How social referral traffic stats get Twitter figures wrong

A post on TechCrunch suggests tools such as Google Analytics do not give a true picture of the traffic drivers to your news site.

This post by Jonathan Strauss argues Twitter drives perhaps four times as much traffic to sites than Google Analytics suggests.

It demonstrates how Twitter traffic may be categorised separately by Google, such as when it originates from the tweet button and when it is via Twitter.com.

The article goes further and explains that Twitter may act like a TV ad to provide the drip, drip effect of product (or news story) awareness.

This happens with other marketing campaigns, too. Often you hear a radio ad, see a TV ad or read an article in a magazine and you type the results into Google to find out more details about the product or service. The problem is that marketers assume that Google drove the traffic. They did not. So you ramp down your TV or print campaigns and suddenly your search volume goes down.

The post also questions whether LinkedIn should be seen as such an important traffic driver after this post on TechCrunch reported LinkedIn drives more traffic to its site than Twitter.

Many tweets are now being sent to LinkedIn and then the publisher assumes that the source of the referral is LinkedIn. In some ways it is because that’s where your user engaged the content. But get rid of the tweet and you get rid of the referral traffic in the same way as I described the loss when you cancel your TV commercial.

So when I see MG Siegler announce that LinkedIn is sending more traffic to TechCrunch than Twitter – I’m not so sure. I understand why he would think that – Google Analytics tells him so. But I’ll bet a hefty amount of LinkedIn clicks were originated on Twitter. And I’ll bet a whole lot of TechCrunch “direct” traffic is from Twitter.

LinkedIn may be powered by Twitter and that should be recognised. LinkedIn Today should not be discredited so easily, however. Success for a site with LinkedIn Today depends on it striking a deal with the business development team at LinkedIn and becoming one of its preferred industry sites.

Getting your news on LinkedIn’s aggregated news site which launched in March makes a notable difference. BBC News is one of the sites on LinkedIn Today and has seen a tenfold rise in traffic in the last six months, rising from around 20,000 referrals in January to more than 200,000 referrals from LinkedIn in June.

In order to get a clear picture of your social referrals, the article on TechCrunch states you need a unique URL for each share behaviour.

So if you click on a ‘tweet this’ button on a website to send an article to your friends, that link needs to be individual to you and to that exact share instance. By making the URL link unique to its point of generation you can then track it better as it spreads to other sites.

And importantly when anybody else then shares the link to this site it maps out a “parent/child” link relationship. So if the original tweet was on Twitter and then somebody builds a ‘tweet this’ from a product like LinkedIn, you can still tell that the original source of the the story was Twitter. Call it, “last mile social media attribution” and when you’re a brand spending money on products and marketing you need to know this.

Many sites understand the exact value that reader brings. And if, say, a referral from Facebook or Twitter results in less time on the site and fewer page views than a reader coming via Google, they are less valuable to you if you make your money through advertising.

At a recent conference organised by ABC, Ashley Friedlein, CEO and founder of Econsultancy explained how his firm has given a monetary value to each reader coming via Twitter, Facebook, email referral, direct mail, etc. A referral from Twitter for consultancy is worth 11 pence, a reader coming from an email is worth 58 pence, and direct mail brings a higher value to the company, Friedlein explained.

It is clear that much depends on having very accurate analytics. The TechCrunch article suggests awe.sm, another option is Twenty Feet.

But it’s worth remembering that “the story is never quite as simple as the data might lead you to believe”, as Strauss said in the TechCrunch post.

Similar posts:

• Why news sites should consider adding the LinkedIn share button
• Traffic from LinkedIn to BBC News jumps tenfold in six months
• Three ways to get a round-up of news shared by your contacts without checking Twitter
• You can now see how many readers are online with Google Analytics real-time reports
• #jpod: How journalists can best use LinkedIn

Traffic from LinkedIn to BBC News jumps tenfold in six months

Traffic from LinkedIn to BBC News has jumped from around 20,000 referrals in January to over 200,000 in June, the BBC has revealed.

“Referrals from LinkedIn have increased rapidly over the past few months, but they’re nowhere near the level of referrals we get from Twitter,” a spokesperson from the BBC told Journalism.co.uk.

“Indeed in June, LinkedIn was still behind Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, StumbleUpon and Drudge Report in terms of referrals.”

The figures suggest the dramatic rise in LinkedIn referrals – from 41,278 in April to 164,869 in May – is due to LinkedIn Today, LinkedIn’s aggregation news site which launched in March.

LinkedIn Today has been attributed by TechCrunch as the reason why LinkedIn is now a more important traffic driver than Twitter for its site. Those stats that have been further debated in an article on TechCrunch this week, which questions LinkedIn as a traffic driver as it is powered by Twitter. “Get rid of the tweet and you get rid of the referral traffic,” the article states.

The LinkedIn share button being added to many news sites also deserves recognition as a traffic driver.

Line graph of Twitter and LinkedIn referrals to BBC News. Click on the visualisation to see exact the figures.

LinkedIn Today features industry news for sectors such as ‘online media’, ‘public relations’ and the ‘publishing industry’.

LinkedIn users can also follow particular news sites, such as BBC News, the fourth most popular website in the UK, and the only UK-owned website out of the top four. It is curated by people within that industry based on shares on Twitter and LinkedIn. So a story becomes top story when enough people within the industry retweet and share it.

In order to become news source on LinkedIn today, news sites must contact LinkedIn’s business development team.

BBC News may have received a boost from LinkedIn Today but unlike for TechCrunch, which is a great fit for LinkedIn with its mix of technology and business news, the BBC site has a much wider scope. That is perhaps why the stats show that last month Twitter provided five times as many readers to BBC News, with more than one million referrals a month.

There is more on LinkedIn and how journalists can get the most out of the social network in this week’s podcast.

Similar posts:

• How social referral traffic stats get Twitter figures wrong
• Why news sites should consider adding the LinkedIn share button
• #jpod: How journalists can best use LinkedIn
• Three ways to get a round-up of news shared by your contacts without checking Twitter
• paidContent:UK: How BBC News and Drudge send UK newspapers traffic

#jpod: How journalists can best use LinkedIn

A guide to using LinkedIn to find sources, share stories, build online communities and increase social referrals to your news site.

In this week’s #jpod Journalism.co.uk technology correspondent Sarah Marshall speaks to Krista Canfield from LinkedIn to find out more about LinkedIn Today and how it has resulted in becoming a more important traffic driver than Twitter for TechCrunch.

The podcast also explores how freelancers can use LinkedIn to find work and John Barnes, managing director, digital strategy and development at B2B publishers Incisive Media explains how the firm’s publications use LinkedIn groups.

Podcast: Download

Similar posts:

• Traffic from LinkedIn to BBC News jumps tenfold in six months
• Why news sites should consider adding the LinkedIn share button
• How social referral traffic stats get Twitter figures wrong
• #jpod: The AOP Digital Publishing Summit
• #AOPsummit: B2B media and the value of communities

Poynter: Journalism student creates iPad app for recording interviews

Poynter has an interesting post on SoundNote, an iPad app for recording interviews.

It tells the story of how David Estes, a journalism student studying in Seattle, created the application, paid off his student loan with his earnings from the $5.99 app, and moved to a West Village apartment.

The post explains how the app works.

SoundNote is a simple note-taking application that lets you record from the iPad’s internal microphone. It matches your notes with the timeline of the audio recording, so you just click on a word in your notes to jump to the related point in the audio. If you’re interviewing someone, you point the iPad in the direction of your subject and jot down a few keywords as the person answers.

It is also worth reading the post for the back story of how the app came about.

Estes’ development of the app is a lesson in innovation. Instead of going through a formal process of soliciting requirements or getting multiple people to sign off on wireframes, a 21-year-old student thought about how a device like the iPad could make his life easier — as a journalist and student — and he just made it.

The full post is on Poynter at this link.

Similar posts:

• App of the week for journalists – TCoder
• App of the week for journalists – TinyVox, for recording and sharing audio notes
• Livescribe pen now shares notes with Facebook, Evernote, Google Docs and email
• App of the week for journalists – Hindenburg field recorder
• Audio Notetaker, software for adding notes to audio, launches Mac version

#followjourn: @MartinBrunt – Martin Brunt/journalist

Who? Martin Brunt

Where? Martin is crime correspondent at Sky News. He writes the Life of Crime blog on the Sky News website.

Twitter? @MartinBrunt

Just as we like to supply you with fresh and innovative tips every day, we’re recommending journalists to follow online too. They might be from any sector of the industry: please send suggestions (you can nominate yourself) to sarah.booker at journalism.co.uk; or to @journalismnews.

Similar posts:

• #Followjourn @prashantrao /journalist
• #followjourn: @glenoglaza – Glen Oglaza/journalist
• #Followjourn @josephstash /journalist
• #followjourn: @IanDouglas – Ian Douglas/Journalist
• #Followjourn @pennyred /journalist

Letters in full from News International bosses to select committee

Here are the responses given by Rebekah Brooks, James Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch to chairman of the culture, media and sport committee John Whittingdale, who invited them to give evidence next week on phone hacking.

Brooks has accepted an invitation to appear before the committee on Tuesday.

Rebekah Brooks:

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter of 12 July, on behalf of the committee, inviting me to give evidence to you on 19 July.

I am writing to confirm that I am available to appear before the committee on that date and welcome the opportunity to do so.

As you will be aware, the Metropolitan police investigation into illegal voicemail interception continues and we are fully cooperating with that. Aspects of the work to which your committee may wish to refer are likely to be relevant to that investigation. Indeed, the police have already asked us specifically to provide information about those matters.

I understand that various select committees have approached the police over time in relation to this and other cases. The police’s position has been to co-operate where this did not directly impact on the investigation in question. In those cases where it did potentially impact, the police have historically declined to comment at that stage. Our understanding is that this approach has not been challenged. Given that we are in the midst of an investigation, and we do not want to prejudice it, I hope you will understand why we feel it would not be appropriate to respond to such questions at present in order to be consistent with [the] police’s approach, and that as a result this may prevent me from discussing these matters in detail.

I hope this is of help, and look forward to hearing from you to discuss exact timings and other details.

Yours sincerely,
Rebekah Brooks

Rupert Murdoch:

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter of 12 July, on behalf of the committee, inviting me to give evidence to you on 19 July.

Unfortunately, I am not available to attend the session you have planned next Tuesday. However, I am fully prepared to give evidence to the forthcoming judge-led public inquiry and I will be taking steps to notify those conducting the inquiry of my willingness to do so. Having done this, I would be happy to discuss with you how best to give evidence to your committee.

I hope this is of help.

Yours sincerely,
Rupert Murdoch

James Murdoch:

Dear John

Thank you for your letter of 12 July, on behalf of the committee, inviting me to give evidence to you on 19 July.

Unfortunately I am not available to attend the session you have planned next Tuesday.

However, I would be pleased to give evidence to your committee on either the 10 or 11 August. Naturally, if neither of these proves suitable I would be willing to consider any alternative dates you suggest.

I hope this is of help to the committee.

Yours sincerely,
James Murdoch

Given the responses from Rupert and James Murdoch the committee decided it will issue summons for them to appear on Tuesday. It is currently unclear what steps could and would be taken if they are declined.

Similar posts:

• Select committees: Reaction to appearances by police, the Murdochs and Brooks
• Phone hacking: Harbottle & Lewis authorised to respond to MPs and police questions
• Phone hacking update: Ex-employees ‘clarify’ Murdoch evidence
• Media Guardian: Rebekah Brooks asked for police payment details
• The top 10 most-read stories on Journalism.co.uk, 16-22 July

Adding analysis increases referrals from a journalist’s Facebook page

Facebook has published a study on how users interact with journalists’ pages on the social networking site.

The research also analysed how users use news organisations’ Facebook pages. Those results will be published shortly.

The main highlights from the study, published on the Facebook for Journalists page, suggest journalists with Facebook pages should take note of the following facts:

• Starting the conversation: Posts that include a question or call to action from the journalist received the highest amount of feedback;
• Personal analysis is effective: Posts that included the journalist’s analysis and personal reflections had 20 per cent more referral clicks than that of an average post;
• Images work: Photos received 50 per cent more likes than non-photo posts, and journalists who shared links that included a thumbnail image in the link preview received 65 per cent more likes and 50 per cent more comments than posts that did not include images.

Facebook’s report is co-authored by journalist programme manager at Facebook Vadim Lavrusik, who spoke to Journalism.co.uk for this podcast on how journalists can best use Facebook pages and for this guide on how to set up a successful Facebook page as a journalist.

Other findings of the report:

• Posts that asked questions or sought user input: +64 per cent;
• Call to read or take a closer look: +37 per cent;
• Personal reflections or behind-the-scenes posts: +25 per cent;
• Posts with catchy/clever language or tone: +18 per cent.

What is the most effective post length?

On average, meaty posts from journalists get more feedback via comments and likes. The analysis showed that four-line postings received a 30 per cent increase in feedback over average posts and five-line postings showed a 60 per cent increase in feedback over average posts. However, one-line posts show the greatest fluctuation, receiving the highest maximum feedback observed, at 15 times higher than the average post. Five-line posts were a close second, showing a maximum of around 10 times the average post. For journalists posting teasers for links or status updates on their pages, this means both short and long posts can yield results but meatier posts on average generate more feedback overall.

Is it worth posting photos?

The research also shows it is worth ensuring every news story has an image.

Journalists who shared links that included a thumbnail image in the link preview on their page wall saw a 65 per cent increase in likes and 50 per cent increase in comments on those posts.

What types of story gets the most interaction?

The research on the type of stories that result in the greatest number of click-throughs and the highest reader engagement is revealing.

Engagement by story type: Posts about education, politics and behind-the-scenes insights and analysis from journalists received a higher amount of feedback on average. Education posts got two times more likes, politics received both 1.7 times more likes and 1.6 times more comments, and a journalist sharing their thoughts had 1.4 times more likes.

Referral clicks and story type: International news stories had 70 per cent more referral clicks than that of an average post. For example: “For 60 years, Pakistan’s military has focused obsessively on its rivalry with India. Large elements within that military appear to be switching obsessions…” – Fareed Zakaria, CNN;

Stories about politics received 60 per cent more referral clicks. For example: “I’m sitting down with President Obama tomorrow for an exclusive interview – click below and tell me what you think I should ask.” – George Stephanopoulos, ABC;

Posts that included the journalist’s analysis or personal reflections received 20 per cent more referral clicks than an average post. For example: For all of you high school students  accepted into college – congratulations, but think about deferring for a year and taking a ‘gap year’ – I did…”  - Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times;

Daily feedback and referral clicks: Journalists received the highest amount of feedback later in the week. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday had the highest amount of feedback – with Sunday receiving the highest amount of feedback at 25 per cent more likes and 8 per cent more comments above average. Referral clicks were above average Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday – with links getting 85 per cent more clicks on Saturday and 37 per cent more on Wednesday than an average post;

This part of the study focuses on the US, which spans several time zones, but the following times are worth noting:

Hourly feedback: Readers are active throughout the day. Feedback spikes occurred on journalist pages at the start of the day (7am and 8am showing a 30-40 per cent increase); late in the morning (10am received 40 per cent increase in feedback); later in the workday (4 and 5pm showing 40 per cent and 100 per cent increases); and on into the evening hours (midnight getting 30 per cent increase and 2am getting 20 per cent increase).

Poynter’s report on the Facebook study – Facebook data show 7 keys to maximum engagement for journalists – explains the scope of the research:

For those curious about the methodology, Facebook’s Vadim Lavrusik tells me they sampled 25 pages of local, national and international journalists, across various types of media. Data was collected over a two-week period.

Similar posts:

• Journalism.co.uk’s top 10 stories on Facebook in 2011
• Study of French news sites: Facebook sends 13 times more referrals than Twitter
• Facebook on how news organisations can best use the social network
• ABCes: Independent.co.uk records biggest increase in daily browsers
• Facebook study finds Independent’s content was shared and liked 136,000 times in one month

How not to get your phone hacked

In the wake of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal some major news organisations have sent out emails to journalists and other members of staff advising them to protect their phone against hacking.

As this blog post by mobile phone security expert David Rogers points out, hacking is a misnomer. What went on at News of the World was “illicit access to voicemail messages”.

Rogers’ post points out various methods that could have been used to do this. Here are ways to keep your voicemail secure. Okay, so it is unlikely that journalists will be voicemail-hacking in the future but conmen and women may now have ideas.

How hacking took place:

1. By using default PINs

Mobile phone voicemail boxes are set up so they do not require a PIN or use one of several default codes which can be worked out by a two minute internet search.

Solution: You’ll need to set up a PIN by following the advice from your phone company. There are step-by-step instructions on how to do this for Vodafone, O2, Orange, and T Mobile. A quick search will help you if you are with an alternative carrier.

You can also set up or change your voicemail password on your handset. (On an iPhone this is found in settings / phone / change voicemail password.)

2. By using default PINs and remote access

Rogers explains in his post:

Operators often provide an external number through which you can call to access your voicemail remotely.

This was one of the mechanisms allegedly used by the News of the World ‘phone hackers’ to get access to people’s voicemails without their knowledge.

Solution: Find out the remote access number for your voicemail from your phone provider and set up a PIN using the links above.

3. By calling your own phone

When you want to access your voicemail remotely you can do so by calling your own phone number and interrupting the voicemail message by pressing *.

Rogers points out:

Claims about the voicemail hacking scandal say that one journalist would call up a celebrity to engage the phone while another would then go into the voicemail using this method.

Solution: Set up a PIN using the links above.

There is more advice and a more detailed explanation on how voicemail hacking took place at this link.

This Mashable post on how to protect your phone is also worth reading, particularly if you are an Android user.

Image by John Karakatsanis on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Similar posts:

• MediaGuardian: Phone records suggest 100 accounts hacked by NOTW
• MediaGuardian: News of the World’s phone-hacking defence unraveling
• Tapping/hacking/blagging – the terminology
• New arrest in phone hacking investigation
• Guardian: Police have more than 100 phone-hacking recordings

Channel 4 News to launch iPhone and iPad app

Channel 4 News is to launch a new iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch app on Friday. Developers are currently working on an Android version.

The free app allows users to watch catch-up videos for seven days. Content can be accessed via a 3G or wifi connection and can be viewed when devices are offline.

You can see Jon Snow promoting the app in this video:

According to a release, the new app will carry the most popular website features – including Jon Snow’s daily Snowblog.

The app will allow users to access the latest top domestic and international news stories, plus the most important news from the worlds of politics, science and technology, business and culture from the Channel 4 News team of correspondents and reporters; all the Channel 4 News blogs, including Cathy Newman’s FactCheck and the World News Blog; special reports and galleries (iPad only); and to watch video of the last seven days from the Channel 4 News at 7pm and noon programmes.

The app will allow users to share all of this content through social media and email.

Similar posts:

• FT.com gets go ahead for iPad app
• Media release: The Scotsman launches £7.99-a-month iPad app
• Washington Post and Newsweek prepare websites for convention coverage
• DNA09: Event host Richard Gizbert on making a living from media-gazing
• Media release: Guardian’s iPad app hits half a million downloads

Journalisted Weekly: News of the World, Space Shuttle and Harry Potter

Journalisted is an independent, not-for-profit website built to make it easier for you, the public, to find out more about journalists and what they write about. It is run by the Media Standards Trust, a registered charity set up to foster high standards in news on behalf of the public, and funded by donations from charitable foundations. Each week Journalisted produces a summary of the most covered news stories, most active journalists and those topics falling off the news agenda, using its database of UK journalists and news sources.

The News of the World, Space Shuttles and Harry Potter

for the week ending Sunday 10 July

• The News of the World, phone hacking and the Atlantis Space Shuttle grip the headlines
• The final Harry Potter film enchants the media
• South Sudan gaining independence and Berlusconi’s bribery pay-outs covered little

Covered lots

• The demise of the News of the World, which published its last issue on Sunday after 168 years in print, 605 articles
• The final Harry Potter film, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,’ which premiered in London on Thursday, 10 years after the first film was released, 118 articles
• The Atlantis Space Shuttle landing at the International Space Station for the last time, 69 articles

Covered little

• South Sudan gains independence, following decades of conflict with the North in which around 1.5 million people died, 54 articles
• 59 dead and more still missing, many of them children, after a cruise ship sank on Russia’s Volga river, 6 articles
• Silvio Berlusconi’s firm, Fininvest, to pay 560million euros for bribery, 3 articles

Political ups and downs (top ten by number of articles)

• David Cameron : 489 articles (-9% on previous week)
• Ed Miliband : 264 articles (+27% on previous week)
• Jeremy Hunt: 139 articles (+88% on previous week)
• George Osborne: 134 articles (-23% on previous week)
• Tony Blair: 133 articles (-17% on previous week)
• Nick Clegg: 100 articles (+8% on previous week)
• Gordon Brown: 97 articles (+26% on previous week)
• Chris Huhne: 73 articles (+92% on previous week)
• Vince Cable: 58 articles (-6% on previous week)
• Liam Fox: 49 articles (-33% on previous week)

Celebrity vs serious

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hit Hollywood, 36 articles vs. Cameron’s announcement that 500 troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by next summer, also 36 articles
• Princess Charlene’s ‘happily ever after’ with Prince Albert of Monaco, 13 articles vs. fresh claims from the US that the Pakistani authorities sanctioned murder of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad, 3 articles
• Victoria Beckham gives birth to her first daughter 24 articles, vs. Santander bank moves its call centres away from India, 16 articles

Arab spring (countries & current leaders)

• Libya and Colonel Gaddafi: 47 articles (-68% on previous week)
• President Al Assad and Syria: 35 articles (-66% on previous week)
• Gaza and Hamas: 11 articles (-27% on previous week)
• Yemen and President Saleh: 10 articles (-38% on previous week)
• Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu, 10 articles (+33% on previous week)
• Iran and President Ahmadinejad, 7 articles (-30% on previous week)
• Iraq and Prime Minister Al Maliki: 4 articles (+400% on previous week)
• Egypt’s Military Council: 4 articles (100% on previous week)#
• Morocco and King Mohammed VI, 3 articles (+0% on previous week
• Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah 2 articles (+100% on previous week)
• Jordan and King Abdullah 2 articles (-33% on previous week)
• Lebanon and Prime Minister Najib Mikati 2 articles (+200% on previous week)
• United Arab Emirates and President Al Nahyan: 1 article (+100% on previous week)
• The West Bank and President Abbas: 0 articles (-100% on previous week)
• Oman and Sultan Al Said: 0 articles (-100% on previous week)

Who wrote a lot about…’phone hacking’

Long form journalism

• 3,361 words: Hungary in Crisis: Tensions with its gypsy population threaten to rip the Eastern European country apart – Peter Popham, The Independent, 10h July 2011
• 2,234 words: The cult of Farrow and Ball – Hilary Rose, The Times, 9 July 2011
• 3,238 words: The mobile market is slipping out of its hands, but is Nokia getting the message? – Simon Munk, MailOnline, 9 July 2011

For the latest instalment of Tobias Grubbe, journalisted’s 18th century jobbing journalist, go to journalisted.com/tobias-grubbe

Similar posts:

• Journalisted Weekly: (More) phone hacking, the Eurozone Crisis and the Beckham baby
• Journalisted Weekly: Breivik in court, Winehouse funeral and Olympics countdown
• Journalisted Weekly: Eurozone crisis, American downgrade, phone hacking, Syria, Somalia
• Journalisted Weekly: Phone hacking, Eurozone, Norway, Somalia and Stepping Hill Hospital
• Journalisted weekly: Wimbledon, Glastonbury, Euro crisis, & Afghanistan