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Doubts Arise About Web Traffic Tracking

Huge gaps in audience estimates are stunting advertising growth

By Caroline Zimmerman,  Newser User

Posted Oct 22, 2007 12:42 PM CDT
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(Newser) – If you think the internet makes tracking audience numbers any easier, think again. Media companies sometimes report millions more online visitors to their sites than tracking companies like Nielsen—because they use different measurements—and the gap makes online advertisers queasy. It's preventing the industry from growing as quickly as it could, the Times reports.

The internet may allow recording of a specific number of visits to a site, but tracking individual visitors is a lot trickier. Just one example: Media groups accuse ratings companies of underestimating visitors who use the Web from work. One researcher says of the internet: "People keep talking about it as much more accountable than other media, but we're not finding that to be the case yet."

As in-house counting of web traffic continues to vary from the official counts from independent verifiers, some complain that the uncertainty has stunted online advertising. Individual users may disagree.
As in-house counting of web traffic continues to vary from the official counts from independent verifiers, some complain that the uncertainty has stunted online advertising. Individual users may disagree.   (Wikimedia Commons)
The discrepancy between estimated visitor counts has paralyzed potential advertisers. %u201CThis is a bit of an anomaly because this disagreement doesn%u2019t happen offline,%u201D said Jim Spanfeller, president and chief executive of Forbes.com.
The discrepancy between estimated visitor counts has paralyzed potential advertisers. %u201CThis is a bit of an anomaly because this disagreement doesn%u2019t happen offline,%u201D said Jim Spanfeller,...   (Shutterstock.com)
Where are our priorities?
Where are our priorities?   ((c) Nathan Borror)
Among the sites with the biggest complaints are CNN.com and Forbes.com. Traffic for both sites remains difficult to track due to nature of workplace browsing.
Among the sites with the biggest complaints are CNN.com and Forbes.com. Traffic for both sites remains difficult to track due to nature of workplace browsing.   ((c) pvera)
An America Online trailer is seen at the AOL headquarters complex in Dulles, Va., Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. AOL is reducing its global work force by 2,000 employees, or 20 percent, as it continues a transition from Internet access provider to online advertising company. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
An America Online trailer is seen at the AOL headquarters complex in Dulles, Va., Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. AOL is reducing its global work force by 2,000 employees, or 20 percent, as it continues a transition...   (Associated Press)
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Technology • Media • Money • US

 
Internet • online advertising • Nielsen Ratings • website • web traffic

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