Understanding the metrics provided by GWI data is crucial for extracting actionable insights. Below, you’ll find clear definitions and examples for each of the following metrics:

  • Positive_sample

  • Positive_size

  • Audience_sample

  • Audience_size

  • Audience_percentage

  • Audience_index

  • Datapoint_sample

  • Datapoint_size

  • Datapoint_percentage

These metrics offer different perspectives on your audience, helping you to analyze behaviors, preferences, and trends effectively. Whether you’re exploring the size of your target audience or comparing their likelihood to engage in specific behaviors, this guide will clarify how each metric works and how to interpret it.

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Positive_sample

The positive sample figure tells you how many people from our sample selected a given data point. Note that the responses figure shows the aggregated total across all selected markets and waves. 

Example:

In Q2 2021 we interviewed 1.36k female US internet users aged 25-34 who said they were comfortable talking about their mental health.

Audience: Female, Aged 25-34; Male, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Attitudes, Self-Perceptions

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Positive_size

The positive tells you how many real-world people are in a given group. Note that the universe shows an average across all selected waves. 

Example:

There are an estimated 10.54 million female US internet users between the ages of 25-34, who are comfortable talking about their mental health.

Audience: Female, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Attitudes, Self-Perceptions

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Audience_index

The index tells you how much more or less likely your audience is to match with a given data point compared to the base audience.

The numerical distance from 100 shows the percentage difference compared to the base. For example, an index of 110 means that your audience is 10% more likely than the base audience to match with a given data point. 

Unless you apply a more specific base audience, the base will be the total universe represented by the data set you’re using. For example, if you’re using GWI Core, the base audience will be internet users aged 16-64.  The index shows an average across all selected markets and waves. 

Click here to find out more about the index and how it’s calculated.  

Example:

Female internet users between the ages of 25-34 in the US have an index score of 105.5. This means that female internet users between the ages of 25-34 in the US are 5.5% more likely to be comfortable talking about their mental health. Meanwhile, with an index of 92.1, male internet users between the ages of 25-34 in the US are 7.9% less likely to be comfortable talking about their mental health.

Audience: Female, Aged 25-34; Male, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Attitudes, Self-Perceptions

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Audience Sample

The audience sample tells you the number of survey respondents who fit within the defined audience. This represents the subset of respondents matching the specified criteria.

Example: 5,000 survey respondents in the USA are Millennials aged 25-34.

Audience: Millennials, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Demographics

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Audience_size

The audience size tells you how many real-world people are in a given group. Note that the universe shows an average across all selected waves. 

Example:

There are an estimated 10.54 million female US internet users between the ages of 25-34, who are comfortable talking about their mental health.

Audience: Female, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Attitudes, Self-Perceptions

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Audience_percentage

he audience percentage tells you the proportion of your audience that matches a given data point. It’s calculated using the formula:

(Positive Size / Audience Size) × 100

This metric provides an average across selected markets and waves.

Example: There are an estimated 45.6 million Millennials in the USA who use Facebook daily (Positive Size), out of a total 98 million Millennials in the USA who are active internet users (Audience Size).

(45.6M / 98M) × 100 = 46.5%

So, 46.5% of Millennials in the USA use Facebook daily.

Audience: Millennials, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Social Media Usage

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Datapoint Sample

The datapoint sample tells you the number of survey respondents who selected a given data point. This represents the actual number of responses used for estimation.

Example: 3,800 survey respondents across all age groups said they use Facebook daily.

Audience: All Internet Users Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Social Media Usage

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Datapoint Size

The datapoint size tells you the estimated real-world population that matches a given data point. This figure is projected from survey responses to represent total audience size.

Example: There are an estimated 120 million internet users in the USA who use Facebook daily.

Audience: All Internet Users Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Social Media Usage

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Datapoint Percentage

The datapoint percentage tells you the proportion of all people who match this data point that belong to the specified audience.

Example: 38% of all daily Facebook users in the USA are Millennials aged 25-34.

Audience: Millennials, Aged 25-34 Market(s): USA Wave(s): Q2 2021 Question: Social Media Usage

Combining Data from Different Namespaces