Let’s dive right into it, In comparison to November 2025’s 931 site views, December 2025 was a noticeably quieter month for This Is Not a Review, with the site recording 339 views.

Now, we aren’t impressed with ourselves, but the festive season inevitably took precedence, and our activity was intentionally limited to publishing without the usual amplification through social media or newsletter distribution. While the dip is significant, it also offered a valuable learning moment. December made it clear just how central our social media strategy is through Iconology, and our newsletter circulation are to our daily readership and overall article engagement.

When those channels are paused, the impact on visibility is immediate and measurable.

Rather than viewing December 2025 purely as a setback, which would be an easy approach, it feels more accurate to navigate and understand it as operational insight, we are still reading our full stats report, so this will be a work in progress. The festive season functioned as a live test of how This Is Not a Review performs without active promotion, and the results highlighted where our audiences discover us, how they return, and what sustains consistent readership. 

Sometimes growth isn’t just reflected in numbers, but in understanding the systems that make those numbers possible. As we move forward, these insights will inform how we approach quieter months, content rollout strategies, and the balance between publishing and promotion.