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The Dark Art of Inflating Traffic
Author: Dennis Garcia
Published: Monday, January 25, 2010
Introduction
Visiting trade shows is an enjoyable experience. They not only allow me to see some of the latest tech, but I also get to meet really great people from all over the world. Most of the people I meet are from companies I work with on a regular basis, while others work for competing websites who are there for the same reason I am. Over the years, I have become really good friends with many of them while others…. Well let's just say we can't get along with everyone.
This dichotomy often fuels some interesting conversations that turn into interesting article ideas. For instance last CES I wrote about people that claim to be web developers but really have no idea how the web works, much less being able to program any sort of web application. Given my career position as a web architect and developer I can speak to my expertise on the subject and my ability to spot the not.
Another CES has gone by, and the discussions this year seemed to revolve around website traffic, or rather, the lack thereof. You see, with the current state of the world economy, advertisers are becoming increasingly stingy with their advertising dollars. They are always looking for the best return on investment (ROI). To do this they look at several things. Of these, the biggest are market segment, target audience, and overall traffic numbers.
There are a few ways to get information on a website.
This dichotomy often fuels some interesting conversations that turn into interesting article ideas. For instance last CES I wrote about people that claim to be web developers but really have no idea how the web works, much less being able to program any sort of web application. Given my career position as a web architect and developer I can speak to my expertise on the subject and my ability to spot the not.
Another CES has gone by, and the discussions this year seemed to revolve around website traffic, or rather, the lack thereof. You see, with the current state of the world economy, advertisers are becoming increasingly stingy with their advertising dollars. They are always looking for the best return on investment (ROI). To do this they look at several things. Of these, the biggest are market segment, target audience, and overall traffic numbers.
There are a few ways to get information on a website.
Free services such as Alexa.com and Compete.com provide a traffic matrix based on unreliable sources. In fact, most of the traffic numbers are a direct result of spyware. Simply install their toolbar and it will start sending back information on where you go, how long you stay there, and what you look at during your visit. Websites that tend to draw a "smarter" crowd will always score poorly on these sites since the visitors often avoid installing such products in the first place.
