Setting a baseline for meaningful research

Every question has underlying assumptions

“How do I increase my web site traffic?”

1. Web site traffic is currently sub-optimal

2. Increased site traffic is a desirable thing. There is no such thing as bad site traffic.

3. There are affordable and concrete steps that will increase site traffic.

4. I am willing to take the steps necessary to increase traffic.

Web site traffic is currently sub-optimal· Who are the traffic leaders in my

sector? Alexa.com, Google Trends

· What is a realistic traffic number?

· What is the marginal cost for additional audience?

· Are all audiences equal?

. Increased site traffic is desirable· Bounces.· Bots.· Shotgun marriages

Concrete steps to increasing trafficDirect drivers· SERP links.· PPC links.· Partner links.· Blog-posts.

Indirect drivers· off-line traffic drivers (print campaigns,

viral/buzz marketing).· Media mentions.· bot-gaming

Willingness to take necessary steps. · Show me the money.

· Re-write copy to incorporate evolving vocabulary.

· Develop a content management strategy to keep current, archive content, and develop meaningful data relationships.

Every question has underlying assumptions

“How do I maximize revenue from my content?”

1. Current content offerings have value.

2. Audience understands your content’s value proposition.

3. A marketplace for your content exists with sufficient capitalization.

4. I am willing to take the steps necessary to maximize revenue.

Current content offerings have value

Where is the value?· Information? Will people subscribe?· Reach? Can you develop and articulate audiences?· History? Are people accustomed to paying for your content?· Proof. Can you make the case for value?

Audience understands your value proposition

· You have an established market position with a loyal audience

· You have mindshare

· You have an articulated market niche

A marketplace for your content exists with sufficient capitalization

· Is there already money in your sector? If so, how much? What is the range?

Willingness to take necessary steps.

Show me. . . yeah, you know.

The perfect web search engine: A Changing Document Set

Cho and Molina, 2000. The evolution of the Web and implications for an incremental crawler. Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Very Large Databases

40% of pages in sample changed w/in 7 days

23% changed w/in 24 hours

* Growth rate is unknown, but significant

A Tour of the Tools

Google Trends

Alexa

PopURL

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