Baselines
Baselines are an average calculation of data that helps you compare current data to past data, to understand how specific metrics are trending. For example, baselines can help you understand if the amount of traffic you are seeing on a Wednesday is higher or lower than the average of recent Wednesdays. You can use this information to understand if you need to take action to increase user engagement.
Where Can I See Baseline Data?
The baseline is represented by a continuous line that overlays the graph at the top of the Overview, My Posts and Front Page dashboards.
How Are Baselines in Newsroom Calculated?
Baselines are calculated differently in different parts of Newsroom.
This is how baselines are calculated in the Overview and My Posts Dashboards:
Each baseline (except for the “Today” time frame) uses a 7-week lookback period. The baseline data points for current days or times of day will be calculated by using the last 7 data points for those specific days or time. This means that a baseline is always calculated as an average of 7 data points spread over the past 7 weeks.
The “Today” dashboard is a bit different: it compares your current day’s traffic to the traffic seven days ago.
For example, you are looking at data for this Friday at 6pm. The baseline for this data point is calculated by looking back at the 7 previous Fridays at 6pm and averaging them together, except for the Today view which compares to the previous Friday at 6pm.
The baseline will always be shown at the site level, not article level.
This is how the baseline is calculated in the Front Page Dashboard:
This baseline uses a five-week lookback period and is divided into weekends and weekdays. The baseline data points for current days or times of day will be calculated by using the last 25 weekday days OR the last 10 weekend days data points for those specific days or time.
For example, you are looking at data for Friday at 6pm. The baseline is the average CTR of the specific position you are looking at. Friday is a weekday so the baseline is calculated by taking the past 25 weekday data points at 6pm and determining the average.
Another example: you are looking at data for this past Saturday at 6pm. The baseline is the average CTR of the specific position you are looking at. Saturday is a weekend so the baseline is calculated by taking the past 10 weekend data points at 6pm at determining the average.