Alexa ToolBar..Download it or not

[bidawinner]

I would like to hear the Pros and Cons of Using it..

and Poll...

Do you use Alexa Toolbar

 

[NamePopper.com]

There are no cons that I know of. It doesn't interfere with anything on my computer - and it doesn't take up much space in the browser. It's also very quick and trouble free to install. It has some handy features too - such as related site links etc.

Now...... whether or not you believe (or like) the Alexa ratings is a totally different subject. In my opinion though - anybody that says that it's completely useless is just being silly. Despite what some people claim - Alexa is not used ONLY by webmasters. There are plenty of common surfers who use their site for reference too. They are owned by Amazon and powered by Google - and that should tell people something.

At the same time - you shouldn't place TOO much stock in their ratings. However - like everything else it's just another tool for people to use - but it DOES serve a purpose.

 

[bidawinner]

Thanks Popper,

What I am looking for are the spyware issues:
http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm

How does everyone feel about that..problem or not ?

And Wondering if using the Toolbar HELPS "your" websites ranking at all...The problem I have with people claiming all the great Rankings is how ieasy it is to manipulate the results...or is it still that easy!?

Yes, it should be used as just another tool, but I am still not convinced it is far enough past the "abuse" stage. (as far as people tweaking thei own position/ranks) to be consdered trustworthy..

I suppose I should have laid this out to begin with..but wanted to see if anyone else would bring up these points first..

 

[Cash Is King]

Originally posted by NamePopper.com
There are no cons that I know of. It doesn't interfere with anything on my computer - and it doesn't take up much space in the browser. It's also very quick and trouble free to install. It has some handy features too - such as related site links etc.

Now...... whether or not you believe (or like) the Alexa ratings is a totally different subject. In my opinion though - anybody that says that it's completely useless is just being silly. Despite what some people claim - Alexa is not used ONLY by webmasters. There are plenty of common surfers who use their site for reference too. They are owned by Amazon and powered by Google - and that should tell people something.

At the same time - you shouldn't place TOO much stock in their ratings. However - like everything else it's just another tool for people to use - but it DOES serve a purpose.

Agreed!

 

[NamePopper.com]

Bid - that's exactly why I said ..."whether or not you believe (or like) the Alexa ratings is a totally different subject"... because there is no doubt it's not the most accurate way of ranking a site. Far from it.

However - why would anybody NOT use something that has the potential to get their site more noticed somewhere? Regardless of HOW MUCH attention it might actually bring you - there has never been anything to show that it could possibly HURT. So why not use it? To this day I have never heard anybody give an answer to that except the generic.... "alexa sucks".

As for the spyware issue - I honestly don't know anything about that. I'm going to read that link you posted though - and see what they have to say. It certainly sounds like it's worth looking in to......

 

[bidawinner]

Originally posted by NamePopper.com
Bid - that's exactly why I said ..."whether or not you believe (or like) the Alexa ratings is a totally different subject"... because there is no doubt it's not the most accurate way of ranking a site. Far from it.

However - why would anybody NOT use something that has the potential to get their site more noticed somewhere? Regardless of HOW MUCH attention it might actually bring you - there has never been anything to show that it could possibly HURT. So why not use it? To this day I have never heard anybody give an answer to that except the generic.... "alexa sucks".

As for the spyware issue - I honestly don't know anything about that. I'm going to read that link you posted though - and see what they have to say. It certainly sounds like it's worth looking in to......

I guess I am in a toss up between the spyware issues and whether there really are any advantages to using it..

I'm going to wait a few more days..think it over a bit more..

I am doing fine without it..but if I can find good enough "evidence" that that pros out way the cons then I'll probably download it...

Thanks Poopper..
Good night..

 

[NamePopper.com]

Take care bid.

I'm reading that article regarding the spyware right now!

 

[Duke]

By all means download. Once you do you will want to make sure it is working properly, so I would suggest you visit the following sites repeatedly for 6-9 months to test it out:

DNJournal.com

ATY.COM

BrandsPlus.com


Seriously, its gets much harder to manipulate the higher a site's numbers go. Alexa themselves tells you on their site, that anything outside the top 100,000 is unreliable due to the sample being too small. The larger the sample the more accurate the info.

We have been tracking the Alexa numbers at ATY.COM and have soared from around 1 million 90 days ago to 26,000 now (90-day figure) and top 15,000 for the week. I can tell you that those numbers correspond closely with the percentage rise we have seen in actual traffic on our server and increased sales - so I think it is definitely a useful tool for sites ranked in the top 50,000 or so.

A lot of ad agencies and other companies think it is useful too. Alexa sells their detailed list of data on their top 10,000 websites for $995 each (and has sold over a million of those lists!). You can buy the data on their top 100,000 sites for $2,500. They do not graph any sites outside the top 100,000 as those numbers can be jimmied so easily.

By the way, ATY is not a domain related site, so most of those visitors are just average people who are running the bar (millions have been downloaded). It is known that domain related sites get unusually good number because they have so many visitors who are running the toolbar. As far as the spyware, I have no idea about that.

 

[NamePopper.com]

Originally posted by Duke
By all means download. Once you do you will want to make sure it is working properly, so I would suggest you visit the following sites repeatedly for 6-9 months to test it out:

DNJournal.com

ATY.COM

BrandsPlus.com

LOL :laugh:

I love you Duke.

 

[bidawinner]

Originally posted by Duke
By all means download. Once you do you will want to make sure it is working properly, so I would suggest you visit the following sites repeatedly for 6-9 months to test it out:

DNJournal.com

ATY.COM

BrandsPlus.com


Seriously, its gets much harder to manipulate the higher a site's numbers go. Alexa themselves tells you on their site, that anything outside the top 100,000 is unreliable due to the sample being too small. The larger the sample the more accurate the info.

.

:laugh:

Well yep , I am just seeing people hitting the reload button a few thosand times a day, frankly I think my fingers would be bloody by then..so just wanted to make sure it would be worth it :laugh:

Thanks Duke...

Poll is running 2-1 against downloading...
Would be nice to hear the naysayers comments.. speak up people

 

[Duke]

The Alexa number is made up of a combination of Reach (unique users) and Page Views. You can only count toward the Reach once a day as they will know your IP. I'm not sure if they will repeatedly count views of the same page by the same user for their Page View component ( though I would doubt it). So I don't think any single user can skew the numbers for highly rated sites (only those ranked in the hundreds of thousands.)