Google Analytics DOES NOT Track Radio Listeners

Google Analytics does a great job at analyzing data for website stats. However Google Analytics tracks only their own Google search engine results which does not include Bing, Yahoo, Alexa or other search engine data statistics. They also do not, and most times, cannot track a streaming media listening audience.

Here's why...Listener numbers come from an audio streaming server. This audio server is not a webpage on a website but actually a separate data stream, usually housed on a separate server from the radio stations website server.  It is linked ON a website page but as in the case of HealthyLife.net Radio the radio button link is on almost every page of our 60+ page website and not on just on one Landing page.

Google Analytics CAN track how many people come to a website page that contains a link to the audio stream but unfortunately that is not always the actual listener data. Actual listener data can only come from the audio server stream data.  

HealthyLife.net also has 62+ syndicators/simulcast distribution channels that pick up our LIVE audio stream and rebroadcast it out to their many listeners - but to our audio search engine each one looks like just one listener. In reality these 62 distribution channels could be accessing 100s, 1,000s or 1,000,000 more listeners a day per channel.  Think the numbers are high? Here's an example - Microsoft's Radio Tuner, which HealthyLife.net is 1 of 68 talk radio stations is available to 1 billion worldwide internet devices a day. 1% of listenership would provide HealthyLife.net with 1 million more listeners a day but again to our streaming server they look like only 1 listener.

Podcast and on-demand listening all have different criteria that is tracked differently in an audio streaming server.  Again website hit analysis is not the same  as tracking websites so unfortunately using Google Analytics to rate Listener Audience size is not a valid measurement.

Types of Internet Radio

by Linda Mackenzie

1. Internet Radio Show - an individual radio show with one or more hosts, which can be aired live or pre-recorded, and is broadcasted either on a radio station or as a podcast from an individual website.

2. Radio Station - A group of live and/or prerecorded scheduled programs that are grouped together and broadcast through a single channel of distribution.

3. Radio Network - A 24/7 individual radio station which is linked to other radio networks and broadcasts a common program theme in a specific format (e.g., Music, Talk, News/Talk) and is in syndication (contracted by another media channel for play) or simulcast (Simultaneous broadCast on other media channels) or both on many channels of distribution.

4. Radio Aggregator - A radio streaming service provider that provides streaming service for a single radio station or where 100's or 1000's of many different radio programs without one specific theme are grouped together and share streaming services as one station which may or may not be linked to other radio networks to syndicate/simulcast its stream.

5. Radio Syndicator/Simulcaster - An individual broadcast entity that picks up, links and broadcasts many radio stations/radio networks streams to broadcast them on their site.

6. On Demand Radio Archive - An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which has been archived and made available for listening at any time directly from their specific website.

7. On Demand Radio Download - An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which can be downloaded to a listener's computer to be made available for listening at any time via one or more various formats (e.g., .mp3, podcast, ITunes format, RSS feed, mobile).

8. Podcast Aggregator - A podcast streaming service provider that provides streaming service for 100's or 1000's of many different podcast program providers without one specific theme which are grouped together to share streaming services.

Internet Radio Definitions

by Linda Mackenzie

Here's the Types of Internet Radio defined to make it less confusing for listeners, advertisers and...Ahem...the industry...

1. Internet Radio Show is an individual radio show with one or more hosts, which can be aired live or pre-recorded, and is broadcasted either on a radio station or as a podcast from an individual website.
2. Internet Radio Station – A group of live and/or prerecorded scheduled programs that are grouped together and broadcast through a single channel of distribution.
3. Internet Radio Network – A 24/7 individual radio station which is linked to other radio networks and broadcasts a common program theme in a specific format (e.g., Music, Talk, News/Talk,) and is in syndication (contracted by another media channel for play) or simulcast (simultaneous broadcast on more than 1 media channel) or both on many channels of distribution.
4. Internet Radio Aggregator – A radio streaming service provider that provides streaming service for a single radio station or where 100’s or 1000’s of many different radio programs without one specific theme are grouped together to share streaming services as one station which may or may not be linked to other radio networks to syndicate/simulcast its stream.
5. Internet Radio Syndicator/Simulcaster – An individual broadcast entity that picks up, links and broadcasts many radio stations/radio networks streams to broadcast them on their site.
6. On Demand Radio Archive – An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which has been archived and made available for listening at any time directly from their specific website.
7. On Demand Radio Download - An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which can be downloaded to their computer to be made available for listening at any time via one or more various formats (e.g., .mp3, podcast, ITunes format, RSS feed, mobile).
8. Podcast Aggregator - A podcast streaming service provider that provides streaming service for 100’s or 1000’s of many different podcast program providers without one specific theme which are grouped together to share streaming services.