How Can a Page Have More Unique Pageviews than Total Pageviews?
-
The question and the attached image say it all... how is this possible?
-
tool: the asynchronous tracking code from Google Analytics
-
It seems very improbable, but it's possible (not sure how I'd check for incognito visitors... I'll try to figure this out sometime in the next few weeks).
I tell you what - this specific issue itself is confounding, but the bigger problem is the small but evolving perception that all of the analytics data behind my advice is untrustworthy (a client's growing suspicion that "if this GA data is wrong, then all GA data must be wrong; and Glenn's advice, being based on this data, is invalid". I can just show all the new rankings we get for proof in the pudding, but I just personally want to figure this out theoretically to eliminate any remaining buried seeds of insecurity.... lol!
-
I've passed this one around internally for ideas too. Is this in a subject area where many people might be visiting in incognito mode? It is a bit of a head scratcher!
-
The client never noticed, but is about to on an update report (see attached).
Still happening, still baffling... really hoping someone can help me figure this out... several dozen people I've discussed this with don't believe me, see this, then are baffled too --
-
I haven't seen this before myself, and just now saw this question. What happens if you set the date period to less than a month? Do the numbers look better then? What about if you show things by day instead of week -- is there a day that is out of whack?
Did the client ever notice this and ask?
-
Thanks - that makes a lot of sense, holycap.
Yup - This report is not for a custom segment, and is beyond a month.
Right again, this image is for an infrequently visited page -- so that low volume could lead to bigger margins of error. I would expect those margins of error to match, though, for pageviews and unique pageviews - wouldn't you? Why would such similar metrics have such varying margins of error?
-
Mad props for replying --
This screenshot is from Google Analytics. My server logs, and other analytics software (clicky) don't report the same discrepancy. Since the owners of this website only check GA, I just wanted to figure this out so I can answer their question if they ever ask).
The code is installed correctly. It hurt a little to even consider that theory - though I did review the site firsthand and check....thanks for keeping me humble, tho! This site's bounce rate is about 12%, so I'm pretty sure it's not because of the visitor pressing the backbutton before the page loads (pageload lasts 2 seconds on average, and 95%+ of visitors spend over 10 seconds).
Still unresolved.... and this question is one of the few that seems to stick with me, since this one bizarre example makes all of GA seem less trustworthy. Lemme know if any other ideas spring up ---- Until then, I'll be like the attached images.
Thanks again --hands_twiddling_thumbs_lg_clr.gif image11.gif f923589989ee7d2c47f9106d3387db29b9b2278.gif
-
Another thing he could consider is the fact that this is an Analytic pull of a date range that looks to be beyond a month, so if this is a custom segment, it might be generating a fast access report that's known to be inaccurate in its ballpark estimate at times, especially when numbers are this low, the margin of error can be much bigger.
-
Magic. Obviously.
I can't give you a definite answer but I imagine what is happening is that the data points are being pulled two different ways. Perhaps unique pageviews are being pulled from requests for a URL but total pageviews are being pulled from tracking code and the code isn't loading because the code is put in wrong or the user hits the browser's back button before the page loads.
Which tool are you using?
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Google Analytics - Next Page Path is the Same URL?
Hey Everyone, I have a Google analytics question. I'm looking through a client's site and when I look at the next page path, I get the same URL as the next path. For example, on the homepage, the next page path I get is the homepage again? This happens for all URL's, is this an implementation error? Is there a way to fix this? Thanks!
Reporting & Analytics | | EvansHunt0 -
Can underscore blanks trigger home page bounce rates
Buongiorno from 8 degrees C Wetherby UK 🙂 On this site the scrolling banner has been hyperlinked with underscore blank causing new pages to open when a user clicks on a banner. My question is please... "If a user clicks on a banner will Google measure this as a home page bounce" ( I dont think it will i just want to be 100% sure) Click here for illustration:
Reporting & Analytics | | Nightwing
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc53/zymurgy_bucket/home-page-sw-banner_zps0fda6318.jpg Grazie Tanto,
David0 -
Major practices which helps to index pages by google.
Actually, We have submitted more than 100 pages in to google through xml sitemap. But, we see in that 75% of the pages where indexed by google. Note : Excluding the duplicate pages
Reporting & Analytics | | Webworld_Norway0 -
How do I set up goals in analytics to track the sales funnel when several pages of the steps required to checkout have the same url?
I have found this in Google Analytic but it makes no sense to me - is there are better resource which explains how you do this step by step ( or a good video perhaps?) Identical URLs Across Multiple Steps In some situations, the URL does not change across a sequence of activity. For example, a sign-up process might have the following URL path: Step 1 (Sign Up): www.example.com/sign_up.cgi Step 2 (Accept Agreement): www.example.com/sign_up.cgi Step 3 (Finish): www.example.com/sign_up.cgi To track visitors' progress through a funnel with the same URL for each step, modify the tracking code to create a virtual URL for each step in the sequence that you want to track. For details on how to use this in your tracking code, see Virtual Pageviews in the _Asynchronous Migration Examples_guide, which shows how to do this in all versions of the tracking code. The following example shows how you might fabricate 3 URLs using the asynchronous tracking code: _gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/funnel_G1/step1.html']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/funnel_G1/step2.html']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/funnel_G1/step3.html']); You would then define your funnel and goal URLs using the ones you created in the tracking code modifications.
Reporting & Analytics | | pookiepro0 -
How can i see queries what my visitors are searching for, in my website?
Google analytics installed, but they are not showing. What additional things should i add there? I need to see most popular search queries and add more content to these pages for panda.
Reporting & Analytics | | bele0 -
Can't figure this ranking out..
Hi, This is puzzling me. I've been in the second/third position for a week or so for my best keyword. That is for Google US unpersonalized, which is the one that brings more traffic, as far as I understand. It can't get MUCH better. Well, I can be first, but second and third position is really awesome in my case (highly competitive keyword according to SEOMOZ PRO). Then, why on earth my traffic for that keyword was 8 times better a year ago?? I mean, a year ago I received an average of 800 visits per day and now I can barely reach 90 visits per day being in the second / third place. Visits can't increase from 90 to 800 just for increasing one spot. I've never seen in my stats such drop in my rankings. I thought that due to google updates my site was sent below the 20th position or something. But my I was shocked today when I saw that I still have the second/third position Am I crazy or this looks wrong? The page title and description that shows in google hasn't changed, so people looking for that keyword are seeing the same as one year ago. It is not a seasonal or time sensitive keyword. My best guess is that people are now always logged in and results are personalized. Don't know much about personalized results but I don't think you can optimize much for those. If that's the case, then how on earth can we optimize a page if everybody is using personalized results? Is there a way to improve your rankings in those cases? Thanks, Enrique
Reporting & Analytics | | enriquef0 -
How serious are the Duplicate page content and Tags error?
I have a travel booking website which reserves flights, cars, hotels, vacation packages and Cruises. I encounter a huge number of Duplicate Page Title and Content error. This is expected because of the nature of my website. Say if you look for flights between Washington DC and London Heathrow you will at least get 60 different options with same content and title tags. How can I go about reducing the harm if any of duplicate content and meta tags on my website? Knowing that invariably I will have multiple pages with same content and tags? Would appreciate your advice? S.H
Reporting & Analytics | | sherohass0 -
Can I find results for my SEO rankings over an extended period of time?
I was hoping to put a report together chronicling my SEO performance over the last 2 months and couldn't find a place to see prior information.
Reporting & Analytics | | AppNeta0