http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/ Dustin Woodard's thoughts on search, social media, web analytics and the web in general. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:51:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-54509 dustin Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:50:09 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-54509 It's different for everyone, but an extra week day or weekend day could make a difference. It would be nice to have a handy guide for that as well (an endeavor I'll probably save myself from). It’s different for everyone, but an extra week day or weekend day could make a difference. It would be nice to have a handy guide for that as well (an endeavor I’ll probably save myself from).

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-54488 Scott Bush Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:39:44 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-54488 That is an excellent point, Dustin. I often thought that things "might be off" when doing monthly comparisons, but honestly... not be enough for it to be relevant to the sites whose metrics I track. But your per-month percentage adjustments will be useful to normalize, say, a February compared to a January. But Win's comment above is important... an extra weekend day for some sites can throw off direct comparisons. That is an excellent point, Dustin. I often thought that things “might be off” when doing monthly comparisons, but honestly… not be enough for it to be relevant to the sites whose metrics I track. But your per-month percentage adjustments will be useful to normalize, say, a February compared to a January. But Win’s comment above is important… an extra weekend day for some sites can throw off direct comparisons.

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-48291 Scott Fish Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:27:54 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-48291 Hey Dustin! It was cool seeing you at SearchFest this year! Hey Dustin! It was cool seeing you at SearchFest this year!

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-48115 web analytics 2009 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:33:13 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-48115 I think even not being quite logic, is still very interesting. Thanks for sharing this info. I will like to confirm that my web analytics correlates to what you are saying. I think even not being quite logic, is still very interesting. Thanks for sharing this info. I will like to confirm that my web analytics correlates to what you are saying.

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-47976 Ken Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:20:44 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-47976 Instead of comparing current month to prior month, do a year over year type analysis where, for example, you compare results from Feb 2009 to Feb 2008. This approach can be applied to any time period (week, month, quarter). If you want to discern a trend in the current year, I suggest looking at a moving average (10 weeks, 3 months, etc.). Instead of comparing current month to prior month, do a year over year type analysis where, for example, you compare results from Feb 2009 to Feb 2008. This approach can be applied to any time period (week, month, quarter). If you want to discern a trend in the current year, I suggest looking at a moving average (10 weeks, 3 months, etc.).

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-47938 Web analytics Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:14:27 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-47938 Hi, quite interesting post. But it is not quite logic your graphic because when you comparing the %, the same basis should be used. Thus for this reason, the fluctuation is overlooked. Hi, quite interesting post. But it is not quite logic your graphic because when you comparing the %, the same basis should be used. Thus for this reason, the fluctuation is overlooked.

]]> http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/analytics/days-in-the-month-bias-for-web-analytics/#comment-47931 Win Hayes Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:25:53 +0000 http://www.webconnoisseur.com/blog/?p=133#comment-47931 Another flavor on this subject: if you'r analyzing a pure B2B site that typicall only has significant activity on business days, then weekends and holidays are trivial -- you can see monthly swings from 23 - 19 -- a better metric on such sites is average [whatever] per business day when comparing months Another flavor on this subject: if you’r analyzing a pure B2B site that typicall only has significant activity on business days, then weekends and holidays are trivial — you can see monthly swings from 23 – 19 — a better metric on such sites is average [whatever] per business day when comparing months

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