Google Analytics vs AwStats vs Webalizer statistics. Many bloggers and/or webmasters may ask, “Why is there a difference between these numbers?”
Add Woopra, WordPress Stats, Sitemeter or another statistical program to the mix, and it gets even more confusing.
Truth be told, anytime we begin to compare the results from more than one statistical program, there will always be a difference as each program uses different matrix for measuring the results.
Although many bloggers measure their success by how many visitors arrive on their site, more important is why, how and what we can do to capitalize on our statistical data.
Today’s Lesson
Let’s take a look at what is behind some of the numbers and questions we can ask ourselves.
“How are people finding our site?”
- Are our visitors finding us via search engines? If so, was it a post where we used SEO (search engine optimization) i.e. keywords?
- By referral? Are visitors coming to our site via another site? Did we leave a comment on another site and from there, we’re being found? Did another blogger link to us?
- Did our numbers increase due to social media? Did a post get Stumbled? Dugg? If so, what did we do to make our content so value based others felt it was worth spreading the word? Can we duplicate it? Can we consistently produce great content?
- Is my traffic coming from social networking sites, such as Twitter? Did we self promote a post and/or did others tweet or retweet it?
- Or is our traffic arriving “direct”? Is the visitor typing in our URL? Is the name of my blog memorable?
Are my page views up or down? Which posts are the most popular? Why?
- What is the first impression we’re making with our blog? Is it pleasing to the eye? Enticing a visitor to stay? Does it have flashing banner ads? Is the content easy to find? What are we showing above the fold?
- Is my blog is easy to navigate? It’s a known fact, if a blog is hard to navigate and other posts or pages aren’t easily found by the visitor, they’ll leave. We need to give them more than one choice. Remember, we’re often only as good as our current post.
- How new is my blog? Brand new blogs usually take time to get found. It’s up to us to develop our online presence via commenting or using social networking sites to get the word out.
- Have we increased or decreased our posting schedule? Obviously, even our regular visitors aren’t going to be revisiting us if we aren’t producing new content. A change in our publishing schedule is often reflected in our numbers.
- Have we increased or reduced the amount of time we visit other blogs? Spend on Twitter? Are we getting our name “out there”? Again, how much time we spend in blogosphere can affect our stats.
- Do our post titles sound intriguing or boring? Our titles can either entice others to click through, or not
- Are we using SEO? Although many of us don’t want to change the way we write, occasionally using search engine optimization techniques and/or plugins will help to drive traffic to our blogs. Should we consider using SEO techniques more often?
- How do we differentiate ourselves from other bloggers who write in the same niche? If we’re using the same theme, are we making it “look” different? Is our spin on the topic original or does it appear to be canned content? Re-massaged material? How are we showing our originality?
Although visitor counts will tell us whether our blog is growing, or not, it’s the other data that is shared in our statistics that reveals the most.
Today’s Assignment
If, or when you look at your stats, do you find them confusing?
Are you capitalizing on the benefits statistics are offering, If so, how?
Which statistical program is your favorite?
Raise you hand and share your thoughts.
.
P.S. The detailed explanation of how statistics are calculated is best left to those who write the programs. Listed below are several links to Google Analytics, AwStats and Webalizer. If in doubt, check your favorite statistical program and read which matrix they use.
Google Analytics IQ Lessons
Simpletons Guide to Web Server Analysis
Webalizer FAQ page
Webalizer README page
AwStats
Awstats FAQs
(From AwStats) FAQ-COM250 : Different Results Than Other Analyzer
Photo Credit: Lordcolus







Hi. I'm Barbara Swafford & I'd like to welcome you to Blogging Without A Blog. Grab a seat, share your thoughts and join in the conversation. 


Good Day Class!
Remember Tracy, of I Hate My Message Board? When I interviewed her last month, she told us what happened when a post of hers went viral (see: For The Sake Of The Children, Blog Smart)
Today, we have the honor of having her as our substitute teacher (guest writer).
Tracy will discuss another source of traffic to our blogs we often forget about – forums. As the owner and administrator of I Hate My Message Board Forum, she’s here to share the rules of engagement.
Without further ado, here’s Tracy.
Hello Class!
It’s great to be here.
Please take a moment to review the exhibit and then we’ll get on with the lesson.
Today’s Lesson
Forums can be a good traffic source for bloggers. I estimate 15% of my traffic comes from forums.
It can be an ego booster and deliver new readers or you can feel personally attacked and helpless.
Here are some hints on what to do when you find a forum link in your referrals.
Decide if what, if any, action you’ll take.
I get a kick out of the Air Force’s blogger engagement chart and I think it applies to forums, too. There is no need to respond to posters who are hostile to you and it will probably backfire.
Likewise, if they are just happily discussing the contents of your post, you have no obligation to respond if you aren’t interested or don’t have the time. If you would like to respond, keep these points in mind:
Don’t spam or overly self-promote .
Forum owners are inundated with spam and could remove your post if it seems like you are only there for self-promotion or to sell something.
If the forum allows it, you can put a link to your blog in your signature, but I’d be hesitant to ask people to subscribe or provide additional links back to your blog, unless they are directly related to the topic being discussed.
Add value
Do the posters have questions that you can answer? Do you have additional information that’s helpful? Can you provide other resources?
Helping others is a great way to establish your expertise and get people interested enough to take a deeper look at your blog. Remember, forums are indexed by search engines, too!
Debate but use caution.
Just like comments on our own blogs, the key is to state your argument without losing your cool or being insulting. Show off your wit, but be gracious.
I think that it would be wise to do a quick scan of other posts on the forum to get a feel for the general culture. Some welcome a lively discussion while others are more geared to people saying what they think and that’s that. On the latter, it would go over better to simply thank them for reading your post, if you want to say anything at all.
If it gets ugly, leave.
There is no reason at all for you to subject yourself to people insulting you or not being respectful. You don’t owe them any explanations, chances are they’ll forget quickly that you posted once or twice and left but getting visibly upset can be a red flag to some internet users.
Consider linking back.
If the conversation went well and you think your blog readers would enjoy it, sharing the link is appropriate but not obligatory.
But don’t trash talk.
If it didn’t go well, it’s tempting to post a rant on you blog. You’ll likely get a lot of sympathetic comments, but again, red flag to others. If you want to discuss it, do it after you’ve cooled down.
Forum traffic can be very valuable.
Taking a moment to think before you act can save you unnecessary headaches and possibly earn you traffic years to come. It’s upsetting sometimes when people are talking about our posts in a medium where we have no control, but take comfort that it’s a sign that you’re on the map.
Today’s Assignment
Have you been linked to from forums?
Did you reply on the forum or address it on your blog?
Do you actively use forums as a source of traffic? If not, why not?
Raise your hand and share your thoughts.