Anyone who has followed this blog knows I’m a stataholic who loves to analyze statistical (blog) tracking programs. A new one, named Woopra, has been added to my list. As luck would have it, Lorelle (of Lorelle on WordPress) knows Woopra better than most.
Here’s her explanation in detail.
6) In a recent email from you, you mentioned you are now the editor-in-chief of the Woopra blog/zine. Can you explain what Woopra is and how it can benefit bloggers?
Woopra is the most exciting software technology I’ve stumbled across in a very long time and I’m so thrilled to be a small part of it. Woopra is a web analytics program that reports on your blog traffic, but it is more than that. Woopra is installed on your computer as Java software, running in the background, and links to your blog through a JavaScript which can be installed manually or through the Woopra WordPress Plugin.
Woopra is different for many reasons, way beyond its purpose as a web analytics program. Primarily because it has the most beautiful software interface. It’s lovely. Woopra also tracks your blog statistics live – right now. As they are happening. There is also a live chat feature that allows you to start a conversation with visitors on your blog while they are visiting your blog. They need to do nothing more than accept your invitation to chat, no special software provided. Bloggers are having so much fun with this, even holding contests inviting people to visit and chat and handing out prizes.
When someone registers with your blog or leaves a comment, their name is storied in a cookie which Woopra can read. Woopra then changes the Visitor #34503 to “Sally Jones” – and the anonymous visitor now becomes a person moving through your blog. You can tag them and create a custom event notification so you will be alerted the next time they visit, and can track their visits over time.
One user told me that they didn’t like that Woopra was raising the accountability standards. “I can’t tell so-and-so that I visited their blog when I didn’t. They can guilt-trip me by saying, ‘I checked Woopra and you haven’t been by in six weeks!’ No more lying!” We all laughed, but I see Woopra changing the face of the web in many ways, through instant monitoring of visitors, live chats, and customized tracking.
Right now, Woopra is free for beta testing, but only by private invitation only. There are more than 25,000 beta testers, and more approvals may be coming, so you can sign up and wait, but be patient. If you get approved, you will be expected to monitor the Woopra Forums and comment and report on bugs and feature requests.
For those currently using Woopra, we are inviting our beta testers to guest blog on the Woopra about how they are using Woopra and web analytics to help them blog. We’re also looking for articles on how blog and web stats change and influence your blogging behavior – especially when it comes to social networking. How we work and use the web for our business and social life is measurable, but how do the numbers really change your experience and usage. Email me if you are a Woopra member and interesting in contributing.
Today’s Assignment
In the past I’ve written posts titled Confusing Blog Stats – Is a Visit A Visit?, Page Views Are Over Rated and in Blogging – Year One – Lesson 4, I share what I learned from stats.
Although it’s easy to get addicted to checking our statistics, much can be learned from them. Dig past the initial numbers and hoards of useful information lies beneath.
How close do you look at your statistics?
Do you know where your traffic is coming from?
Are your keywords/keyword phrases working?
What are your statistics telling you?
Woopra is an awesome statistical program. Want to become a beta tester? It’s easy. Go to Woopra.com and sign up.
Photo Credit:
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Hi. I'm Barbara Swafford & I'd like to welcome you to Blogging Without A Blog. Grab a seat, share your thoughts and join in the conversation. 
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If you blog, in some sense, you’re a teacher. You’re sharing your thoughts, opinions, life lessons, and/or stories from the past. In many cases your words will resonate with others and they will learn “something” be inspired to do “something”. Our work may create a light bulb moment leaving our readers contemplating what they read.
Today’s Lesson
When I started my blogs my hope was others would learn from what I had learned, and continue to learn. Although I don’t teach bloggers how to make money online, how to gain more RSS subscribers, or how to code pages, by asking thought provoking questions, providing links, sharing interviews with experts or sharing my finds, I do think I can teach others to be better bloggers.
In life, I learned to never accept the first thing I read about something. Being an analytical person I like to dissect the information and figure out what makes it so. As I continue my research I note if other sources are saying the same thing, or if I find conflicting information.
Blogging has been no different. I’ve found RSS feed reader numbers can be manipulated, page views are over rated , and a “visit” may not be a “visit”. When it comes to numbers, there is always a way to misconstrue the facts.
With the assignments I post on this blog, my hope is the questions I ask will make you think (and hopefully respond). Your answer, and other answers may open our eyes to greater possibilities.
For me, when I read the comments you leave, I too, am learning and expanding my knowledge base. Isn’t blogging grand?
Today’s Assignment
Yesterday we discussed what we are learning from our blogging experience, today we’ll discuss the opposite.
When you publish a blog post, do you hope the reader will take away a lesson?
If you blog in a niche, are your visitors learning more about the topic?
Based on the comments you’re receiving, are your blog posts conveying the message you had intended?
Let’s discuss this further. I’d love to hear how you hope to teach others.
.
Photo Credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com’s photostream