The first step to optimizing your website is understanding its performance. This involves regularly examining your site's statistics to identify which pages are frequently visited, where your visitors are coming from, and their activities on your site. There are two primary methods to achieve this: log files and counter scripts. This article will delve into these methods, their advantages, and potential drawbacks.
Log files are the most recommended method for tracking your website's performance. They are detailed records automatically generated by your web server, documenting every activity on your site, from page visits to image loads and even errors.
Utilizing log files for your site's statistics has several advantages. Firstly, they are already being generated by your web server, so you're not adding any extra overhead. Secondly, they are invisible to your visitors, maintaining their privacy. Lastly, they require no setup.
There are numerous tools available to analyze your log files. Most web hosts that provide access to these logs also offer online tools to view them in an organized manner. These tools often include graphics and charts for easy interpretation. Additionally, there are several shareware and professional programs that can help you understand your site's activities better.
Counter scripts, particularly locally hosted ones, are less recommended due to their additional overhead and complexity. If your web host allows CGI, ASP, PHP, or similar technology scripts, they likely provide access to log files, making counter scripts unnecessary.
Moreover, displaying a hit counter on your site may not necessarily improve it. If your site is popular, there's no need to boast about it, and if it's not, it's not beneficial to highlight the lack of visitors.
Frontpage, a product by Microsoft, includes an extension for hit counting. However, it's worth noting that this counter is considered one of the worst implementations and is generally advised against.
If you don't have access to your server log files, which is often the case for sites on free hosts like GeoCities and FortuneCity, your best option is to use remotely hosted counter and statistics scripts. However, these scripts have several drawbacks:
Despite these drawbacks, if you must use a remotely hosted counter script, ensure you choose one that provides all the data you need to manage your site effectively. Some popular options include BeSeen, Bravenet Web Services, Extreme Tracking, Fast Counter, FreeStats, HitBox, HitMatic, SiteMeter, WebStat, and WebTracker.
For more information on website analytics, check out these resources:
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