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aleks_mielczare
aleks_mielczare
October 16, 2015
Solved

Return Frequency

  • October 16, 2015
  • 2 replies
  • 1875 views

I ran a standard Return Frquency report.  Can someone explain in plain english why the Total is so much high than the individual line item?  I do not understand the explanation found here.

[img]Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 3.01.55 PM.png[/img]

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Best answer by BrianAu1

In the example screenshot below the totals by Referrer Type are referenced in the orange highlighted area. Then your noted Page Views Per Visit total discrepancy has to do with how the Ad Hoc Analysis inline totals are calculated for within the Return Frequency dimension total (red box highlighted area).

The area highlighted in red is where you are referencing and this is due to how Page Views is derived the overall total for the Referrer Type for all Visits, but the Visits count is only the sum of the Return Frequency Line items (area highlighted in blue). Therefore the inline Page Views per Visit count is inflated because the calculation is off (All Referrer Type Page Views DIVIDED BY Return Frequency Line Item Sum Visits).

If you want to get a true calculated total for return visits I would run a return visit segment against the base Referrer Type report. Or you could do the calculation manually by totaling the actual line items to derive a true return visit page views count (i.e.Return Frequency Line Item Sum Page Views).

Best,

Brian

[img]2015-08-05_15-50-36.png[/img]

2 replies

B
Adobe Employee
BrianAu1Adobe EmployeeAccepted solution
Adobe Employee
October 16, 2015

In the example screenshot below the totals by Referrer Type are referenced in the orange highlighted area. Then your noted Page Views Per Visit total discrepancy has to do with how the Ad Hoc Analysis inline totals are calculated for within the Return Frequency dimension total (red box highlighted area).

The area highlighted in red is where you are referencing and this is due to how Page Views is derived the overall total for the Referrer Type for all Visits, but the Visits count is only the sum of the Return Frequency Line items (area highlighted in blue). Therefore the inline Page Views per Visit count is inflated because the calculation is off (All Referrer Type Page Views DIVIDED BY Return Frequency Line Item Sum Visits).

If you want to get a true calculated total for return visits I would run a return visit segment against the base Referrer Type report. Or you could do the calculation manually by totaling the actual line items to derive a true return visit page views count (i.e.Return Frequency Line Item Sum Page Views).

Best,

Brian

[img]2015-08-05_15-50-36.png[/img]

martijn_123
martijn_123
Level 3
October 16, 2015

For some reason the pageviews from the first visit of first time visitors are included in the total pageviews; hence the inflation of the pageviews per visit.

You can make a segment which excludes visits with visit nr = 1; that should do the trick.

 

I don't know what you want to do with the result but keep in mind that you are strictly talking about visits here. Not visitors. In one report the same visitor can be in all the return frequency periods and in all the referrer types as well. He can have a return frequency of longer than 1 month from the Search Engine but visit the site on a daily basis from a bookmark. Hope this helps.

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