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econsultancy_xml

<a href="http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=1389">The study</a> found that 31% of US internet users deleted their cookies during the month, which means that each time these users return to a website they are counted as a new, unique visitor. The study looked at cookies for an unnamed but 'prominent' US web property and a third party ad server, each of which reaches audiences of well over 100m per month. It found: <ul> <li>An average of 2.5 first-party cookies were observed on each PC. </li> <li>31% of users deleted first-party cookies at least once during the month - the study found an average of 4.7 different cookies for the site. </li> <li>Just 7% deleted cookies more than four times, but this group accounted for 35% of all cookies in the study - an average of 12.5 per user for the site in question. </li> </ul> The figures for third-party cookies - those left by an ad server in this case - show a similar pattern: <ul> <li>An average of 2.6 cookies were observed for each PC for the third party ad server being studied. </li> <li>27% deleted these cookies at least once, and their PCs contained an average of 5.5 cookies for the ad server. </li> <li>7% deleted cookies more than four times, and these users accounted for 38% of cookies. An average of 14.2 per user. </li> </ul> Most cookie deletion seems to be the work of security/anti-spyware software, with the survey suggesting that selective cookie deletion is not common - just 4% of users said they deleted third party cookies only. Related reading: <a href="/blog/254-cookie-deletion-discrepancies-take-the-biscuit">Cookie deletion discrepancies take the biscuit</a> <a href="/blog/836-what-will-replace-the-page-impression">What will replace the page impression?</a>

<FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Link URL="http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=1389" Window="New">The study</Link> found that 31% of US internet users deleted their cookies during the month, which means that each time these users return to a website they are counted as a new, unique visitor.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>The study looked at cookies for an unnamed but 'prominent' US web property and a third party ad server, each of which reaches audiences of well over 100m per month. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Quote>It found:</Quote> </Paragraph> <List Type="Disc"> <ListItem>An average of 2.5 first-party cookies were observed on each PC.<LineBreak /><LineBreak /></ListItem> <ListItem>31% of users deleted first-party cookies at least once during the month - the study found an average of 4.7 different cookies for the site. <LineBreak /><LineBreak /></ListItem> <ListItem>Just 7% deleted cookies more than four times, but this group accounted for 35% of all cookies in the study - an average of 12.5 per user for the site in question. <LineBreak /></ListItem> </List> <Paragraph> <Quote>The figures for third-party cookies - those left by an ad server in this case - show a similar pattern:</Quote> </Paragraph> <List Type="Disc"> <ListItem>An average of 2.6 cookies were observed for each PC for the third party ad server being studied. <LineBreak /><LineBreak /></ListItem> <ListItem>27% deleted these cookies at least once, and their PCs contained an average of 5.5 cookies for the ad server. <LineBreak /><LineBreak /></ListItem> <ListItem>7% deleted cookies more than four times, and these users accounted for 38% of cookies. An average of 14.2 per user. </ListItem> </List> <Paragraph>Most cookie deletion seems to be the work of security/anti-spyware software, with the survey suggesting that selective cookie deletion is not common - just 4% of users said they deleted third party cookies only. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related reading:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/254-cookie-deletion-discrepancies-take-the-biscuit" Window="New">Cookie deletion discrepancies take the biscuit</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/836-what-will-replace-the-page-impression" Window="New">What will replace the page impression?</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent>

2007-04-16T17:23:00+01:00

econsultancy_xml

A new study from comScore has questioned the validity of using cookie-based data to measure website audiences, claiming that unique visitor counts for websites may be overstating the actual visitor totals by as much as 150%. The measurement group, which surveyed 400,000 home computers, found that three in ten US internet users regularly delete cookies from their computers.

<FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>A new study from comScore has questioned the validity of using cookie-based data to measure website audiences, claiming that unique visitor counts for websites may be overstating the actual visitor totals by as much as 150%.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The measurement group, which surveyed 400,000 home computers, found that three in ten US internet users regularly delete cookies from their computers. </Paragraph> </FormattedContent>

false 1054

Those interested in Google Analytics - and web analytics more generally - should read the <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-measurement-and-strategy-report" target="_blank">Online Measurement and Strategy Report </a>published by Econsultancy. We have also published a <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/web-analytics-buyer-s-guide-2008" target="_blank">Web Analytics Buyer's Guide </a>with profiles of the leading vendors in this marketplace.

Those interested in Google Analytics - and web analytics more generally - should read the <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-measurement-and-strategy-report" target="_blank">Online Measurement and Strategy Report </a>published by Econsultancy. We have also published a <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/web-analytics-buyer-s-guide-2008" target="_blank">Web Analytics Buyer's Guide </a>with profiles of the leading vendors in this marketplace.

363084

Cookie-based data inflates website stats false

2007-04-17T10:59:00+01:00

cookie-based-data-inflates-website-stats

2009-04-28T22:46:50+01:00

2009-08-17T16:39:22+01:00

463