What does the term "Unique User" refer to in web analytics?

The term "Unique User" in web analytics refers to a visitor on a web page measured over a defined period, which captures the distinct number of individuals accessing the site regardless of how many times they visit. This metric is significant because it helps analysts understand the actual reach of a website, providing insights into how many different individuals are engaging with the content, as opposed to just measuring total visits that could include repeat visitors.

For instance, if one person visits a website five times in a month, they would still be counted as a single unique user for that month. This makes "Unique User" a valuable metric for evaluating audience size and campaign effectiveness, as it illustrates how many unique individuals are interacting with the website over a specific timeframe. Other definitions in the context of web analytics may focus on engagement levels, first-time visits, or repeat visits, but the specific concept of "Unique User" distinctly emphasizes the quantification of individual visitors during a set period.