What type of traffic would you include in your unique visitor totals? Chances are that your answer is quite different from what your monetization channels actually include in your reported uniques. And to make matters even more confusing, chances are that each monetization channel has a different set of rules as to what is considered unique traffic.
Unfortunately, since there is no transparency with respect to these sets of rules, comparing monetization channel RPM performance becomes an “apples-to-oranges” exercise.
What might those differences be? To start, each monetization channel is likely to have a different rule for the amount of time that must pass before a returning visitor becomes counted again as a unique. One company might require 6 hours to pass while another may set the threshold at 24 hours.
Another difference would be some monetization channels don’t count unique visitors from countries like China, but others do.
These differences can significantly impact reported uniques. As a result, monetization channel RPM calculations can become disproportionately skewed one way or another. Those who are unaware of these differences fall under the impression that reported traffic from different monetization channels can equivalently be compared side-by-side…
But don’t worry because Above’s AutoPilot has your back!
For domains pointed to our Above name servers, AutoPilot uses a consistent methodology for calculating the number of unique visitors. In our AutoPilot dashboard and reports, we use the label “uniques” for this number. You might find it interesting to compare our “uniques” against what other monetization channels claim are the number of unique visitors. That number is labeled as “reported” in our dashboard and reports.
Our uniques are then used to calculate the “Normalized RPMs” (nRPM) and “Normalized CTRs” (nCTR) displayed in your AutoPilot dashboard. By removing the inconsistent methodology used for RPM and CTR calculations, our nRPM and nCTR calculations allow you to compare the performance of domains and monetization channels on an “apples-to-apples” basis. The end result is an increase in your ability to make more accurately informed decisions.
Subscribe
