Server Log, Coded Page, and Panel Date
· Server log: record kept at the server level that records each file requested from a website; server log files are created by the server that houses the web site. Each time a browser requests a file in order to build a web page, it generates an entry in the server request log.
· Panel Data: the process for using panel data to generate site effectiveness data is the same as using panels in the general marketing research process. The first step is to recruit a statistically representative panel of internet users who agree to participate in the data collection. Specialized software is downloaded onto the participant’s computer to record the click stream data. The software is polled at regular intervals to upload the data. First, the source of the data is unambiguous, which it often it not with server logs. Second, a person who uses the internet from both home and work is two separate people according to server logs, but carefully planned and maintained panel data can overcome this issue. Third, the measurement firm can collect demographic and behavioral data from panel households that can be useful in reporting and analytics.
· Coded pages: the use of coded pages is a new method of collecting data, on the “browser (user’s) side” of the information transaction instead of on the “server side” The tag part of the page that is requested by the served to the user’s browser. The file then sends data back to the server. Working with cookies, the tag can send back detailed information about the visitor’s activity on the page. One the surface, the data are the same as those collected by a server log. Data collected by tags has several advantages over server log data: the data may be more accurate, data collected by web bugs has smaller storage requirements because it stores only relevant data, and when data are collected in this manner, it permits real-time processing and viewing of site metrics.
Similarities
· Used for recording activities in a web site
Differences
· Server Logs record information on the server side while Coded Data collects information from the browser side
· Coded Pages are more useful than server logs because the user’s IP address may change during the session, causing the server log to, in effect, record different visitors instead of the same visitor
· When using Coded pages, data collected by Web bugs has smaller storage requirements because it stores only relevant data, not all the site operating data stored by server logs.
- With Coded pages, when data are collected in this manner, it permits real-time processing and viewing of site metrics. Server log data, on the other hand, must be transferred to a separate analytics system for batch processing. It can be made available quickly, but not in real time.
· With Panel Data, the source of the data is unambiguous, which it often is not with server logs a person who uses the Internet from both home and work is two separate people according to server logs, but carefully planned and maintained panel data can overcome this issue
· The measurement firm can collect demographic and behavioral data from panel households that can be very useful in reporting and analytics. Because server logs identify most users by dynamic IP addresses, it is not possible to use much third-party data to enhance it.
Measuring Metrics
Internet Traffic Measuring Metrics:
· hits: the number of files requested
· impressions: the number of times and ad banner is requested by a browser
· page views or deliveries: the number of times a web page is requested
· sessions: the amount of activity on a site during a specified period
· click-through: the number of times visitors come to the site by clicking on an ad