Piotr Ejdys, Małgorzata Grzanka Internet Tests in Poland. (Example of tests type site-centric)
	Global eMarketing
	This article was translated thanks to the grant received from the Open Society Institute

Internet turned out to be an irreplaceable source of information and the means of quickly and easily accessing it. Dynamic expansion of Internet went hand in hand with development of monitoring methods of this media. It soon became apparent that understanding of the entire range of phenomena occurring in the Internet is fundamental to finding the best way of distributing information and understanding the mechanism governing Internet's environment.

In the U.S.A., monitoring of this media began in 1994. Two years later, on recommendation of NASK, it was also introduced out in Poland; however, it was not fully implemented here until year 2000.

Although Internet is slowly gaining popularity in Poland (according to the poll carried out by I-Metria, 36% of Poles above the age of 15 is using the Internet) information concerning preferences and habits of its users is still inadequate. Knowledge about model motives and behaviour of the users and the way they interact with Internet's sites may help all those interested in distribution of information on the net.

Examination methods

There are two methods of examining the Internet and its users. One is the traditional (off line) method, using appropriate techniques.

The other one is with the aid of Internet itself (on line). Expansion of the on line tests (site-centric and user-centric) took place between 1998 and 1999.The world leader in this field is the American firm named Nielsen-Net Ratings.

On Polish Soil

Majority of Polish institutions concerned with monitoring Internet, use traditional methods. They are mainly enquiries conducted through telephone (CATI) or directly (face to face). Enquiries conducted in this manner are carried out by: ARC Rynek and Opinia ("Internet Monitor" and "Internet Business Monitor"), SMG/KRC ("Net Track"), TNS OBOP ("Interbus"), GfK Polonia ("GfK OnlineBus").

In Poland, off line monitoring of Internet is carried out in cyclic manner, using numerically varying sampling and different methodologies. This, in effect, produces varying results and allows different interpretations of the phenomena occurring on the Internet. As an example, sampling carried out by Net Track covered in one year 12000 Poles between the ages of 15 and 75, on the other hand, OBOP interviews, in a month, 400 Internet users aged 15 and over.

In Poland, off line monitoring of Internet is carried out in cyclic manner, using numerically varying sampling and different methodologies. This, in effect, produces varying results and allows different interpretations of the phenomena occurring on the Internet. As an example, sampling carried out by Net Track covered in one year 12000 Poles between the ages of 15 and 75, on the other hand, OBOP interviews, in a month, 400 Internet users aged 15 and over.

The growing need for specialised knowledge compelled majority of the monitoring institutions to additionally monitor only the users visiting a specific site (i.e. the site under investigation) and not the entire population of Internet users in Poland. For example, OBOP introduced an inquiry called "Web Profiler-PRO", which investigates the demographic structure of visitors to a specific site. GfK also introduced a site demographic study, named "GfK Web Profiler".

Disadvantage of Internet testing by traditional methods is their ambiguity; it means that an interviewee answering a questionnaire will state only what he remembers at the time. There is possibility that he may even forget the last site he visited. This type tests illustrate very well the awareness of Internet site presentation. However, they don't always reflect the reality.

Monitoring Internet on line.

There are two types of on-line monitoring of the Internet: panel analysis, it means from the user`s side (user-centric) realised with the aid of a programme installed in a participant's computer and tracking analysis, it means from the web page`s side (site- centric) achieved by means of a special tracking systems installed on web sites. Data collected by those two methods is a real time data.

User-centric monitoring (carried out in Poland by the I-Metria www.imetria.com) relies on conscripting and maintaining a body (a panel) of participants (guinea pigs). Currently, there are in Poland 3000 participants (a panel) from different social backgrounds. The group consists of those who only access the Internet from home. There are plans to form a panel (group) of 1000 participants using the Internet at work only.

Fig. 1. A scheme of I-Metryka`s panel
Source: I-Metria

Contrary to the data obtained by interviews this is a real time data (the events are recorded at the same time as they occur). Each participant's computer is equipped with a special programme (eMeter), which monitors his web site activity. The eMeter collects the following information:

• which sites and pages are visited by the users,
• lengths of time spent on each,
• the previous and the next access,
• the time of logging on and logging off the Internet,
• the number of new and returning users.

The data obtained thus allows the pursuit of farther and deeper investigations; among them: what sites are accessible in Poland, what is the daily/ monthly/ yearly spread of access to the Internet, and finally, which are the most popular sites. Information about demographic and social structure of Internet users in Poland is added to the data, which means that it is possible to carry out analysis from the angle of demographic variables.

Site-centric monitoring

Site centric monitoring in Poland conducts an institute named Global eMarketing [http://www.gem.pl] with the aid of GeMius tracking system [http://www.gemius.pl]. This system measures and analyses activity around a web site. The data accumulated from many sites gives an insight into the practices of Internet users and allows analysis of trends occurring on the Internet.

Implementation of advanced tracking systems to monitor the activity around web sites brought additional benefit of permitting a more efficient management of sites. Unlike the experience with other media, where reaction of users (appeal of a television programme, effectiveness of an advertisement) is measured in weeks, in the Internet`s case it is measured in minutes.

Site-centric monitoring divides into two types. The first is passive, realised with the aid of logging audits. It depends on analysis of files generated by the servers. The weakness of this system is a limited relevance of data to the monitored subject as well as technical limitations - not all activities of a user are recorded on the server's file.

Fig. 2. Log analysis
Source: Global eMarketing

The second type was made possible with the development of special systems, which allow on line monitoring of Internet users of a selected site as well as a group of sites. An example of an advanced system of this type designed to perform a complete analysis of Internet activity ASP type (on line data access) is the previously mentioned GeMius system.

Fig. 3. GeMius in ASP model-activity
Source: Global eMarketing

Technology of GeMius system

In order that the system can register releases generated by Internet viewers and at the same time perform a statistical summation of the activity, it is necessary to attach to HTML of each monitored page a specially prepared script. Those scripts, which are based on cookies technology, are sent to the clients' browsers for the purpose of user identification by the GeMius system. In spite of prejudicial attitude to the solutions based on cookies, data acquired by the Global eMarketing shows that 98% of Internet users in Poland tolerate cookies (according to the data from: http://www: ranking.pl).

Fig. 4. The data acquisition process in GeMius system.
Source: Global eMarketing

What counts?

The basic information, registered by the system is a release. Thanks to cookie's technology releases join into visits, which in turn are subordinated to individual internet users (user=cookie) This process permits the acquisition of many interesting indicators, which are priceless to the people administering the web sites:

• number of releases, visits, users (divided into new and returning),
• time spent on a visit to a web site,
• referring pages /search engines which locate a desired web site,
• starting /final pages in a visit,
• time spent on a given page / site,
• information about search paths used,
• information about computers used for surfing the web sites (operating systems, browsers, resolution, depth of colours),
• information about geographic location of the Internet users (towns, countries).

GeMius system presents the above information in a chronological progression (day, week, month, year), which allows observation of trends occurring on the Internet.

Advantages of GeMius system
System implementation

The aim of workshops for the four year students is to provide basic but The fundamental advantage of this system is access it gives to the activity statistics of ones own site. There are two options of obtaining access to the system (paid and free of charge ), therefore even a hobbyist can avail himself/herself of its services. Easy to understand graphs allow quick and intuitive familiarisation with presented information.

Ranking.pl

The quality and accuracy of site-centric monitoring is dependant on the number of scripts installed on various web sites. The more data is forthcoming, the more authentic is the view of Polish Internet. Monitoring of Polish web sites gives insight into trends, which occur here. Currently, there are 4000 web sites in Poland taking advantage of GeMius system. Because there are about 1,500,000 viewers visiting those sites weekly, the designers of GeMius have introduced a special Internet service http://www.ranking.pl which offers aggregated data (mainly technical) regarding:

• operating systems,
• browsers,
• resolution,
• counties,
• searchers-domains,
• search-engines,
• catalogues,
• duration of visits.

The site www.ranking.pl has got a separate "Analysis" section containing some interesting information on the subject of trends, which were noted during the analysis of data.

e-bulletin

A way of distributing information about trends occurring on the Internet is the ranking.pl service's e-bulletin (http://biuletyn.ranking.pl). Trends observed during analysis and data published by the service are updated weekly and, with added commentary, sent by e-mail to subscribers. This free service supplies the multitude of Internet users with all the latest news of what is happening on the net.

The value of Internet monitoring is unquestionable. The knowledge provided allows better understanding and management of information distribution on the Internet and also full utilisation of this media's potential. It is therefore worthwhile to invest in this type of monitoring and use it.

Translated by Jolanta Wróbel