Alexa plunge - GoFuckYourself.com

Gillespie · 11-09-2006, 09:29 AM

I really don't know what the fuck is up with Alexa.

I have a small, non-business, forum related to aviation and pilots. About two months ago, it was on the rise steadily and had a rank of 2xx,xxx. After that it began to seriously fall. It is now past 1,000,000 and it keeps going down.

The strange thing is that I've placed it as a #1 result for the two terms I wanted and it gets steady uniques from Google. It's also a PR4 page.

I just went through checking stats for the last year or so and the only thing that they show is a steady increase in uniques and hits in both server and Analytics logs.

Can anyone please tell me if they've had a problem like this before and what the fuck is going on?

fris · 11-09-2006, 09:30 AM

ya alexa is weird, a new site i just put up less than a month ago already has an alexa rank of 200,000

Gillespie · 11-09-2006, 09:32 AM

It's been happening for at least two months. I just can't find a logical explanation to it.

StarkReality · 11-09-2006, 09:33 AM

I'd even call it "normal", it's like a rollercoaster ride for some of my sites and I never really figured out why or what's going on to make Alexa behave in this way

weblinesales · 11-09-2006, 09:35 AM

Alexa can be weard, o well what can you do

Gillespie · 11-09-2006, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarkReality

I'd even call it "normal", it's like a rollercoaster ride for some of my sites and I never really figured out why or what's going on to make Alexa behave in this way

I've never seen a growing site drop from 2xx,xxx to 1,2xx,xxx. I can see a fall of -100,000 or a small +20,000 boost and pass it as normal, but what's happening to this site is just ridiculous.

RawAlex · 11-09-2006, 09:40 AM

Gillespie, don't rely on Alexa to tell you anything at all about your business. If you don't have it, get a server stats package installed and work from there.

Alexa requires that users have their toolbar installed (and activated) to register that they visit. A small percentage of overall users have the toolbar, and in a non-webmaster environement (such as aviation) you might find the pickings very small.

If you have 2 users before that had the toolbar (out of say 100) they could have run your numbers up pretty high. One of them removes the toolbar, and suddenly you drop through the floor.

I have an adult site that generates +- 2% traffic varations day to day... for Alexa, it is up and down by huge amounts every day, and that strictly has to do with how small their sample size is. If I happen to get 1 extra alexa user a day, that can account for a sudden run up in page views and such.

You would get just as accurate stats by standing in the street and asking 10 people who walk by what websites then went to today.

Alex

Gillespie · 11-09-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Gillespie, don't rely on Alexa to tell you anything at all about your business. If you don't have it, get a server stats package installed and work from there.

Alexa requires that users have their toolbar installed (and activated) to register that they visit. A small percentage of overall users have the toolbar, and in a non-webmaster environement (such as aviation) you might find the pickings very small.

If you have 2 users before that had the toolbar (out of say 100) they could have run your numbers up pretty high. One of them removes the toolbar, and suddenly you drop through the floor.

I have an adult site that generates +- 2% traffic varations day to day... for Alexa, it is up and down by huge amounts every day, and that strictly has to do with how small their sample size is. If I happen to get 1 extra alexa user a day, that can account for a sudden run up in page views and such.

You would get just as accurate stats by standing in the street and asking 10 people who walk by what websites then went to today.

Alex

Hi Alex, thanks for the insight.

I was aware of the small sample and toolbar thing since that was the first thing that came up when I Googled the problem a while ago when I fell to the 400,000 range. I just thought that it couldn't get any worse.

We should stop using ICQ as our communication tool and we should definitely stop using Alexa as a way to benchmark our domains. What a scam...

Klen · 11-09-2006, 09:45 AM

Perhaps you denied alexa bot to crawl data from your site.

weblinesales · 11-09-2006, 09:50 AM

Alexa can be weard, o well what can you do

Kimo · 11-09-2006, 10:06 AM

alexa is nuts

11-09-2006, 09:30 AM	#2
fris Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 55,472	ya alexa is weird, a new site i just put up less than a month ago already has an alexa rank of 200,000 __________________ Since 1999: 69 Adult Industry awards for Best Hosting Company and professional excellence. My Cam Feeds Script

11-09-2006, 09:32 AM	#3
Gillespie Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Montevideo Posts: 1,391	It's been happening for at least two months. I just can't find a logical explanation to it. __________________ Blue Design Studios My choice for web design. Click this to see why. Get a REAL host. Try JaguarPC. 294-659-259

11-09-2006, 09:35 AM	#5
weblinesales Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 209	Alexa can be weard, o well what can you do __________________ Webline Services Your #1 Source for Dedicated Hosting [email protected] www.webline-services.com

11-09-2006, 09:50 AM	#10
weblinesales Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 209	Alexa can be weard, o well what can you do __________________ Webline Services Your #1 Source for Dedicated Hosting [email protected] www.webline-services.com

11-09-2006, 10:06 AM	#11
Kimo ... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maryland ICQ:87038677 Posts: 11,542	alexa is nuts __________________ ...

11-09-2006, 09:29 AM	#1
Gillespie Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Montevideo Posts: 1,391	Alexa plunge I really don't know what the fuck is up with Alexa. I have a small, non-business, forum related to aviation and pilots. About two months ago, it was on the rise steadily and had a rank of 2xx,xxx. After that it began to seriously fall. It is now past 1,000,000 and it keeps going down. The strange thing is that I've placed it as a #1 result for the two terms I wanted and it gets steady uniques from Google. It's also a PR4 page. I just went through checking stats for the last year or so and the only thing that they show is a steady increase in uniques and hits in both server and Analytics logs. Can anyone please tell me if they've had a problem like this before and what the fuck is going on? __________________ Blue Design Studios My choice for web design. Click this to see why. Get a REAL host. Try JaguarPC. 294-659-259

11-09-2006, 09:33 AM	#4
StarkReality Confirmed User Join Date: May 2004 Location: 4 8 15 16 23 42 Posts: 4,444	I'd even call it "normal", it's like a rollercoaster ride for some of my sites and I never really figured out why or what's going on to make Alexa behave in this way

11-09-2006, 09:40 AM	#7
RawAlex So Fucking Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In a house. Posts: 9,465	Gillespie, don't rely on Alexa to tell you anything at all about your business. If you don't have it, get a server stats package installed and work from there. Alexa requires that users have their toolbar installed (and activated) to register that they visit. A small percentage of overall users have the toolbar, and in a non-webmaster environement (such as aviation) you might find the pickings very small. If you have 2 users before that had the toolbar (out of say 100) they could have run your numbers up pretty high. One of them removes the toolbar, and suddenly you drop through the floor. I have an adult site that generates +- 2% traffic varations day to day... for Alexa, it is up and down by huge amounts every day, and that strictly has to do with how small their sample size is. If I happen to get 1 extra alexa user a day, that can account for a sudden run up in page views and such. You would get just as accurate stats by standing in the street and asking 10 people who walk by what websites then went to today. Alex

11-09-2006, 09:45 AM	#9
Klen Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Little Vienna Posts: 32,235	Perhaps you denied alexa bot to crawl data from your site.