The Conversation
A nonprofit news site publishing analysis by academics and researchers, founded in Melbourne.
The Conversation at a glance
The Conversation is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Australia, currently ranked #112 in the country. It was founded in 2011 by Andrew Jaspan and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. Today The Conversation is owned by The Conversation Media Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 40 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through university funding, donations, grants. Its closest rivals include abc.net.au, theguardian.com, smh.com.au.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 37.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 38.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 40 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 42.4 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 Australia, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Australia86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 12 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
- Australia
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the conversation | 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 Australia 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 Australia
Company information
- Website
- theconversation.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- The Conversation Media Group
- Owner type
- Nonprofit
- Founders
- Andrew Jaspan
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Melbourne, Australia
- Employees
- 200+
- Ownership
- The Conversation Media Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $40 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, many others
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $40 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Nonprofit
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Conversation operates a news and media publisher focused on Australia. A nonprofit news site publishing analysis by academics and researchers, founded in Melbourne. Revenue comes mainly from university funding, supported by the other lines listed below.
- University funding
- Donations
- Grants
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Australia
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Australia)
- #112 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Australia
- Global rank
- 1500
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| abc.net.au | ≈ 24 million / month | #113 class competitor | — |
| theguardian.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #114 class competitor | — |
| smh.com.au | ≈ 12 million / month | #115 class competitor | — |
What is The Conversation?
The Conversation (theconversation.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Australia. A nonprofit news site publishing analysis by academics and researchers, founded in Melbourne. It ranks #112 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The Conversation?
The site is operated by The Conversation Media Group, founded by Andrew Jaspan. The company was established in 2011 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It employs around 200+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Conversation at roughly 40 million visits per month, about 1.3 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 The Conversation makes money
Revenue comes primarily from university funding, alongside donations, grants.
Competitors in Australia
Its closest rivals include abc.net.au, theguardian.com, smh.com.au.
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
- 2011
The Conversation is founded in Melbourne, Australia.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #112 among the most visited websites in Australia.
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 The Conversation?
The Conversation is operated by The Conversation Media Group. Nonprofit structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Conversation headquartered?
The Conversation is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.
When was The Conversation founded?
The Conversation was founded in 2011 by Andrew Jaspan.
How many employees does The Conversation have?
The Conversation employs approximately 200+ people.
What is The Conversation's revenue?
The Conversation's revenue: ≈ $40 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are The Conversation's competitors?
Main competitors in Australia include abc.net.au, theguardian.com, smh.com.au.
How does The Conversation make money?
Mainly university funding, donations, grants.
Is The Conversation publicly traded?
No — The Conversation is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Conversation Media Group.
How many visitors does The Conversation get?
Third-party estimates place The Conversation at roughly 40 million visits per month, mostly from Australia, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The Conversation safe?
The Conversation is an established news & media site founded in 2011 and ranked #112 in Australia; use the official domain theconversation.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementstheconversation.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageAustralia 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