Sample size can be tricky to understand. Learn a few important rules of thumb when looking at your sample size.
Your sample size is just that, a sample. And it is measured and calculated based on a variety of factors. Learn more about sample size here.
When the sample size isn't making a lot of sense to you, keep these key factors in mind:
It includes just visitors: Examples= Visitor Device Count - filtered by City, County, POI & Region Variables, No Out Of Boundary POIs. Visitor Cardholder Count - filtered by City & County Variables
Consumer Behavior: App usage, privacy settings impact visibility of devices.
Device Usage: Limited device usage during an event impacts the ability for the mobile device data to be captured.
Outside factors: Limited signal at an event or location can affect the ability for the mobile device to send/receive data.
Sample count is different every month: Since it is a sample and impacted by many factors, including volume of visitation, your sample size varies over time. While we see an average of 5% as our sample size, we may see a lower percentage one date range and larger percentage over another date range.
Watch this explanation for more information on how usage may effect sample size.
Can I extrapolate this sample size to understand total visitation?
No, we don't recommend this as a best practice. Rather, geolocation data gives you a sample data set that allows you to see directional trends. In this case percentages are the best use case for understanding visitation.
Pro Tip: Sample size fluctuates from day to day therefore we can't say for sure that any date range gives us a definitive percentage of visitors. We can say that it is an average of 5%. Read this white paper to learn more about sample sizes and how they are used.