Why acquisition is a big priority...

[TrickJarrett]

I don't know if any of you are familiar with Google Web Trends and what information it provides, but this is a pretty visual explanation as to why Wizards is shifting gears in an effort to re-ignite the base of the game.

Google Web Trends for 'magic the gathering'

I'm going to write an article about it for mananation next week.

-- Trick

[gleemax]

Yeah that's a downward trend, but what does this mean exactly? Is this saying that less people are reading the tournament related articles? Please explain and bring lifre back to this board.

[Reindeercards]

All I see from that is that there are fewer new Magic-related websites which are worth using a search engine to find.

Besides that, Google is not my search engine of choice.

[gleemax]

Reindeer makes a good point. Not so much the search engine thing since I think he's the minority that doesn't use google, but this might not be due to newer players not seaching for Magic websites, it might be due to newer players being more computer savy and simply typing in the correct URL. The downward trend of the google search could also mean that the main Magic website has gotten it's name out. In addition, since the main magic website has a list of FNM for you, thers less searching of "Magic the Gathering Events in New Jersey" etc.

[Reindeercards]

"Starcity" shows fairly steady

http://www.google.com/trends?q=starcity&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

"Wizards of the Coast" shows steady downward trend

http://www.google.com/trends?q=wizards+of+the+coast&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

Of course, any time someone adds a site to their favorites, they quit using search engines to find it.

[MagicRage]

But new players should be searching for it, as should parents or whomever that deciedes they want to check out this "magic" thing their child/friend/etc is into.

[mercenarybdu]

magic the gathering is the second all time most search item under the term magic on a search engine. Since the main mtg site has been advertised through the latest products that could be bought anywhere, the tilt in internet listings has dropped to equilibrium with the ads that the company has been including into the current products bringing it back to the old method of trying to get the word out about the product.

Wizards used to do this in the past when the net wasn't around then during the dotcom boom they followed the trend into the net. Then when the housing boom went bust and the people were using less of the net to find stuff they went back to the old method.

It's has to do with trends overall.