Comments on: AVG causes fake traffic – Could spell big problems for Web Analytics http://www.blackbeak.com/2008/06/19/avg-causes-fake-traffic-could-spell-big-problems-for-web-analytics/ Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:21:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Captain Blackbeak http://www.blackbeak.com/2008/06/19/avg-causes-fake-traffic-could-spell-big-problems-for-web-analytics/comment-page-1/#comment-10045 Captain Blackbeak Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:42:16 +0000 http://blackbeak.conversionchronicles.com/2008/06/19/avg-causes-fake-traffic-could-spell-big-problems-for-web-analytics/#comment-10045 @Avinash Of course I should've mentioned it's only really a problem for log file software. My point really though was that we as an industry should start working together more closely with security companies like AVG. @Avinash
Of course I should’ve mentioned it’s only really a problem for log file software.

My point really though was that we as an industry should start working together more closely with security companies like AVG.

]]> By: Avinash Kaushik http://www.blackbeak.com/2008/06/19/avg-causes-fake-traffic-could-spell-big-problems-for-web-analytics/comment-page-1/#comment-10043 Avinash Kaushik Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:48:29 +0000 http://blackbeak.conversionchronicles.com/2008/06/19/avg-causes-fake-traffic-could-spell-big-problems-for-web-analytics/#comment-10043 Steve, One potential omission from the story was that they are using logfiles to do their web analytics and while logfiles as we all know have their benefits, they do suffer from the problems like the constant need to filter for robot traffic. Javascript tag based solutions, while not totally immune, suffer dramatically less because of robots. It might have been optimal to point that out in the story, but of course that would have taken away from some of the sensationalism (and that as we know is a good way to sell stories / newspapers). -Avinash. PS: Gomez is amongst some of the robots that does execute javascript tags, I wanted to provide that as a proactive example that this can be a issue for tag based solutions as well. But still painting the broad "web analytics is terrible" is irresponsible. Steve,

One potential omission from the story was that they are using logfiles to do their web analytics and while logfiles as we all know have their benefits, they do suffer from the problems like the constant need to filter for robot traffic.

Javascript tag based solutions, while not totally immune, suffer dramatically less because of robots.

It might have been optimal to point that out in the story, but of course that would have taken away from some of the sensationalism (and that as we know is a good way to sell stories / newspapers).

-Avinash.
PS: Gomez is amongst some of the robots that does execute javascript tags, I wanted to provide that as a proactive example that this can be a issue for tag based solutions as well. But still painting the broad “web analytics is terrible” is irresponsible.

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