When the proprietor of a notorious Hoboken web site recently boasted some astronomical traffic numbers along with screen shot 'evidence' of his lofty claim, it gave GA pause for thought; one can't argue with a screen shot.
If one believes in the tooth fairy.
Let's break it down.
This blog, Grafix Avenger, uses StatCounter for real-time web usage statistics; that other site uses Google Analytics. StatCounter works via code installed in the web page's HTML; it allows for real-time visitor tracking and analysis, generating highly detailed reports packed with data out the wazoo.
That's W-A-Z-O-O.
It's worked well for me but there are plenty of other excellent web analytic tools. Google Analytics is one; GA installed it yesterday but since our newly opened data bank is 'empty ' we'll look at a StatCounter report.
Here's screen shot of GA's Usage Summary for the month of November:
All things considered, GA being a personal blog, these numbers have exceeded my wildest expectations.
Thank you, Lane Bajardi for all the, uh... attention you've brought me. Without you, it would still be just my mother and a handful of sympathetic friends here. But every time you flap your gums at the City Council to complain about me, my traffic goes UP! Terrific news, with the coming May election. Yes, because of YOU, Bajardi, more people will be reading my uninformed opinion and looking at my disgusting, tasteless graphics. I could kiss you. If you wrap yourself in plastic first. And go in another room. Perhaps in another building. Can you the cross state line? I'll send it via USPS. Third Class. You pay the postage.
But I digress...
Ready for some juice?
WOW! A traffic milestone. GA had 700,000 unique visitors last month! Holy irate leprechaun!
What, you don't believe me? But it says so...
(See what I mean, folks?)
It takes the most rudimentary Photoshop skills to swap out text and numbers on a screen shot.
And that's the point. Presenting a picture as 'evidence' without actual transparency-- visitor access to web stats-- is meaningless. The Hoboken Journal does it; Da Kurt lets visitors view his StatCounter reports-- click on the blue StatCounter link at the very bottom of the page. (Can you believe that big Gyspy galoot gets so much traffic?)
So when a commercial* web site demonstrates 'high' traffic by showing you a pretty picture, remember GA's 700,000 unique visitors. Or was it 700 million?
As for that screen shot, it's fuzzy and small. Unreadable by design? Compare the quality of that image to the ones GA's posted.
Because I don't care if you read them.
I've got nothing to hide.
*GA accepts no advertising.
If one believes in the tooth fairy.
Let's break it down.
This blog, Grafix Avenger, uses StatCounter for real-time web usage statistics; that other site uses Google Analytics. StatCounter works via code installed in the web page's HTML; it allows for real-time visitor tracking and analysis, generating highly detailed reports packed with data out the wazoo.
That's W-A-Z-O-O.
It's worked well for me but there are plenty of other excellent web analytic tools. Google Analytics is one; GA installed it yesterday but since our newly opened data bank is 'empty ' we'll look at a StatCounter report.
Here's screen shot of GA's Usage Summary for the month of November:
click on any graphic to read
That's 7,396 unique visitors in November.
All things considered, GA being a personal blog, these numbers have exceeded my wildest expectations.
Thank you, Lane Bajardi for all the, uh... attention you've brought me. Without you, it would still be just my mother and a handful of sympathetic friends here. But every time you flap your gums at the City Council to complain about me, my traffic goes UP! Terrific news, with the coming May election. Yes, because of YOU, Bajardi, more people will be reading my uninformed opinion and looking at my disgusting, tasteless graphics. I could kiss you. If you wrap yourself in plastic first. And go in another room. Perhaps in another building. Can you the cross state line? I'll send it via USPS. Third Class. You pay the postage.
But I digress...
Ready for some juice?
WOW! A traffic milestone. GA had 700,000 unique visitors last month! Holy irate leprechaun!
What, you don't believe me? But it says so...
(See what I mean, folks?)
It takes the most rudimentary Photoshop skills to swap out text and numbers on a screen shot.
And that's the point. Presenting a picture as 'evidence' without actual transparency-- visitor access to web stats-- is meaningless. The Hoboken Journal does it; Da Kurt lets visitors view his StatCounter reports-- click on the blue StatCounter link at the very bottom of the page. (Can you believe that big Gyspy galoot gets so much traffic?)
So when a commercial* web site demonstrates 'high' traffic by showing you a pretty picture, remember GA's 700,000 unique visitors. Or was it 700 million?
As for that screen shot, it's fuzzy and small. Unreadable by design? Compare the quality of that image to the ones GA's posted.
Because I don't care if you read them.
I've got nothing to hide.
*GA accepts no advertising.
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