Quantitative analysis of blogs

Quantitative analysis of consumer-generated media is, by itself, limited in its accuracy and use. Computer driven statistical selection is prone to error. It is possible for example to say that Technorati report 164 blogs mentioning Vodafone and masts. This compares to 170 for O2, 187 and for Orange. However, even using the most advanced and complex algorithms, the following clip for example, is likely to be picked up as a posting about mobile phone masts:

All our boats built in traditional Turkish wooden type Gulet style between 15 m (50 ft) - 40 m (133 ft) length. They have 1 mast with two sails, 2 masts with three sails, and 3 masts with six sails. Cabins have mostly double beds each with wc, hot showers. Some of them have generator and air-conditioning. Some harbors are good to visit ancient sites of your choice (don't miss it). Stereo system for your pleasure on board. Mobile phone, Fax, Data, Internet, Airport transfers, Hotel arrangements are available.

Additionally there is the question of specificity. In seeking to count or analyze a trend of posts relating to protests about masts for example, a post such as the one below certainly relates to a mobile phone mast, but is about signal strength rather than a protest – although the taxonomy suggests an unhappy blogger.

My phone is being very annoying too at the moment. The signal mast in this area has gone tits up, and I occasionally get a text, but I can't send any, or make any calls. At the moment I feel like ringing up Vodafone and asking why it is I should pay for a contract when I can't even use the damn thing.

It is for this reason that UKNetMonitor relies on human selection of significant clips to ensure that all reports only contain relevant, significant, consequential, actionable postings, rather than adopting a blanket number-crunch. Given these limitations we provide and use a degree of statistical analysis which is in the public domain, that we believe is useful in assessing trend directions rather than for the purposes of measurement, and also for assessing the relative influence and authority of a web-clipping. For more information on what we do to analyse stuff that helps with corporate reputation visit our website at http://www.uknetmonitor.com