While AWStats is free, it does not offer clear, easy-to-read statistics that can be usable to enhance the web pages to bring more traffic. Yes, it is valuable for several stats but cannot substitute a good web analytics program with live support. I've been using free counters in a past like AWStats and Counter.com but lately I am offering to my clients to use a very affordable and quite useful subscription for $49.95/month. It's called WebStatsAdvisor, the new product from RTEK2000.com. I love its simplicity and plain-English statistics. I don't want to sound like I am advertising it but I just want to share my experience with the product that I was pleased with. So far, none of my customers stopped the subscription.

Another beauty of the WebStatsAdvisor is that you can also track your off-the-web marketing statistics (like newspapers, boards, direct mail, etc). 10 days trial is offered, so it's not painful to try and compare. Especially useful are automatic e-mails with full reports (weekly/monthly/daily (optional)). I usually compare weekly reports to see the improvements or degradation and can make some adjustments to my strategies.

On another note, the content is always a king. I remember time when we wanted to divide each page on several to make it loading faster. But the time is flying, and now you need the opposite: put everything you need at one page if it’s possible and include many important keywords into your content. The content must be useful to potential buyers even if they are not intended to buy your product right away. Offer them to bookmark the page for an updated and useful content. Offer some freebies and in return ask for their contact info. Add them to your contact list and periodically send newsletters with useful content and other freebies, so they would want to read it. At the same time, add your “buy now” links. I know that statistically you have to “bother” your potential buyer at least 7-8 times until they decide to spend money on your product or service. Keep this in mind.

I feel that you might know all of it, and it takes a lot of time to follow the plan. However, with today’s huge flow of the information the potential buyers would spend time ONLY at valuable pages with useful info or the pages that offer the biggest discount on the Internet. Your customer may have thinner profit but much more buyers. At least this strategy worked for me.

The problem is that those who browse your page don't read EVERYTHING you have written but rather scan the page like a newspaper (as one of the folks mentioned above). Unusual or "sticky" graphic/flash captures attention. It also must lead to action:
1) attract attention; b) generate interest; c) stimulate desire; d) ask for ACTION!