As I discovered when I started my blog almost three years ago, the language of Web measurement has changed. You rarely hear the word "hits" used anymore. When you "visit" my blog you are measured by "page views" and "average visit length". That data is broken down into averages of visits, page views and visit length per day, hour, previous week, month and year. The data is also broken down geographically. While online advertising jumped 25 percent this year for a take of $20 billion, no chump change to be sure, Internet executives say that figure could have been higher if advertisers had reliable and consistent ways to measure online audiences...
Radio has Arbitron, TV has Nielsen but there's no main measurement source for online usage. There are many, too many. Steve Wadsworth, president of The Walt Disney Co.'s Internet group says, "We need measurement of the audience and their use of the system that's clear, simple and actionable for a marketer. You need comparability with other media." Well stated as is this from Jeff Marshall of Starcom USA, a major ad-buying agency, "There aren't well established, tried-and-true standards in the industry, which need to be worked through. The concerns are escalating as more and more of our clients are shifting significant amounts of money into the space."...
The biggest problem seems to be this - advertisers seem fed up with the adage that half their ad spending seems to work but what they want to know is - which half??? What needs to happen is for one online measurement company to become the standard among the many being used. Then one measurement standard needs to be applied to compare online usage to radio, TV and every other form of media entertainment. The funny thing is that by going online you can get all of these forms of media entertainment. How valuable is that???
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1865] Set me free why don't you babe: Slavery is abolished in the United States when the 13th Amendment is declared in effect...
- 1892] Premiered on this date: Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" publicly premieres in St. Petersburg, Russia. Here's a clip from a 2006 performance of the 'March from The Nutcracker' by the North Atlanta Dance Theatre: http://youtube.com/watch?v=j2PQ8LWXZD8&feature=related ...
- 1956] Debuted on this date: "To Tell The Truth" on CBS-TV. The first edition of the classic game show runs until 1968 when it goes into syndication from '69 to '78 and then off and on through 2002. In this 1965 show, The Supremes open the show and the panel has to guess who the 'real' Berry Gordy Jr. is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kb9TKdsPQnI ...1966] Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", a special on CBS-TV...
- 1969] 'Nay' on capital punishment: Britain's Parliament abolishes the death penalty, something New Jersey did this week...
- 1975] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Rod Stewart and Faces divorce when Rod goes solo. They have since reunited from time-to-time...
- 1980] "Happy Trails": Former Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin dies from a heart attack at 76...1997] SNL comedian Chris Farley becomes the shows' latest tragedy when he overdoses on morphine and cocaine in Chicago at 33. Here's a tribute to Chris: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9jAsZhGU6qY&feature=related ...
- 1983] Wedding Bells: Keith Richards, on his 40th birthday, and model Patti Hansen rock down the aisle. 1984] Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest tie the knot (both couples are still married)...
- 1987] Guilty as charged: Ivan F. Boesky is sentenced to 3 years in prison for insider trading...2003] Michael Jackson is charged with 7 counts of molesting a child under 14 and two counts of supplying the child with "an intoxicating agent" a.k.a. 'Jesus Juice'...2003] A judge in Seattle sentences confessed 'Green River' killer, Gary Ridgeway, to 48 consecutive life terms, one each for every murder he allegedly committed and confessed to...
- 1999] Out of her tree: Environmental activist Julia "Butterfly" Hill comes down after spending two years living atop an ancient redwood in Humboldt County (CA) to protest logging. Joan Baez is there with a song prior to the climb: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fdnK2ZYg_rc&feature=related ...
- 2006] Rumsfeld 'resigns': Donald Rumsfeld spends his last day in office as Secretary of Defense. Robert Gates is nominated by George W. Bush as his replacement...
Music Memories:
- 1965] Recorded on this date: "The Ballad of The Green Berets" - S/SGT Barry Stadler...
- 1984] Number One on this date: "Like a Virgin" - Madonna: http://youtube.com/watch?v=n8HQ3dJ-6ts ...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Christina Aguilera (27), Katie Holmes (29), Rachel Griffiths (39), Brad Pitt (44), Ray Liotta (52), Leonard Maltin (57), Steven Spielberg (61), Keith Richards (64), Roger Smith (75), Allen Klein (76) and Ramsey Clark (80)...
Timeline Countdown: 5 days until winter, 6 days until Festivus, 7 shopping days until Christmas, 8 days until 'The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of 2007', 13 nights until New Year's Eve, 14 down and 2 to go for the Patriots and 18 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs begin...
