Visitor Insights

A while back we published a post on using Google to predict elections. A similar post has recently been submitted by Jeremiah Owyang on the use of social networking stats for similar analysis. Obviously, in both cases, one cannot heavily rely on these numbers to predict elections, as they’re a reflection of interest and one cannot guarantee that interest turns into votes. But in both cases, there’s a great deal of entertainment value associated with the data.

However, a recent article in New York Times reveals a much more powerful side of Google Trends. In this case, Google is using its search data ot track the spread of flu within the United States. More specifically, deta from last year revealed that Google saw a spike in number of searches for terms such as “flu symptoms” about two weeks before the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reported regional outbreaks. The graph below shows the comparison between the two data sources.

I must admit this is one of the most clever uses of Google Trends as it captures real data in a manner that can be used to actually predict trends. Congratulations to the folks at Google.

We’re all looking forward to the eMetrics conference next week. This is the premier event for everything and anything web analytics and with all the changes happening in the industry, this event is a must.

We’re specifically interested in connecting with other industry experts and see how organizations are tackling their analytics challenges.

If you’re also attending the event, please drop us a note.

I always enjoy what the guys at Common Craft do. They have a way of simplifying things for everyone to understand. This is another fantastic piece of work by them. It explains social bookmarking. Many people miss the social aspect of bookmarking.

Ever wonder what all the buzz is about social media? The folks at Common Craft have done the best job I’ve seen explaining social media. Enjoy.

Media for the people, by the people.