families coming back to Sheepscot. 

Many thanks to everyone who works hard (many behind the scenes) to make the WW&F Railway a success, your dedication has contributed to page viewership in the last 30 days of 306,623.   

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hats off for the tireless commited fb team. And thank you so much again for letting the farway crowd know about all the minor and major countless events that come about on the narrowgauge on a day to day basis. For almost 4 years I have greatly appreciated all your nice well framed pictures and their comprehensive captions that make it possibfe for  me  to follow you closely from over the Atlantic.

[Ed Lecuyer]

Our Facebook following continues to grow.

On Jan 3rd, we posted a video of the annual picnic double-header coming up the mountain extension. Somehow, it went viral; it reached over 2 MILLION people!

What does a viral video do your overall Facebook statistics? It boosts visitors by 10 TIMES. Moreover, nearly every post since then has reached 10,000 - 20,000 people. And we're averaging 20-30 new page "likes" every day! (We're now up to 16,487 likes.)

Thanks to everyone who makes our FB page so popular.

[Mike Fox]

Wow. 2 Million. Imagine if you will if each viewer gave $1...

[Ted Miles]

Folks,
         as you can see by my comments and the responses; I have been enjoying those pictures. With my limited eyesight, I can't do anything with photography, so I enjoy it when others do!
Please continue them into the spring and the summer!

Ted Miles Life Member, Built 11 Contributor

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The Mountain Extension news along with other updates have been popular with our FB followers over the last 30 days.  Here are some numbers from the page as of today:

* Video of the delivery of engine 53 reached 93,960 people.

* The "first test of the Trout Brook turntable" video reached 750,896 people.

* General news posts which include the build engine 11 project and coach 9 updates have helped the WW&F page reach 3,282,629 people.

[Mike Fox]

3 Million? Wow. Now if only they would each donate $1...

[Ed Lecuyer]

The viral videos and posts keep coming from the Facebook team:

5/19: Video of the First test of the Trout Brook Turntable - 2.9 MILLION people reached!
5/20: Photos of first trains to Trout Brook station - 10,500 people reached.
5/29: Photo of RC4 at Albion - 19,500 people reached.
6/2: Progress report on Coach 9 project - 19,500 people reached.
6/7: Marketing post promoting "Ride the Rails to Hike the Trails" - 13,700 people reached.
6/9: Photos building locomotive 11 - 10,200 people reached.
6/23: Photo of first locomotive (52) on Trout Brook turntable - 14,000 people reached.
7/7: Progress report on Coach 9 project - 18,200 people reached.
7/14: Progress photos at Trout Brook station - 10,100 people reached.
7/24: Photo of 9 crossing Trout Brook bridge - 14,800 people reached.
7/27: Video of 9 on the Trout Brook turntable - 1.7 MILLION people reached!
7/31: Photos of 9 on the Trout Brook turntable - 17,700 people reached.


We also have amassed a following of over 18,550 page likes. (That's 2000 new page likes over the last 6 months.)

To put that in perspective:
We are by far the most "liked" all-volunteer railroad museum in New England, possibly the US.
We are more "liked" than nearly all other railroad attractions in northern New England - the only exceptions being Conway Scenic, the Mt. Washington Cog, and the Downeaster. At our rate of growth, I expect we will be more "liked" than the Downeaster sometime in 2023. (Catching the other two is going to take some doing.)


This matters a great deal to the success of our railroad. Most of our visitors hear about us via Facebook. Our progress is monitored (and in many cases envied) by our peers all over the US. New volunteers are finding us and signing up for work sessions - some even become regulars!

I'm proud to play a (small) part in the Facebook team. Be sure to thank Stewart and Steve P. for all their hard work in spreading the word about the WW&F across the globe.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Way to go Facebook Team! Keep up the great work.
Dave

[James Patten]

Looks like video is the way to go to reach many more people.

[Benjamin Richards]

I wonder if the video autoplay thing has something to do with that disparity.

It would be interesting to see the viewership breakdown by country. As a certain webcomic creator puts it, "If your TV signals are getting to another star, you're wasting money. Powering a transmitter is expensive, and creatures on other stars aren't buying the products in the TV commercials that pay your power bill."

If those posts aren't boosted, the analogy doesn't quite hold, but the sentiment is still true.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

You guys rock ! . Your great pics and videos and their itemized captions really keep on a day to day basis your far away members and friends in the loop of the tasks you carry out all year long on the railway and God knows they are many of them in the shop and on the line. No wonder that WW&F fb page makes it big. It's all due to you  that I joined the organization and especially for your  fast and kind answers to my many questions on Messenger.