Guest editorial by Matt Wiley
Guest editorial by Matt Wiley

The relatively new science of web metrics has always spun my head. Bounce rates, clicks per post, site visits, unique users… just tell me how many people actually bothered to go to check out site. My feeble little brain doesn’t get this weird language.

That’s not to say I don’t stay “with it,” I mean, I’ve got a home stereo system with surround sound that I hooked up all by lonesome, multiple social media sites (@wile_style on Twitter and @mewiley on Instagram, plus the Neighborhood News Facebook page and Twitter account – @NTWCNews), plus a dusty old blog that’s desperately in need of an update and enough technological know-how to put these words in front of your eyes.

That being said, it’s tough to understand the web sometimes.

The vast network of something that can’t really be described (you try it) is a dominating factor in most of our lives these days, and from a business standpoint, it’s good that someone has cooked up a way to measure this weird “thing” that no one could ever draw.

Which brings me to my point. Over here at the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News headquarters, we try to do a good job of measuring our web usage. After all, if we’re to continue to bring top-notch daily web content to our readers (in addition to the best local news and info about our communities in print), we might as well fine-tune how we’re doing it where most people these days do the bulk of their reading—online. Go ahead, supplement what appears in the paper every four weeks and pick us right back up every day at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

Using web metrics programs, we can scientifically track how often our site is visited, how long you stayed, whether or not you read more than one story, how many Cheetos you ate while doing so and even where you clicked. “Big Brother” is watching. One program we use shows exactly where readers are clicking—down to the pixel—with “heat-mapping.” The more clicks a spot gets, the “hotter” it gets.

But, this is the part that really baffles me. Of all the sections on our still-rather-new website, the one that continually gets the most clicks is our “About Me” section—not the New Tampa section (which arguably has the most print readers) or Wesley Chapel (which quickly is catching up and often surpasses the number of New Tampa visits online). Not even the Dining & Entertainment section, where Gary gives you the run-down about the newest “hot eats” in town.

Nope, for reasons unknown, you guys just want to see our smiling faces. Are we really that pretty? Come on, folks. There’s a reason you’re reading my words instead of watching my speeches. (Face for radio.)

It never fails, though. After each 30-day period of tracking, the “About Us” section is still glowing white-hot heat.

We accept the compliment. But, we won’t let our heads get too big. Well, not for too long, anyway. Besides, whenever I need to cut myself back down to size sometimes, I just read the next section of Web stats and sink back into my chair dumbfounded.

Thanks for the clicks 🙂

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