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The FWA Stats
13 comments written so far...I hate when I see things like this:
Who is lying? The FWA or Alexa?
When my mr.doob site got featured I was quite proud, but since then, I started to take a look on which other sites got featured, and dude, a lot of the stuff that gets featured has nothing special at all (Here I tried not to say 'rotten crap').
Why non-special sites get featured? There may be 2 reasons... 1) Money. 2) Trying to have a SOTD every day, I'll bet it's the first... Either way, you have to think that, after all, this is just a guy earning money thanks to the design community, making them think that doing shitty web campaigns for coca cola will turn you in a better designer/developer, will get you featured.
This is why I always try to stay away of money/advertising on xplsv.tv, money distorts your criteria, which distorts your site, and distorts your users (the ones that doesn't leave).
Well, this is just my humble (randomly written) opinion anyway.
EDIT: After a bit more of thinking about the whole issue, I think it's just a matter of FWA (and most of design websites) not being able to follow the pace of internet users adoption. So both stats are likely to be true. But Alexa reflects more the reality of a site compared to the rest of the internet.
So, maybe it's time to improve FWA so it keep up with the pace of the internet, or maybe it's time to give up and sell ;)
Who is lying? The FWA or Alexa?
When my mr.doob site got featured I was quite proud, but since then, I started to take a look on which other sites got featured, and dude, a lot of the stuff that gets featured has nothing special at all (Here I tried not to say 'rotten crap').
Why non-special sites get featured? There may be 2 reasons... 1) Money. 2) Trying to have a SOTD every day, I'll bet it's the first... Either way, you have to think that, after all, this is just a guy earning money thanks to the design community, making them think that doing shitty web campaigns for coca cola will turn you in a better designer/developer, will get you featured.
This is why I always try to stay away of money/advertising on xplsv.tv, money distorts your criteria, which distorts your site, and distorts your users (the ones that doesn't leave).
Well, this is just my humble (randomly written) opinion anyway.
EDIT: After a bit more of thinking about the whole issue, I think it's just a matter of FWA (and most of design websites) not being able to follow the pace of internet users adoption. So both stats are likely to be true. But Alexa reflects more the reality of a site compared to the rest of the internet.
So, maybe it's time to improve FWA so it keep up with the pace of the internet, or maybe it's time to give up and sell ;)
Well, what can I say Rob?
I've had a couple of hicups on my site and Alexa always matches Google Analytics and awstats. That's why I was surprised when I checked thefwa on there.
Maybe if I can get that impression, maybe some of the advertisers you want to attract can also get that impression. Which shouldn't do anything but encourage you to make that information more credible.
PS: I didn't know you were subscribed to this blog. Thanks!
I've had a couple of hicups on my site and Alexa always matches Google Analytics and awstats. That's why I was surprised when I checked thefwa on there.
Maybe if I can get that impression, maybe some of the advertisers you want to attract can also get that impression. Which shouldn't do anything but encourage you to make that information more credible.
PS: I didn't know you were subscribed to this blog. Thanks!
No one is lying. Check out the stats dude.
I too have stopped visiting theFWA for the same reasons. I have no idea what the criteria of acceptance and submission are but it seems like some of the agencies are clearly on the panel. Everything that a certain agency does, gets a post. 9 timed out of 9 its just a glorified video player. I spend 15 minutes digging around a site or experience wondering what makes it great and I cant find a single thing.
Just because your site has video, 3D, some use of Flash or a bullshit excuse to use Papervision does not make it a great experience.
TheFWA has lost relevance to real designers and digital thinkers. Its just a marketing tool. Plain and simple. A traffic driver. Look elsewhere for real content and ideas.
The challenge facing the FWA is to become transparent. Unleash a popular vote and initiate a dialogue with the design community. Define what Site of the Day means. Does it mean its great? Or does it mean this is the site we are going to analyze today? I guarantee you that people will think twice about the work they submit.
The last 6 months or years worth of submissions have been absolutely abysmal.
Just because your site has video, 3D, some use of Flash or a bullshit excuse to use Papervision does not make it a great experience.
TheFWA has lost relevance to real designers and digital thinkers. Its just a marketing tool. Plain and simple. A traffic driver. Look elsewhere for real content and ideas.
The challenge facing the FWA is to become transparent. Unleash a popular vote and initiate a dialogue with the design community. Define what Site of the Day means. Does it mean its great? Or does it mean this is the site we are going to analyze today? I guarantee you that people will think twice about the work they submit.
The last 6 months or years worth of submissions have been absolutely abysmal.
I wish I was able to write with that level of politeness! :) I agree with you in every word by the way.
However, I wanted to throw something else on the stats issue. It maybe possible that none of the stats is a fraud. But it's likely that the amount of users on the internet has been growing a lot and sites such as TheFWA have lost % of internet users against, uhm playboy.com. So altough TheFWA may been actually increasing their visits, they haven't followed the internet user increase level.
That may explain both of these graphics. However, TheFWA attitude (text on the site) is irritating enough to generate such facts.
However, I wanted to throw something else on the stats issue. It maybe possible that none of the stats is a fraud. But it's likely that the amount of users on the internet has been growing a lot and sites such as TheFWA have lost % of internet users against, uhm playboy.com. So altough TheFWA may been actually increasing their visits, they haven't followed the internet user increase level.
That may explain both of these graphics. However, TheFWA attitude (text on the site) is irritating enough to generate such facts.
I have lost respect for theFWA of late. Usually the sites posted on there are at the top of their game, but some recently are not...some havent even loaded or have had errors a plenty.
Aside from that, I would suggest some kind of community / commenting system surrounding the site. It would help the Flash and design community by being able to discuss sites - both their pros and their cons.
It has been a great resource, no doubt about it, but it is becoming less relevant by the day.
Aside from that, I would suggest some kind of community / commenting system surrounding the site. It would help the Flash and design community by being able to discuss sites - both their pros and their cons.
It has been a great resource, no doubt about it, but it is becoming less relevant by the day.
I will say, the site of the month's are always impressive, and while the FWA's still do have some great sites it is true that they're becoming diluted with sites that merely only offer high production value as their reason for being awarded.
A good example of this was the Telus gift guide in December. Probably the most disappointing FWA I've seen all year. All it was a big elaborate video. While the video may have been cool and the concept creative, it was originally produced for broadcast commercials and they used it online.
A good example of this was the Telus gift guide in December. Probably the most disappointing FWA I've seen all year. All it was a big elaborate video. While the video may have been cool and the concept creative, it was originally produced for broadcast commercials and they used it online.
WOW, I am a little taken back by some of the comments on this blog, and while I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can't help but to think there is a more constructive way to get your point across. The FWA is a long standing staple of our community and celebrates the blood sweat and tears poured into our craft. SOTD to me does not always mean "The next best/greatest", but more so means a well crafted, unique or inspirational site. My first SOTD was probably one of the proudest moments in my career. After all is said in done the content for the FWA comes directly from the teams and individuals producing and submitting. I for one would choose to have a steady stream of material to view and scrutinize rather then waiting for those unique moments when we all collectively acknowledge a single site as "SOTD" worthy.
much respect
-justen
much respect
-justen
Justen, I think this is precisely what some are referring to. That there's a reason it originally became so much more successful than other web awards sites and why the FWA has been a long standing staple in our industry. It has definitely been a source of inspiration and still continues to be, but my comment was in response to someone else stating that un-inspiring sites that just feature high production large movies or cgi are becoming more frequent with the FWA and I find myself asking "How did they do that??" much less. I find myself visiting it less frequently because of this.
Perhaps its our industry focussing more on big production assets rather than being creative with their functionality and interactivity.
Perhaps its our industry focussing more on big production assets rather than being creative with their functionality and interactivity.
Hi all, especially a note to Ricardo...
We just updated our stats page for January and have included some screen grabs from our stats page to back up the stats we display:
http://www.thefwa.com/kit/stats.html
Hopefully, this will satisfy your original question about!
We just updated our stats page for January and have included some screen grabs from our stats page to back up the stats we display:
http://www.thefwa.com/kit/stats.html
Hopefully, this will satisfy your original question about!
anyways the FWA is just losing it.
i was a big fan but since there just big agencys getting awarded over and over again for non special sites, the FWA isn't worth a visit anymore.
i was a big fan but since there just big agencys getting awarded over and over again for non special sites, the FWA isn't worth a visit anymore.
Wow, well i'm glad someone as respected in the community as you finally voiced the opinion many of us have had for a while, but didn't bother to mention because it would've been brushed off.
I submitted my site, and paid the 15 dollars submission fee. Mind you i get ZERO traffic. Then i noticed 2 days later i got one visitor for about 1 minute on the site even though there's definitely more than a minutes worth of stuff to look at on there.
That was it, nothing else, i just got ripped off 15 bucks, not cus i didn't get put on the site, but because they didn't even actually view my site.
I submitted my site, and paid the 15 dollars submission fee. Mind you i get ZERO traffic. Then i noticed 2 days later i got one visitor for about 1 minute on the site even though there's definitely more than a minutes worth of stuff to look at on there.
That was it, nothing else, i just got ripped off 15 bucks, not cus i didn't get put on the site, but because they didn't even actually view my site.
I just want to put in my two sense and say lets see you make a website that is even relatively good in flash... I am pretty sure that 95% of the people that commented here can't so STFU... respect the time and effort that people put into these, although some of them may not have the creative level you are looking for, how about try making one that is even relatively close to some of the ones you see; even the simple ones, please be my guest and show me! Secondly, how is alexa even generally right? If u really think that Alexa stats are correct, you really are a noob at the internet and please don't even try developing a flash website, that is like believing that the onion is a real news source...
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