Comments on: Accurate Ways of Measuring Web Site Popularity http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/ Spread the luv Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:08:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Ryan http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20777 Ryan Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:22:02 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20777 Interesting post as I've noticed the same thing with alexa and compete. I've also had some sites in the past that ranked really well with alexa, but crap for traffic. However, the traffic was mostly from referring sites and bloggers I knew who all had the alexa addons loaded into their browser which meant that alexa counted their visit as more valuable. Today I really only focus on things that matter like google analytics, or sitemeter rather than compete or alexa. Interesting post as I’ve noticed the same thing with alexa and compete. I’ve also had some sites in the past that ranked really well with alexa, but crap for traffic. However, the traffic was mostly from referring sites and bloggers I knew who all had the alexa addons loaded into their browser which meant that alexa counted their visit as more valuable. Today I really only focus on things that matter like google analytics, or sitemeter rather than compete or alexa.
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]]> By: Alvin Lim http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20210 Alvin Lim Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:57:48 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20210 I use Google Analytics and statcounter.com to get the traffic stats from various sources. Alexa is good for comparing estimated traffics from different sites I use Google Analytics and statcounter.com to get the traffic stats from various sources. Alexa is good for comparing estimated traffics from different sites
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]]> By: Ashlie http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20104 Ashlie Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:12:51 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20104 I agree with you. A lot of emphasis is put on the ranking and indexing of a site. I have seen people write articles merely to get better search rank and higher pagerank. This is sad to me. The idea is to sell to customers and the best way to do that is to write to your customers and for rank second. There are plenty of strategies out there for getting better rankings. Thank you for writing to your audience and not some search bot. I agree with you. A lot of emphasis is put on the ranking and indexing of a site. I have seen people write articles merely to get better search rank and higher pagerank. This is sad to me. The idea is to sell to customers and the best way to do that is to write to your customers and for rank second.

There are plenty of strategies out there for getting better rankings. Thank you for writing to your audience and not some search bot.
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]]> By: Cole Stan http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20081 Cole Stan Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:27:57 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20081 Alexa rank will also reflect traffic from other sources, not just from search engines...but it's still useless unless you have traffic stats for a website in the same niche, with the same type of visitors. Alexa rank will also reflect traffic from other sources, not just from search engines…but it’s still useless unless you have traffic stats for a website in the same niche, with the same type of visitors.
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]]> By: Justin Germino http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20054 Justin Germino Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:55:52 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20054 This blurb is taken from Alexa help page exactly as is: What is Traffic Rank? The traffic rank is based on three months of aggregated historical traffic data from millions of Alexa Toolbar users and data obtained from other, diverse traffic data sources, and is a combined measure of page views and users (reach) This means they use other means of traffic estimates, not just Alexa toolbar, this is how I am basing that they must have some sort of estimates from search engine results or other analytics to base a site for ranking as well. This blurb is taken from Alexa help page exactly as is:
What is Traffic Rank?
The traffic rank is based on three months of aggregated historical traffic data from millions of Alexa Toolbar users and data obtained from other, diverse traffic data sources, and is a combined measure of page views and users (reach)

This means they use other means of traffic estimates, not just Alexa toolbar, this is how I am basing that they must have some sort of estimates from search engine results or other analytics to base a site for ranking as well.
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]]> By: Jarret http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20052 Jarret Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:38:50 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20052 Justin, I'm not sure that the limitation of Alexa rankings has to do with whether the traffic is direct or from search engines. From what I understand, the Alexa ranking depends on users who have the Alexa bar installed which is why marketing blogs or blogs about blogging typically have artificially low Alexa numbers (since their readers often use the Alexa toolbar). I've seen blogs that get a couple thousand unique visitors per day have Alexa rankings of 200-300k. At the same time, I've seen blogs with 100k Alexa rankings that get 30-40 unique visitors per day only. Either way though, you're right that it's difficult to get public data on search traffic for websites. For those who want their stats to be available for public (for advertisers), Quantcast is a free and easy to install option (add tracking code). Justin, I’m not sure that the limitation of Alexa rankings has to do with whether the traffic is direct or from search engines. From what I understand, the Alexa ranking depends on users who have the Alexa bar installed which is why marketing blogs or blogs about blogging typically have artificially low Alexa numbers (since their readers often use the Alexa toolbar).

I’ve seen blogs that get a couple thousand unique visitors per day have Alexa rankings of 200-300k. At the same time, I’ve seen blogs with 100k Alexa rankings that get 30-40 unique visitors per day only.

Either way though, you’re right that it’s difficult to get public data on search traffic for websites.

For those who want their stats to be available for public (for advertisers), Quantcast is a free and easy to install option (add tracking code).
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]]> By: Justin Germino http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20036 Justin Germino Sun, 05 Dec 2010 15:36:29 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20036 That is a good point, if I were to purchase an existing website I would demand to have GA access to be able to validate sources of traffic. It is easy to rule out invalid or fake traffic if you can get access to their analytics. For sites that don't use GA, then I would use Compete.com as a framework guess since it apparently can only base on organic search traffic estimates. That is a good point, if I were to purchase an existing website I would demand to have GA access to be able to validate sources of traffic. It is easy to rule out invalid or fake traffic if you can get access to their analytics. For sites that don’t use GA, then I would use Compete.com as a framework guess since it apparently can only base on organic search traffic estimates.
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]]> By: Mitz Pantic http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-20031 Mitz Pantic Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:03:59 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-20031 These inaccurate stats can be a pain in the butt when you are looking to buy a website. I often look at websites for sale on Flippa and if I dig a bit deeper and often get a red flag. People can push traffic to a website from paid sources, their other websites, even guest posting. This will bring the alexa ranking down and the stats up. I would always prefer to get a website with search engine traffic as it is more transparent. For your own website google analytics is good enough. These inaccurate stats can be a pain in the butt when you are looking to buy a website. I often look at websites for sale on Flippa and if I dig a bit deeper and often get a red flag. People can push traffic to a website from paid sources, their other websites, even guest posting. This will bring the alexa ranking down and the stats up.

I would always prefer to get a website with search engine traffic as it is more transparent.

For your own website google analytics is good enough.
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]]> By: Justin Germino http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-19996 Justin Germino Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:16:13 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-19996 Yes its possible, clicks from emails will show up as direct traffic and clicks from RSS readers may as well. Again the site had 6,000 RSS subscribers and heavy referral traffic. It is a video photography site for amateurs and professionals and is very focused and showing video content to show how to do things with a camera. The sites video's are often embedded and published on many other high profiles sites and there are over 500,000 views on some of the sites YouTube video's. The company sells no services for purchase and has very minimal ads except for AdSense at this time. Yes its possible, clicks from emails will show up as direct traffic and clicks from RSS readers may as well. Again the site had 6,000 RSS subscribers and heavy referral traffic. It is a video photography site for amateurs and professionals and is very focused and showing video content to show how to do things with a camera. The sites video’s are often embedded and published on many other high profiles sites and there are over 500,000 views on some of the sites YouTube video’s.

The company sells no services for purchase and has very minimal ads except for AdSense at this time.
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]]> By: Ileane Smith http://comluv.com/tutorials/accurate-ways-of-measuring-web-site-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-19984 Ileane Smith Sat, 04 Dec 2010 10:24:53 +0000 http://comluv.com/?p=3419#comment-19984 Hey Justin, your client has some very impressive stats. I'm curious to learn more about your strategy to overcome the challenge of getting the word out to advertisers about the site's traffic. Do you have any tips for how they are able to achieve so much direct traffic? They must have an awesome product or service to bring traffic in that way. I've been watching an advanced Google Analytics tutorial module on Lynda dot com and there are some really insightful tips that typical users aren't aware of. For example, if Google Analytics can't figure out where traffic is coming from (for various reasons including users that disable tracking settings in their browsers) the visits will show up as direct traffic. Is it possible something like that might be the case with your client? I hope we can talk more about this. Excellent post! Hey Justin, your client has some very impressive stats. I’m curious to learn more about your strategy to overcome the challenge of getting the word out to advertisers about the site’s traffic. Do you have any tips for how they are able to achieve so much direct traffic? They must have an awesome product or service to bring traffic in that way.

I’ve been watching an advanced Google Analytics tutorial module on Lynda dot com and there are some really insightful tips that typical users aren’t aware of. For example, if Google Analytics can’t figure out where traffic is coming from (for various reasons including users that disable tracking settings in their browsers) the visits will show up as direct traffic. Is it possible something like that might be the case with your client?

I hope we can talk more about this.

Excellent post!
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