A View on View :: Performancing Metrics: A Solid Start

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Performancing Metrics: A Solid Start

by Mark Evans on Thu 16 Mar 2006 07:35 AM EST | Permanent Link

The blog analytics market got a little more crowded this week with the launch of Performancing Metrics. Not surprisingly, I jumped on the beta right away to see how it matches up with Blogbeat (which is temporarily offline this morning), MeasureMap, Google Analytics and StatCounter. So far, my take is it's really solid. I particularly like the fact my visitor numbers are much higher than Blogbeat for whatever reason! Like Blogbeat and GA, Metrics is easy to install with one piece of Javascript placed on your blog. Although there have been a few complaints (Blogger users, Stowe Boyd), my experience was hassle-free and the stats started to appear almost right away. Metrics offers all the usual analytical bells and whistles such as unique visitors, page views, outbound links, etc. A feature I particularly like is the number of AdSense clicks are tracked. If Metrics needs to work on anything, it's better and more intuitive navigation. For whatever reason, there just doesn't seem to be as good a flow as Blogbeat, although it is much easier than GA. For anyone interested in blog analytics, give Metrics a whirl.
One more thought: Like MeasureMap, GA and StatCounter, Metrics is free - at least for now. Now sure about its business model but you have to wonder how Blogbeat can charge $4 a month ($2 as part of a special offer) when everyone else is free. Then again, this is the world of Web 2.0 where making money isn't as exciting as attracting an offer from GYM.
Update: For an extensive review on Metrics, check out Solution Watch.

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Comments

Re: Performancing Metrics: A Solid Start

by Vince Chan on Thu 16 Mar 2006 10:38 AM EST | Permanent Link

The guys are Performancing are really outstanding guys, and this is an excellent package that they have delivered. If I'm remembered correctly, they've promised to keep Metrics free because Nick has other plans about doing an ad network (if I remember correct). Their previous Firefox extension, and now Metrics, are merely chess pieces in their grand scheme of things. I'm enjoying the beta but I agree that their interface is too focused on looking Web 2.0 than being truly functional and accessible. BUT I also thought Web 2.0 means ajaxy customizable/configurable interfaces.. =)

I don't believe the Performancing folks are that the type that want to flip their venture. There are some people who don't want to be a part of the GYM, but want to create something of their own.

Re: Re: Performancing Metrics: A Solid Start

by Mark Evans on Thu 16 Mar 2006 02:05 PM EST | Profile | Permanent Link

thanks for the insight. i'll have to take a closer look at the company and its big-picture strategy.

Re: Re: Performancing Metrics: A Solid Start

by Jeremy on Thu 16 Mar 2006 04:01 PM EST | Profile | Permanent Link

Some of this isn't quite accurate. The broad strokes are right, though. Performancing is releasing tools to build an audience (and acquire their loyalty) so they can later release tools or services which will make money.

No intent to charge for the current generation of tools, though :)

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\n"; #File retrieval failed - exiting function pass back old values. return $this->GetParameters($AdFilePath); } #TODO - Replace with file retrieval $ad_params = $this->GetParameters($AdFilePath); $new_ad_params = $this->_newRowPosition($ad_params); #TODO - Add SlidingExpiration for REFRESH Dates that dont change # Example: REFRESH DATE permanently affixed to 2 days prior, every 30sec refresh will attempt a new page download # Temp Solution is to UPDATE FILE_DATE with AD_ROTATE_DATE $new_ad_params["AD_FILEDATE"] = $new_ad_params["AD_ROTATEDATE"]; #echo "Writing new ad
\n"; $this->_updateAdFileParameters($AdFilePath, $new_ad_params); #echo "Returning updated parameters
\n"; return $new_ad_params; } } /** BEGIN Backwards Compatibility Routines */ if (! function_exists('array_combine')) { function array_combine($keys, $values) { foreach($keys as $key) $out[$key] = array_shift($values); return $out; } } if (!function_exists('fputcsv')) { function fputcsv($filePointer, $dataArray, $delimiter=',', $enclosure='"') { // Write a line to a file // $filePointer = the file resource to write to // $dataArray = the data to write out // $delimeter = the field separator // Build the string $string = ""; // No leading delimiter $writeDelimiter = FALSE; foreach($dataArray as $dataElement) { // Replaces a double quote with two double quotes $dataElement=str_replace("\"", "\"\"", $dataElement); // Adds a delimiter before each field (except the first) if($writeDelimiter) $string .= $delimiter; // Encloses each field with $enclosure and adds it to the string $string .= $enclosure . $dataElement . $enclosure; // Delimiters are used every time except the first. $writeDelimiter = TRUE; } // end foreach($dataArray as $dataElement) // Append new line $string .= "\n"; // Write the string to the file return fwrite($filePointer,$string); } } if (!function_exists('fgetcsv')) { #TODO - Remove or ??? #Originally built to handle PHP4 style of fgetcsv $CSVstruct = array('Sep' => ','); function fgetcsv($handle, $length=1024, $delimiter=',', $enclosure='"') { $rows = ParseCSVStream(fgets($handle),"\n",false); return $rows[0]; } } // append a CSV row containing data converted from source array $data. Actual conversion is done by ExCSVRowWalker() function AppendCSVRow($data) { global $CSVstruct; array_walk($data,'ExCSVRowWalker'.($CSVstruct['OutEOL']=="\n"?'N':'')); $CSVstruct['File'] .= implode($CSVstruct['Sep'],$data).$CSVstruct['OutEOL']; } // returns an array of rows (each row being an array of columns) with parsed data. Returns false when conversion fails. Auto-detects Win/Mac/*nix newline characters, which are converted all to the sequence specified (defaults to $CSVstruct['OutEOL']) for your convenience. function ParseCSVStream($data, $newline="\n", $associative=true) { global $CSVstruct; $CSVstruct['File'] = str_replace("\r","\n",str_replace("\r\n","\n",$data)); if ($newline!="\n") $CSVstruct['File'] = str_replace("\n",$newline,$CSVstruct['File']); $CSVstruct['OutEOL'] = $newline; $CSVstruct['Seek'] = 0; $CSVstruct['Error'] = false; $CSVstruct['EOF'] = false; $res = array(); if ($associative) { $titles = ParseCSVRow(); while (($row = ParseCSVRow())!==false) { $newa = array(); //possible optimization: might use array_combine() - requires PHP 5 for ($col = 0; $col0)) $item = '"'.str_replace('"','""',str_replace($CSVstruct['OutEOL'],"\n",$item)).'"'; } function ExCSVRowWalkerN(&$item) { if (!is_numeric($item)&&(strlen($item)>0)) $item = '"'.str_replace('"','""',$item).'"'; } // read next line from buffer. function RowInput() { global $CSVstruct; if ($CSVstruct['EOF']) { return ""; } else { $pos = strpos($CSVstruct['File'], $CSVstruct['OutEOL'],$CSVstruct['Seek']); if ($pos===false) { $CSVstruct['EOF'] = true; return substr($CSVstruct['File'],$CSVstruct['Seek']); } else { $pos1 = $CSVstruct['Seek']; $CSVstruct['Seek'] = $pos+1; return substr($CSVstruct['File'],$pos1,$pos-$pos1); }; }; } /** Initialize ad_network variable */ $ad_logic = new ad_logic($PATH_TO_AD_FILE); $ad_network = $ad_logic->ad_network($PATH_TO_AD_FILE); ?>