Buyers,
Readers,
Buzz Snackers, and
Bandwidth Bandits
How Alexander the Great Would Use
Stats to Inform an Online Business
Liz Strauss www.successful-blog.com

Statistical doorways.
We use
concrete constructs
for abstract realities.
They work in some ways.

Doors and halls work
Visit length Keyword Analysis
Popular pages Recent Referrers
Visitor paths Returning visitors
Entry pages Exit pages
for sorting information

and quantifiable past behaviors.
How many visitors and page views?
today / in the last hour
Where did they come from?
keywords / site referrals
Which pages are important at the moment?
Socnet bumps / work with page
How is this comparing?
a look at this day last week

They’re less effective for aggregating
into something that resembles a human

Because people usually don’t
behave the way that stats do.

People do what they want to do.

People
• showcase the message
• attract more traffic
• appeal to sponsors
• increase ROI
• define your value
• create growth opportunities
Make decisions easier and faster

Got Traffic?

How Alexander the Great Would Use
Stat Programs to Inform an Online Business

Alexander would understand his position.

He’d understand his objective.
Authority –
DuckStar
Sales – GearGuru
Circulation –
InfoPass

He’d see the players . . .
• Customers
• Readers / Fans
• Buzz Snackers
• Bandwidth Bandits
Waste time and energy

He’d know their objectives.
The One Who The It They
Does or Knows It Can Pass On
to Everyone
The One Place
to Get It Buzz Snackers
Readers / Fans
Buyers

Now he could focus resources . . .

He’d use stats to choose tactics.
Now these
have context.
wordle.net

Alexander the Great would test premises.
Month 1
Month 2

Read results in terms of objectives.
90% 1st Time Visitors
Good news?

Bad News?
12% > 20 minutes
Think Context

Alexander knew
the expectation

could be flanked with innovation.

They understand.
• GearGurus who know their customers
• DuckStars who know their Readers / Fans
• InfoPasses that serve Buzz Snackers

Oh and . . .
Alexander never lost to shiny objects.
Bandwidth Bandits