X-Message-Number: 19796
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 01:09:42 -0400
From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <>
Subject: Web hits at Alcor

From Steve Bridge
In reply to:  

Message #19762
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 12:42:54 -0500
From: " - KC Homes - www.iggy.net" <>
Subject: how to increase the ###s promoting cryonics - 1,000 out of 3
million?

AND

Message #19783
From: 
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 12:21:42 EDT
Subject: percentage website hits vs. inquiries

Both Iggy and Rudy wonder why Alcor's web site has gotten millions of
"hits"  but only 1 thousand membership inquiries.

Iggy states:

>Percentage wise, the number of those who took the first step & requested
the
>application is rather low - 0.0003333%! That is in sharp contrast to the
>NBC's poll that shows that of about 4,000 polled about 28% of people would
>choose cryonics if it were affordable, and 3 % acceptance rates I've seen
>quoted on CryoNet and 4% rate mentioned in "Fitness & Health" or "Men's
>Health" Magazine published this year - read it myself.
>
>I am wondering why such a huge discrepancy in numbers and what is the
actual
>number of general populace that maybe interested in cryonics? Anyone cares
>to comment?

The biggest problem here is that Iggy and Rudi seem not to know what is
meant by "web hits".  That term means simply the number of times anyone
clicked on one of your web pages.  It most emphatically does NOT mean "the
number of separate people" who accessed your web page.  While there can be
major differences in the way a service provider counts "hits", the count
generally includes all separate clicks on any page in the site.  An average
individual just curious about Alcor might click on 5-8 pages; a more
serious one might go as far as 15-20 clicks.  Each click is a "hit."  That
might reduce the number of individuals down to maybe 300,000 (assuming 10
clicks per individual, which might actually be high).

Also remember that the numbers are swollen by the number of reporters
clicking on the site, each of which might generate an above average number
of hits as they research a story.  Reporters generally practice an extreme
level of "professional distance" when researching cryonics stories and
almost never ask for personal membership information.  And a large
percentage of the rest of the individuals are likely to be curiosity
seekers just beginning the most fleeting consideration of cryonics or fans
of Ted Williams who are similarly curious but whom are less likely to have
a personal interest in cryonics.

I think 1,000 membership packages requested is an extraordinary number,
higher than we have generated for any other single incident in Alcor's
history, including Thomas Donaldson's appearance on the Phil Donahue Show
(before Oprah, remember, Donahue was the biggest daytime interview show on
television with millions of viewers).

This all assumes that Karla was quoted correctly and that she was not, in
fact, actually referring to 1,000 "information" packages being sent out,
which may or may not be sent to people seriously interested.  That would
lower the number of serious inquiries to far less than 1,000.

On the other hand, the membership application is also on line and thousands
of people may have printed it out to examine it more carefully or to fill
it out.  Which would RAISE the number of people actually interested in
membership.

The obvious conclusion is that -- the statistics do not support an obvious
conclusion.  Web hits are an interesting statistic, but only useful as a
comparative number.  (E.g., to compare to how you did last month or to how
your competitor's web site is doing).  They provide absolutely NO
information on specific number of users or on the "effectiveness" of your
site or your message.  Don't waste your time doing percentages, fellas.

Steve Bridge

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