The problem with web metrics provided by Alexa and Compete is that their numbers are totally dependent on what they gather from users who are using their Firefox and Internet Explorer toolbars. Mostly this consists of people who are trying to inflate their website’s Alexa and Compete ranking by running the toolbar. In other words, both Alexa and Compete’s data is meaningless.
There is a new kid on the web metrics block, IZEARanks, brought to you by the people behind PayPerPost. Their approach is to track real traffic ala Google Analytics by having users embed a snippet of script on their website, which sends unique visitor and pageview data back to IZEA. This will provide an accurate accounting of a website’s traffic ranking compared to other sites that are running the IZEA script. I think IZEARanks has a bright future because it provides real traffic data that can’t be manipulated the way that toolbar-dependent metrics can.
Alexa rankings are flawed and you can’t draw a conclusion easily. Two examples.
John Chow, last time I checked he was below 5K in Alexa with traffic below 200K per month. Why is that so ? Because many webmasters with the Alexa toolbar installed visit his website. why do they all have the Alexa toolbar installed ? Because some services use the Alexa rank, besides other parameters, to sell ads, links whatever on a blog.
Second example. I’m creating a web two-point-0 project with a friend of mine, the website is currently protected and no one can access it. The domain however does have a Alexa rank of roughly one million. Why is that ? Because I have the Alexa bar installed. The site supposedly ranks sub 30K for all sites of my country, to be exact 22K which is ridiculous.
Alexa gives good ranking only for top few sites. Few sites, I mean around 100K sites. Rest always keep moving in rank
Why do you say the length of our visit to a site can’t be measured?
BB
Izearanks is the Alexa of splogs. Pure and simple.