[TheCDAllenGroup]

Is it possible to retrieve traffic information about a website without actually viewing their private server stats?

Is it possible to "get an idea" about the level of a site's traffic in some way, form, or fashion?

Let's say the owner of a website made me an 'offer' about purchasing a 125x125 pixel graphic ad spot on his website. How do I verify the traffic level that he receives, so I will know if this is a good deal or if I'm being 'ripped' off?


Thanks - your assistance in this matter is appreciated!
-C.D. Allen

[akula]

compete.com rank
alexa rank
both give estimates for site traffic

[TheCDAllenGroup]

Originally Posted by akula

compete.com rank
alexa rank
both give estimates for site traffic

Is there any way to prevent those from profiling a website's traffic?

[jasaunders]

I just came up with a brilliant idea (actually its not that good).
Most site owners don't want to give you access to their traffic stats.
Create a new google analytics account, tell the site owner to put your code on the site for 2 days or 7 days or whatever. This way, only you have access to the traffic stats and could verify traffic data.

[TheCDAllenGroup]

^I'm not sure if that was a joke or not, as I didn't understand it.

Anyway, my thrust is this: If a website owner wanted to make sure that that his site's traffic could not even be estimated, what would he do?

[akula]

Originally Posted by TheCDAllenGroup

^I'm not sure if that was a joke or not, as I didn't understand it.

Anyway, my thrust is this: If a website owner wanted to make sure that that his site's traffic could not even be estimated, what would he do?

put a security certificate on the site
...have a look at paypal.com or any other encrypted website - they don't have alexa or compete rankings

[akula]

Originally Posted by jasaunders

I just came up with a brilliant idea (actually its not that good).
Most site owners don't want to give you access to their traffic stats.
Create a new google analytics account, tell the site owner to put your code on the site for 2 days or 7 days or whatever. This way, only you have access to the traffic stats and could verify traffic data.

it's an interesting problem
there must be well over 1million web properties traded every year in US alone
the buyers who've been fooled by fake/misrepresented traffic numbers and alexa rankings may feel that they want audited traffic numbers from trusted 3rd parties when they're out in the market looking for a new purchase

traffic audits seems to be an interesting service, which can be bundled in with click audits, Search Engine Optimization and general web marketing products

i think the success factor for any such venture would be a distribution deal with a 3rd party who either helps people buy or sell websites..sellers would be able to charge a premium (because the traffic has been audited) and buyers would be willing to pay extra for the purchase because more risk has been taken from the transaction

[jasaunders]

Very interesting... I like where this is going. It does seem to be a very valuable service as you described or some variation of it. As far as a I know of, there is no solution out there right now for this large problem.

[akula]

I've never bought a website, so I don't know what services are available out there, buy I have sold some web properties and the traffic numbers were something that the buyer never bothered to double check...so I'm not 100% sure that there is a problem worth solving in the first place - although, I can guess who'd be able to say for sure.

Out of the whole volume of websites sold every year, only about 10% of the sellers can be expected to be buying 90% of the listings. These professional web property traders would all be doing most of their business through 2-5 high profile channels like sitepoint...so I think that a quick survey of the buyers and sellers trading in these channels would quantify if the problem exists or not

[jasaunders]

I see more potential in verifying traffic for buying advertisements on websites than in selling websites. I've never bought or sold a site, but I have bought many online ad spots. It would be great to verify the traffic of the website before purchasing these spots.