VATupdate Newsletter Week 51 2024

STATISTICS

Statistics can be both fascinating and perplexing. They’re often manipulated by selectively measuring or presenting data to fit a specific narrative or appeal to a particular group—an approach known as “framing.” By highlighting only certain aspects, statistics can support arguments or interpretations that might crumble when all the facts are revealed.

Take comedian Don McMillan’s witty take on marriage statistics. He notes that 44% of marriages end in divorce. For some, this might serve as a cautionary tale, a reason to think twice about tying the knot. But what’s even more alarming? That same statistic implies 56% of marriages end in death. Let that sink in!

Statistics also have a habit of becoming outdated quickly. Consider internet activity in 2021 compared to today, in 2024. Back then, every minute saw 695,000 hours of YouTube videos watched, nearly 65,000 photos shared on Instagram, 575,000 tweets sent, and 756 million LinkedIn users online. Fast forward to 2024, and you might wonder: have these numbers grown or shrunk?

Well, as any good tax adviser would say: it depends. On Instagram, 66,000 photos and videos are shared every minute—virtually unchanged. YouTube still sees 695,000 hours of videos watched per minute. Twitter, now rebranded as X, has dropped slightly to 350,000 posts per minute. Meanwhile, LinkedIn has surpassed 1 billion users.

Impressive as these numbers are, they pale in comparison to the statistics we’re most proud of—our own!

When VATupdate.com launched in 2018, it had just 20 to 30 monthly users. The concept was simple: create a shared knowledge base for VAT specialists worldwide, where VAT-related news could be stored and easily accessed. Over time, we added visuals, categorized and tagged posts, and used the site primarily for ourselves.

Then something unexpected happened—people started visiting. By the end of 2021, we had over 70,000 pageviews per month. In 2022, that figure surpassed a staggering 1.3 million views for the year. By 2023, we hit nearly 1.6 million, and in 2024, we’re maintaining that momentum. From 20–30 users per month in 2018, we’ve grown to over twice that many pageviews per minute in 2024!

Impressive? That depends on your perspective. For us, it’s incredibly rewarding to know that so many people find value in our site. And yet, we’re not stopping here. We have big plans to enhance VATupdate.com in 2025, making VAT news even more accessible. Expect features that help detect trends, tailor news to regions and industries, and deliver content based on user preferences.

Thank you for being part of our journey. We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas that you want to share with us, please send us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment under the posts of this newsletter on LinkedIn.

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