Web stats : Trust them or not

[WDC]

Hi all,

I have one query regarding web stats. I wonder if I can trust them or not. I use to check web-stats through Google analytics and webalizer tool provided by web hosting provider.

They both show totally different data:

1. Analytics shows google as top search engine , webalizer shows MSN
2. Analytics shows my site withput www as top referral, webalizer shows StumbleUpon - Welcome to StumbleUpon as top referral.
3. images.google.com is not in the list of referrals for webalizer.
4. top keyowrds are also mismatching for both web stats programs.


Please suggest which one to trust.

Data I compared was for last month.

Looking forward for your suggestions

[wige]

Google Analytics and Webalizer use completely different methods for accumulating visitor data. Neither is accurate, with the truth being somewhere in between.

Webalizer functions by analyzing your server logs. It does not filter out bots and potential malicious traffic. It also does not record referrers as accurately as a Javascript-based analytics solution, because sometimes the server does not record the referrer.

Google Analytics functions by looking at Javascripts that are embedded in the web pages. It is linked to a massive database of bad bots that can be filtered from the results, if they even execute the Javascript, which most do not. Referrer information is generally more reliable. However, many security programs will block the Javascript from executing, causing the software to gather incomplete data.

Typically, the best analytics solution will combine the two methods (Javascript and log file analysis) to generate the most reliable statistics. When you purchase an enterprise-level analytics package, you are almost guaranteed that it will contain both components. The results will still not be completely accurate, but they are more likely to be closer to the truth than a solution that only looks at one of the data sources.

[Tech Manager]

Originally Posted by wige

Google Analytics and Webalizer use completely different methods for accumulating visitor data. Neither is accurate, with the truth being somewhere in between.

Webalizer functions by analyzing your server logs. It does not filter out bots and potential malicious traffic. It also does not record referrers as accurately as a Javascript-based analytics solution, because sometimes the server does not record the referrer.

Google Analytics functions by looking at Javascripts that are embedded in the web pages. It is linked to a massive database of bad bots that can be filtered from the results, if they even execute the Javascript, which most do not. Referrer information is generally more reliable. However, many security programs will block the Javascript from executing, causing the software to gather incomplete data.

Typically, the best analytics solution will combine the two methods (Javascript and log file analysis) to generate the most reliable statistics. When you purchase an enterprise-level analytics package, you are almost guaranteed that it will contain both components. The results will still not be completely accurate, but they are more likely to be closer to the truth than a solution that only looks at one of the data sources.

There are other programs you can use to provide more accurate statistical data. AWstats is a very good program. It will separate out a variety of known bots and other traffic, plus it can be modified to filter additional traffic as well.

I agree with wige regarding the accuracy of Google Analytics and Webalizer. Both provide "factual" information but both are unreliable when used alone. However, both do provide some useable data. It is very simple to create custom scripts to monitor your pages and provide you with better or at least more specific data.

[seo4china]

Of both, I would choose GA though, despite the fact that it also lacks accuracy in some regards...

[davidweb]

Google stats show clicks from Google search engine as "google". However it is not clear whether google.com was accessed from US, Canada, India or UK ?

Moreover you cannot see whether you received click from google.co.uk, google.ca or any other.

Google analytics could be inaccurate and approximation in these cases, since website owners are left with no option than to trust them.

[WDC]

Hi,
Thank you all for your informative replies.

Can I bother all once again as one query is still there in my mind:

As I check google analytics is shows http://mysitename.com as top referral also few of my sub domains appear in the referral list.

I don't know if Google analytics consider this as separate or something wrong with Google analytics

[dawilliams]

StatCounter, which was launched in 1999 by Aodhan Cullen, (then a 16 year old Irish entrepreneur) is a good service as well. In the summer of 2007 Mr. Cullen, now 24, was honored as the winner of BusinessWeek's young entrepreneur contest in Europe… and rightfully so.

We prefer StatCounter because they offer more web metrics for free than do most Web Analytics companies and they offer scalable upgrades for reasonable prices to accomodate your needs and growth.

Additionally, when you see your own domain/whatever-page as the referring link it refers to your internal links as your visitors travel a path through your website. This is a good metric to watch as you seek to learn visitor behavior when they arrive at your site.

All the best,
Dave

[PaulMycroft]

I agree with "davidwebb." I asked Google about this and they said:

"Please know that the All Traffic Sources report shows traffic according to all source/medium combinations that referred traffic to your website. If you would like to view visits from country-specific domains, you may want to search for 'google' using the 'Find Source/Medium' option below the report."

But this did not resolve my issue so I am currently pursuing it. You would think that this would be an easy one for Google, right?

[dburdon]

Its a question of how accurate your analytics needs to be. I use Google Analytics and Statciunter in different websites. Despite the fact they're both browser based they return different figures for such basic metrics such as unique visitors. The key is to know what you're using the metrics for. Compare like with like, for one period against another etc., spotting trends etc.

[WDC]

hi all,

Thanks for your responses. Among paid ones I have used web-stats.com and that seems pretty nice web analytics tool for me. However I am still in doubt about google analytics there are certain things that sounds fishy for me

[WDC]

One more query in my mind here:

Suppose I have three websites A, B and C

I signed up with google analytics and add three different codes to all these three website for monitoring traffic of all sites individually.

My query here is can I use one more analytics account and and one code to all the website to monitor combined web traffic of all the websites


Thanks

[full house]

google analytics is a great stat to see your site's performance. Actually I'm using google analytics and nielsen. They have a huge difference . . .can't figure out why!

[uberanimal]

i use both statcounter and google analytics and still i have a hard time believing that any stats are "very" accurate. Their is a gap in the accuracy along somewhere. None of the numbers match from any of my servers stats vs. statcounter vs. google analytics. Yet they are similar i don't know which one i want to stick with. Google breaks it down with a nice GUI to look at yet statcounter has the same basic tools. What do i choose to trust and stick with???

[Tech Manager]

It all depends on what you want to measure.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by WDC

One more query in my mind here:

Suppose I have three websites A, B and C

I signed up with google analytics and add three different codes to all these three website for monitoring traffic of all sites individually.

My query here is can I use one more analytics account and and one code to all the website to monitor combined web traffic of all the websites


Thanks

As the value of the User Account code, variable name _uacct embedded in the script is unique, and is matched to a specific Domain, you cannot use GA to consolidate multiple User Accounts under a single GA Profile.

[WDC]

Originally Posted by deepsand

As the value of the User Account code, variable name _uacct embedded in the script is unique, and is matched to a specific Domain, you cannot use GA to consolidate multiple User Accounts under a single GA Profile.

Thanks deepsand.

So Will I need to add some other analytics code to monitor all domains or something else can be solution for that.

[sheena]

Google analytics and webalizer tool is the website statistic tools that we usually used to monitor our site. Google analytics is the tools that I have trusted to use because of giving accurate results in terms of traffic, keywords and ppc campaign. But some of the website statistic tools is not to be trusted

[WDC]

Hi Sheena

Welcome to WPW

[jordanmcclements]

Also - if you want Google analytics to show searches from Google images properly see the following link:-

Sulli's Google Analytics Tips and Tricks: Track Google Images Search in Google Analytics

And if you want pretty traffic stats to show off with try

Quantcast - Open Internet Ratings Service

Here are mine :-

JMCWD Network

NB - I agree that all stats have to be taken with a pinch of salt....

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by WDC

Thanks deepsand.

So Will I need to add some other analytics code to monitor all domains or something else can be solution for that.

Assuming that you're looking to aggregate the stats as inexpensively as possible, you could:

1) Establish individual Profiles within GA for each site;

2) Download from GA the appropriate data for each Profile in a Comma Separated Value (.csv) file; and,

3) Use a spreadsheet, such as Excel, to import, aggregate & display the data for the desired sites.

While there may be commercially available analytics applications which can accomplish such in an easy and straightforward way, as I've had no need that would justify their cost, I haven't looked for such.

[Janna122003]

Every tools has it own way to evaluate the results but I guess google analytics is the best tool for formal site reports.