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How does it work, can anyone explain it to me?
Thanks
but yes the lower the number the better..
Alexa gets their data from users running the Alexa Toolbar. Whenever you visit a site if you're running that toolbar, it sends a log of your hit back to Alexa's servers (Side note: That's why most AdWare/Spyware removal tools flag Alexa Toolbar as Spyware).
The way to manipulate the results is to write a .vbs script, batch file, use task scheduler, whatever, that opens your web browser to your home page then closes it. This will result in your Alexa ranking increasing because they see more hits. Apparently they don't count IP addresses.
As for manipulation, it appears quite easy - hell, I could do it based on what you say. But then again, I don't know why I'd want to, or why any serious company or organization would want to. My guess is that any established entity would probably not play such tricks and that their rankings are probably reasonably accurate (discounting for whatever sample size imprecision there might be). Just a thought.
is the best available set of correlation data to give you the vaguest of vague ideas.
The horrible thing is that so many companies trust Alexa. One of the companies I work for uses their Alexa ranking as a major selling point, and people buy that crap!
Look at a favorable Alexa ranking from a marketing standpoint.
Easy to manipulate – probably
Useless statistics for webmasters – pretty much
Impressive to “Joe Customer” – absolutely
If acquiring a good rank with Alexa is as easy as you say, why not turn an aggravation into an asset and use it as a badge of popularity to any would be customer/client.
If acquiring a good rank with Alexa is as easy as you say, why not turn an aggravation into an asset and use it as a badge of popularity to any would be customer/client.
Alexa is a set of stats in its own little world. The numbers mean (almost) nothing because there are no controls. The only really meaningful insight it lends is that it indicates how many people visit your website that are also ignorant of toolbar tricks and spyware tactics. And since that number can be inflated with scripts, it doesn't even do that well.
You could do that. However, if a client/buyer discovers your Alexa ranking is "embelished", they undoubtedly question everything else you have told them.
Alexa is a set of stats in its own little world. The numbers mean (almost) nothing because there are no controls. The only really meaningful insight it lends is that it indicates how many people visit your website that are also ignorant of toolbar tricks and spyware tactics.
If acquiring a good rank with Alexa is as easy as you say, why not turn an aggravation into an asset and use it as a badge of popularity to any would be customer/client.
Even better, how about making a site about how easily manipulated Alexa rankings are, then manipulate them to make it the #1 site on the web :)
Educated customers rule.
Personally, I like all customers and don't discriminate against the level of their education. Furthermore, I have no problem taking time to educate a customer myself if it leads to a loyal business prospect.
But I don’t think many of my visitors are worried about whether or not I manipulated my Alexa ranking...
I was referring more to people that might have an interest in details on website traffic. That could be anyone from a potential advertiser, investor, or site buyer. This type of person IS likely to take the time to at least confirm the Alexa numbers against some other metric.
