Traffic Watch........................

[Chris Ryser]

As I am continously watching the traffic on my website, I am also looking at other sites for the same reason.

Over the last 2 weeks the visits have dropped on my site, looking at my statistics and the Alexa rating went up again a 1000 points.

Now watching the Optiboard traffic I see the same result. The postings have slowed down over the same period and also the Alexa rating has gone back up.

Here I am comparing two websites, which are directed to the trade but with totally different objectives.

What could be the reason for a slow down in traffic? Is it a general condition or only related to optics. What makes people use the net more or less?

Would be interesting to hear some comments on this subject.

[Monkeysee]

What could be the reason for a slow down in traffic? Is it a general condition or only related to optics. What makes people use the net more or less?
My computer has been giving me grief lately-had it reformatted last week, added a router with a firewall, still having issues with something called "DSO Exploit" which has me stumped. So hadn't had internet access for awhile.

How much time I spend on the computer depends alot on the weather, (spend alot more time online in the fall and winter), and what needs to be done around the house, ("winterizing" right now). I quit smoking, and am now replacing my "smoke breaks" with "net breaks". (Trying to lose the 20 lbs. I gained after quitting by typing really fast):p

Sometimes optics is the last thing I want to think about after a long day at work! So I will avoid those websites.

Also have to share the computer with 2 teenagers!:)

[optispares]

is it the quantity or the quality of hits that count.is it better to have fewer hits but from people who are looking to buy or just masses of hits from people who find your site through various links who are just curious and have no interest ?
just a thought.

[Chris Ryser]

is it the quantity or the quality of hits that count.is it better to have fewer hits ..............................................just a thought.


Actually to me it is the page views and the time spent on the site.

The ones not interested will quicky depart that is why the average website visitor spends 30 to 60 seconds on a site.

The average on my site is 350 visitors a day looking at 640 pages in 5.09 minutes. Of course I am trying to get higher in these figures but it beats the cost of advertising. But you start to worry when at certain periods suddenly the agerages start dropping. Usually other sites I am watching are doing the same during these times.

[ksquared]

is it the quantity or the quality of hits that count.is it better to have fewer hits but from people who are looking to buy or just masses of hits from people who find your site through various links who are just curious and have no interest ?
For us it's the quality of the hits. THe curiousity seekers just take up band width.

But you start to worry when at certain periods suddenly the agerages start dropping. Usually other sites I am watching are doing the same during these times. Are you able to compare your current statistics to the previous year? We find our traffic follows a definate pattern when we map it to previous years. In fact whenever the traffic drops, we typically see the same drop the previous year. So even though the traffic continue to grow, it follows the same ups and downs.

What could be the reason for a slow down in traffic? Is it a general condition or only related to optics. What makes people use the net more or less? Probably optic (IMO). Right now "onliners" are most likely switching their focus to the upcoming holidays and finding that perfect gift (i.e.: shopping!!). There isn't necessarily less online use right now (if you are privy to the overall network traffic, you'll see it continues to spiral upwards), just a shift in the traffic type.
:cheers:

[Chris Ryser]

You got a good point. There is actually a pattern from year to year which shows ups and downs.You are probbaly right, the interest might shift depending on the time of the seasons.

[Clive Noble]

Sorry to ask this one Chris, but just what is the Alexer Rating?



I've googled this question only to find I can buy a programme to increase the A.R........... but, what is it and what could it do for my sites?

[Chris Ryser]

Clive,

The Google Toolbar gives you the rating of a website. A top rated commercial website has a PR rating of 4 to 5, while Yahoo for example has a rating of 9, 10 being the best

The Alexa Toolbar gives you the traffic rating of a website. Non performing website are in the 3,500,000 to 4,500.000 while the best like Yahoo have a 1.
Optiboard just went backward a few thousand points over the last few weeks and so did my website due to less traffic.

I have both toolbars on my Internet Explorer and can see right away how a website is doing. You can download the Alex Toolbar free from: http://www.alexatoolbar.com/

[ksquared]

I have both toolbars on my Internet Explorer and can see right away how a website is doing. You can download the Alex Toolbar free from: http://www.alexatoolbar.com/ We haven't downloaded Alexatoolbard so really can'r say how detailed the statistics are. We use the server statistices which tell us where the traffic originated from (where the user was before they accessed out web site), which pages were accessed , and which page the onliner was on when they transfered to another site. THe number of hits are important, but it's the detials that tell you how effective your web site is.

[Chris Ryser]

Traffic Rank for optiboard.com (what's this) (http://pages.alexa.com/prod_serv/traffic_learn_more.html#traffic_rank)

http://client.alexa.com/common/images/shim.gif
Today1 wk. Avg.3 mos. Avg.3 mos. Change121,984109,10782,527http://client.alexa.com/common/images/up_arrow.gif 15,636


Reach for optiboard.com : (what's this) (http://pages.alexa.com/prod_serv/traffic_learn_more.html#reach)



Reach per million users:
http://client.alexa.com/common/images/shim.gif
Today1 wk. Avg.3 mos. Avg.3 mos. Change33.56.25http://client.alexa.com/common/images/down_arrow.gif 13%



Page Views for optiboard.com: (what's this) (http://pages.alexa.com/prod_serv/traffic_learn_more.html#page_views)



Page Views per user:
http://client.alexa.com/common/images/shim.gif
Today1 wk. Avg.3 mos. Avg.3 mos. Change26.018.212.0http://client.alexa.com/common/images/up_arrow.gif 20%

Thsi has nothing to do with your own statistics on your own website. Ity gives you the general reach of usage.