Does everyone in India have the Alexa toolbar or what?

Bodhi · 10-05-2008, 09:11 PM

I have a site that according to Awstats receives well over 90% of it's traffic from the US, the next country is Canada. However, according to Alexa it receives 34% of it's traffic from India, 33% from the US, and the rest from various other countries.

What is the deal here, does everyone in India have the Alexa toolbar? The results are so skewed. The site recieves over 10,000 uniques, enough so the sample size is big enough. Realistically, traffic from India only represents a small fraction of my traffic according to Awstats, but according to Alexa, that is where the majority of the traffic comes from.

Anyone else see results like this?

xXDanteXx · 10-06-2008, 12:25 AM

Alexa is broken. Ignore it.

AHA7 · 10-06-2008, 12:37 AM

Awstats is more accurate so don't worry about what Alexa says.

weblord · 10-06-2008, 12:45 AM

just depend on Awstats and for second opinion use webalizer and/or install google analytics.

alexa is a toolbar btw.

Bodhi · 10-06-2008, 12:52 AM

Thanks guys. I realize Alexa doesn't mean much, I'm just surprised at how many people in India must have the toolbar installed for the results to be so skewed.

Earthian · 10-06-2008, 07:40 AM

Alexa is not just the toolbar , there is (was?) also a browser add-on (hidden)

when some years back I installed Windows 2000 on a PC of mine I also installed Internet Explorer I think it was 5.0 (or a previous version , not sure) ... after using the computer some time , I ran a scan with AdAware and it found some files named Alexa and considered them as adware

at the time I did not know what Alexa was (nor had an Alexa toolbar installed) so I deleted those files thinking it was probably some adware

after some time I remember doing a fresh install (or upgraded the IE , not sure) and voila the Alexa files were again found with AdAware

maybe in India a (large?) number of people have that Windows installation or that IE version and therefore Alexa tracks their visits (since they don't know they have that add-on on their PC)

Bodhi · 10-06-2008, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthian

maybe in India a (large?) number of people have that Windows installation or that IE version and therefore Alexa tracks their visits (since they don't know they have that add-on on their PC)

Interesting, that could be it.

Earthian · 10-06-2008, 09:02 AM

searched a little and there actually is an "Alexa component" (as opposed to Alexa toolbar) which actually is made by Microsoft and installed in IE

google "internet explorer alexa files" (without the quotes) and read some of the results in the first page

as to what the "Alexa component" does exactly is rather debatable (see the links in the above SERP for more info)

Bodhi · 10-06-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthian

searched a little and there actually is an "Alexa component" (as opposed to Alexa toolbar) which actually is made by Microsoft and installed in IE

google "internet explorer alexa files" (without the quotes) and read some of the results in the first page

as to what the "Alexa component" does exactly is rather debatable (see the links in the above SERP for more info)

Rep added for the sleuthing!

shockie · 10-06-2008, 11:03 AM

it could also be that many indians are accessing the internet at local hubs, most of which might have the toolbar installed on their browsers.

10-05-2008, 09:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bodhi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Barcelona Posts: 2,984 80.38 NP$ (Donate)	Does everyone in India have the Alexa toolbar or what? I have a site that according to Awstats receives well over 90% of it's traffic from the US, the next country is Canada. However, according to Alexa it receives 34% of it's traffic from India, 33% from the US, and the rest from various other countries. What is the deal here, does everyone in India have the Alexa toolbar? The results are so skewed. The site recieves over 10,000 uniques, enough so the sample size is big enough. Realistically, traffic from India only represents a small fraction of my traffic according to Awstats, but according to Alexa, that is where the majority of the traffic comes from. Anyone else see results like this?

10-06-2008, 12:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
xXDanteXx NamePros Regular Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 229 221.95 NP$ (Donate)	Alexa is broken. Ignore it. __________________ Quote: "they are in business to squat on and profit from domains that could be legitimately used by others on a grand scale." Oh really? great let me get my hands on actors.com!!

10-06-2008, 12:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
AHA7 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,087 313.16 NP$ (Donate)	Awstats is more accurate so don't worry about what Alexa says. __________________

10-06-2008, 07:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
Earthian NamePros Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Earth Posts: 867 344.70 NP$ (Donate)	Alexa is not just the toolbar , there is (was?) also a browser add-on (hidden) when some years back I installed Windows 2000 on a PC of mine I also installed Internet Explorer I think it was 5.0 (or a previous version , not sure) ... after using the computer some time , I ran a scan with AdAware and it found some files named Alexa and considered them as adware at the time I did not know what Alexa was (nor had an Alexa toolbar installed) so I deleted those files thinking it was probably some adware after some time I remember doing a fresh install (or upgraded the IE , not sure) and voila the Alexa files were again found with AdAware maybe in India a (large?) number of people have that Windows installation or that IE version and therefore Alexa tracks their visits (since they don't know they have that add-on on their PC) __________________ worldonics .com domains for global brands

10-06-2008, 09:02 AM	#8 (permalink)
Earthian NamePros Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Earth Posts: 867 344.70 NP$ (Donate)	searched a little and there actually is an "Alexa component" (as opposed to Alexa toolbar) which actually is made by Microsoft and installed in IE google "internet explorer alexa files" (without the quotes) and read some of the results in the first page as to what the "Alexa component" does exactly is rather debatable (see the links in the above SERP for more info) __________________ worldonics .com domains for global brands Last edited by Earthian; 10-06-2008 at 09:09 AM.

10-06-2008, 12:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
weblord NamePros Legend Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philippines - www.Nabaza.com Posts: 19,840 21,700.43 NP$ (Donate)	just depend on Awstats and for second opinion use webalizer and/or install google analytics. alexa is a toolbar btw.

10-06-2008, 12:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bodhi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Barcelona Posts: 2,984 80.38 NP$ (Donate)	Thanks guys. I realize Alexa doesn't mean much, I'm just surprised at how many people in India must have the toolbar installed for the results to be so skewed.

10-06-2008, 11:03 AM	#10 (permalink)
shockie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,478 1,025.10 NP$ (Donate)	it could also be that many indians are accessing the internet at local hubs, most of which might have the toolbar installed on their browsers. __________________ - shockie Linux VPS Hosting From $9.95 With A FREE Control Panel & DOUBLE Burst RAM! Monopoly Companies Binary Addition Coffee Makers & Grinders How to Wash Your Hands 5 Ways To Make Money Blogging Do You Want To Make Money Online?

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