Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Story on web site traffic ratings

Ross Wm. Rader (rwmrader_at_idirect.com)
Mon, 20 Apr 1998 13:04:39 -0500

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Cliff Kurtzman <cliff_at_tenagra.com> wrote:

>:John Nardone of Modem Media is quoted as saying about the ratings services
>:that "I don't think any of them are any good. They're all systematically
>:deficient in one way or another."

I'd have to agree with Mr. Nardone's conclusions 100%.

If you think that the average site like DejaNews is being under-reported,
imagine the margin of error on TUCOWS.

TUCOWS is a geographically distributed web site that operates from more than
400 URL's (see www.tucows.com for details). Most rating services will not
even acknowledge that we blow their model out of the water with our
affiliate program.

Essentially TUCOWS acts like one of the big 4 TV networks - we create the
content and distribute it to regional affiliates who "rebroadcast" it. Not
taking our unique URL's into account would be like Neilsen not measuring
WKSB viewers when it looks at NBC's market share.

The big problem is convincing the advertiser that even though these
companies have created a certain amount of credibility for themselves, the
"reports" that they generate are not the be all and end all of impartial
third party rankings.

Even when you are dealing with a buyer that recognizes that there is a good
match in demo's, it can be a tough slog to convince the buyer that
significant depth and breadth of reach exists because of under-reported
traffic. What impact does a 400% "flaw" have on a buyer's impression of the
value of a sites inventory?

Ross Wm. Rader "Although we may build the
Director of Marketing technology that we define as
TUCOWS Interactive Limited tools, we must be vigilant that
http://www.tucows.com those tools do not define us."
(416) 233-2151 ext. 335 ----- rwmrader_at_idirect.com -----

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