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Internet traffic statistics - the jargon

Industry Agreed Standards

The following definitions have been set by JICWEBS, The Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) an independent body created by the UK media industry.

• Unique User

  ¨A unique and valid identifier. Sites may use (i) IP+User-Agent, (ii) Cookie and/or (iii) Registration ID."

  A Unique User is, at a minimum, a unique combination of an IP address + the Browser ID and Operating System entering a Web site by any valid page and is counted once for the given audit period.

  The number of Unique Users is an indicator of the sites audience or reach.

• Page Impression:

  ¨A file, or combination of files, sent to a valid User as a result of that User's request being received by the server.¨

  In effect, one request by a valid User should result in one Page Impression being claimed.

  The number of Page Impressions is an indicator of the sites total volume of activity/inventory.

• Visit

  ¨A series of one or more Page Impressions, served to one valid User, which ends when that User has not made a Page Impression for a 30-minute period.¨

  A Visit is effectively a near-continuous burst of activity by a valid User.

  The number of Visits is an indicator of the sites frequency of use by its Users.