Web Site Statistics A Metric for Measuring Engagement.

transcript

Web Site Statistics Web Site Statistics

A Metric for Measuring Engagement

William R. (“Sam”) Sneed III -- Policy.com -- sam@a2s2.com

Goal: Consistency in Terms of...Goal: Consistency in Terms of...

What -

Where -

When -

Who is looking at sites?

What are they looking at?

Where did they come from?

When did they come?

InformationInformationThat is...That is...

TheThe Outcome Outcome

Timely

Accurate

AccurateReli

Reliab

AgendaAgenda

Web site statisticsThe log fileThe analysis processThe resultsGoals

Definition of StatisticsDefinition of Statistics

The science that deals with the collection, classification, analysis and interpretation of numerical facts or data, and that, by use of mathematical theories of probability, imposes order and regularity on aggregates of more or less disparate elements.

Definition of StatisticsDefinition of Statistics

The science that deals with the collection, classification, analysis and interpretation of numerical facts or data, and that, by use of mathematical theories of probability, imposes order and regularity on aggregates of more or less disparate elements.

This impliesThis implies

Precision

Accuracy

Empirical Reliability

First IssueFirst Issue

Hit Request Page View Impression Transfer Ad View Exposure

User Unique User Unique Visitor Identified User Visit Ad Click Click-Through Rate

Lack of industry standards in terminology

Definitions HandoutDefinitions Handout

Second IssueSecond Issue

Amount of raw data

Huge daily log files

Impediment to effective research (Shorenstein Conference Note)

Third IssueThird Issue

Browser Caching

Proxy servers

Fourth IssueFourth Issue

Must use software tools to manage and analyze data

Lack of standards in terminology

Lack of standards in algorithms

But there’s hope...But there’s hope...

Organizations like the IAB are forging terminology and measurement standards

Software tools are entering third/fourth generation releases with better algorithms, performance and reliability

The Log FileThe Log File

Log FilesLog Files

ASCII Text filesCreated on the Web ServerRecord all communications with the

web serverAre in a format that is web server

specific

Log File TypesLog File Types

Transfer or Access Log– Records all requests

Error Log– Records all errors

Referrer Log– Records the URL from which a request

was made

Log File TypesLog File Types

Agent Log– Records the name and version number of

the user agent (browser), and operating system

Extended or Combined Log– Consolidates all logs into one

Current version of MS IIS combines all sites on server into single log

Elements of a web pageElements of a web page

HTML or ASP– Content

GIF or JPEG– Images

EXE or Class– Executable programs, e.g. AdServer or

Policy Wire

The Analysis ProcessThe Analysis Process

The Steps to AnalysisThe Steps to Analysis

FTPImport into database

– Lookup HTML titles– Resolve IP addresses– WHOIS lookup

Run reports

Questions...Questions...

Web Site Statistics A Metric for Measuring Engagement.

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