Hiiraan Online
One of the most-read Somali news portals worldwide.
Hiiraan Online at a glance
Hiiraan Online is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Somalia, currently ranked #1 in the country. It was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Mogadishu, Somalia. Today Hiiraan Online is owned by Hiiraan Online. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 3.5 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising. Its closest rivals include garoweonline.com, shabelle.net.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 3.3 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 3.4 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 3.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 3.7 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Somalia, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Somalia86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 1.1 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Somalia
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| hiiraan online | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Somalia web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Somalia
Company information
- Website
- hiiraan.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Hiiraan Online
- Owner type
- Private media company
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Mogadishu, Somalia
- Employees
- 10-50
- Ownership
- Hiiraan Online controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- Somali, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Private media company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Hiiraan Online operates a news and media publisher focused on Somalia. One of the most-read Somali news portals worldwide. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
International presence
- Primary market
- Somalia
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Somalia)
- #1 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Somalia
- Global rank
- Top 100,000 worldwide
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| garoweonline.com | ≈ 2.1 million / month | #2 class competitor | — |
| shabelle.net | ≈ 1.6 million / month | #3 class competitor | — |
What is Hiiraan Online?
Hiiraan Online (hiiraan.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Somalia. One of the most-read Somali news portals worldwide. It ranks #1 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Hiiraan Online?
The site is operated by Hiiraan Online. The company was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Mogadishu, Somalia. It employs around 10-50.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Hiiraan Online at roughly 3.5 million visits per month, about 0.1 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Hiiraan Online makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside .
Competitors in Somalia
Its closest rivals include garoweonline.com, shabelle.net.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1999
Hiiraan Online is founded in Mogadishu, Somalia.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #1 among the most visited websites in Somalia.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Hiiraan Online?
Hiiraan Online is operated by Hiiraan Online. Private media company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Hiiraan Online headquartered?
Hiiraan Online is headquartered in Mogadishu, Somalia.
When was Hiiraan Online founded?
Hiiraan Online was founded in 1999.
How many employees does Hiiraan Online have?
Hiiraan Online employs approximately 10-50 people.
What is Hiiraan Online's revenue?
Hiiraan Online does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising.
Who are Hiiraan Online's competitors?
Main competitors in Somalia include garoweonline.com, shabelle.net.
How does Hiiraan Online make money?
Mainly advertising.
Is Hiiraan Online publicly traded?
No — Hiiraan Online is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Hiiraan Online.
How many visitors does Hiiraan Online get?
Third-party estimates place Hiiraan Online at roughly 3.5 million visits per month, mostly from Somalia, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Hiiraan Online safe?
Hiiraan Online is an established news & media site founded in 1999 and ranked #1 in Somalia; use the official domain hiiraan.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementshiiraan.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageSomalia and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos