Server logs are records of the files a user requests from a certain website. Coded page is a 1 pixel by 1 pixel image that is placed on web pages to transmit activity data (in conjunction with a cookie) from the users’ computer to the server. Coded page is more accurate, requires less storage, and allows for better and faster processing than server logs. Panel data is a data collection process that involves choosing a representative sample (much like non-internet panels) and recording their usage through installed programs that monitor clickstream data. Panel data identifies specific users and accounts for outside of home internet usage; tow clear advantages over server logs. In my opinion, panel data is the most useful, because it does the best job of differentiating and identifying individual users and their preferences. It may not be the most efficient method though, due to more required time and setup.
Specific metrics that measure Internet traffic are:
• Hits – # of files requested
• Impressions – # of times an ad banner is requested by the browser
• Page views or deliveries – # of times a web page is requested
• Sessions – the amount of activity on a site during a specified period
• Click-throughs – # of times visitors come to the site by clicking on an ad
Specific metrics that measure audiences are:
• Visitors – # of people who visit a site
o total or unique
o unidentified or identified
• Unduplicated audience – the visitors that are unique to a web site
• Behavior on the site
o # of page views
o session time
o path through the site
o shopping cart abandonment
o entry page (some may not enter through home page)
Specific metrics that measure campaigns are:
• By communications channel –e-mail, mail, online banners, and so forth
• By offer: free shipping versus 25% off, for example
• Search effectiveness by keyword
I believe that all of the metrics are important and can be useful. It is simply important to match the objectives of the site/campaign to the metrics that will provide the best measurements for those objectives.
In order to measure the effectiveness of branding efforts on the Internet, advertising reach and effectiveness are important. These measures can be obtained through metric evaluations like CPM, where the cost of each 1000 impressions is obtained. The specific metric chosen is entirely based on the objectives of that campaign.