Facebook (UK ) has indeed increased the visitors to their website by 1% according to ComScore and Bebo’s increase as reported by Ildeniz and many many other respected news sources is being put into doubt.
ComScore (February 2008 but just released today)
Why is it ComScores numbers and HitWise’s numbers show an aneamic Bebo while others such as NMA a premier UK Marketing Magazine say otherwise. Robin your thoughts on this would be appreciated.
UPDATED: There was a concern raised by Robin of HitWise as to the phrasing of the article and we felt it was valid and that the article may have been published prematurely. Thanks Robin.
Ping THIS!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Daniel Joseph 03.26.08 at 5:33 am
Probably because Comscore relies on a UK panel of between 40,000 - 50,000 users whereas Hitwise monitors over 8 million UK users. I know which one I would trust.
Roger Kondrat 03.26.08 at 6:28 am
Hi Daniel
Thanks for dropping by. I must say 'fairplay' regarding your assessment of who to trust but please consider these thoughts.
Most solutions are never that simple. Regardless of how many ComScore reviewed they may have a more robust process for analysis of their information and even the gathering of that information.
When you do a research paper one of the first things you get told in school (or University) is that the 'evidence' can be shaped whichever way your ego requires it in most cases. Even Investigators say evidence can often lead surprisingly to whom you feel is guilty.
Just to pick at one item for consideration, I would say this, is a visit is a visit? Maybe that simple decision between ComScore and HitWise is what determined the difference in their outcomes.
Sadly it may be in all possibility that neither is correct or incorrectly only expressing the truth the best way they can from the data in front of them.
Thanks for dropping Daniel and I hope you liked our new comment system courtesy of Disqus ('discuss').
Robin Goad 03.26.08 at 7:05 am
I don't want to get into a discussion on methodology, because it's obvious which side I would take!
I must admit that I don't quite understand what you are trying to say here. Both the Hitwise and the Comscore numbers show similar trends. According to Comscore there was a 1% increase in unique visitors to Facebook between Jan and Feb. The Hitwise numbers point in a similar direction - the chart you have shows weekly data, but looking at the monthly data to make a direct comparison, the Hitwise numbers say that Facebook's market share of UK Internet vsits increased from 1.88% in January to 1.90% in February - 0.02% point increase or, to put it another way, a 1% increase!
Now, the 2 companies measure different things (visitors vs visits), but to me the number slook very similar!
If I've got the wrong end of the stick or misuderstood what you were saying, I do apologise.
Thanks,
Robin Goad
Research Director, Hitwise UK
Roger Kondrat 03.26.08 at 7:53 am
Robin I see where we (I) lost the plot from your perspective and possibly the reader. The intention was to draw more of attention to the fact that during all this it was Bebo that seemed to have two separate but largely different figures (possibly 3).
I published on Bebo's growth a while back and then Ildeniz did again recently based on two offline articles quoting stats ( I don't know which ones she used but I know she is diligent) and they seemed to fluctuate widely from growth to aneamic.
Maybe it is 'unfair' as you point to those specific pieces of data from Hitwise and ComScore but I think it does a good job of drawing the attention of those like me that are wondering this 'who is growing, by how much, where and when' because it just seems like everyone including Hitwise and ComScore seem to have a different opinion.
I will address the valid concern you raised Robin by my hastily written article and update it but I would love your thoughts on what is going on with all the stats (going beyond just those from above)