The best way to track website visitors, apart form Google Analytics?

[jerzykaz]

Would appreciate if you have any ideas, software recomendations or other things.
Thanks

[LynnM]

Haven't tried this, but have seen it recommended: Piwik - Web analytics - Open source

[Johnny Optimo]

I just really like awstats... I realize it doesn't provide as much tracking data as GA but it also provides a lot of other info that GA misses.

I use a combo of GA and awstats. Some people don't like using GA because they don't want google to get the inside eye on marketing strategies, but if you're 100% above the board then it's nothing to worry about.

[Honest SEO]

Try this

getclicky. com

you will forget all other analytics tool . It is very fast , real time and accurate . Much better then google analytics .

if you are on wordpress then use this wordpress plugins to insert track code and view stats from your dashboard.
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/clicky/

best luck

[sbucciarel]

I use AW Stats from my cpanel and StatCounter. Both are great

[Dano1981]

Originally Posted by Johnny Optimo

Some people don't like using GA because they don't want google to get the inside eye on marketing strategies, but if you're 100% above the board then it's nothing to worry about.

That is not exactly accurate for all marketers, as there are plenty, even here on the forum who have done nothing wrong, and yet they have incurred the wrath of big G. On a lateral note; in a perfect world all marketing would be 100% above board, but that is not the reality of marketing, even when you do your best to be a "good cyber citizen."

Personally, I would rather find an alternative, than be in a position (after the fact) of finding myself "de-indexed" hoping to convince them that I did nothing wrong, and that their interpretation is not always "perfect."

This seems more like a medieval court, than due process

I've read to much, affecting too many, to just leave my future and hopes in the hands of the "god almighty of the internet." Due diligence tells me that not having all my eggs in "big G's" basket, is perhaps a wiser approach.

Just as there are innocent people in jail, and there are those criminals who avoid prosecution, our justice system isn't perfect -- and neither is Google.

And when they decide to descend upon you, right or wrong, they wave their "magic wand" and it often wreaks wholesale punishment, across all sectors of ones marketing, without due course...

When they develop an "adequate" system of recourse, perhaps one even providing warnings first, with an intelligent exchange, prior to "conviction," then I will likely reassess my position.

I am also looking for an alternative as well

Danni~

[jerzykaz]

Thank you for all the great responses.

[JNFerree]

Originally Posted by Johnny Optimo

I just really like awstats... I realize it doesn't provide as much tracking data as GA but it also provides a lot of other info that GA misses.

I use a combo of GA and awstats. Some people don't like using GA because they don't want google to get the inside eye on marketing strategies, but if you're 100% above the board then it's nothing to worry about.

I am wondering why my GA stats are so much different than Awstats numbers?

I mean, AW shows unique visitor count almost 5 times as many as GA.

Why so much different or do you get similar results?

[Tomos Wyn]

I'm in the same boat as @JNFerree,

i.e GA shows 70 vs. Awstats 264

No idea why.

[Zack Lim]

I personally use the Adtrackz script as it will enable you to track your traffic sources and you can even track your opt in conversion and sales conversion.

I think it is important to track for each source of the traffic that is driven to website so that you will be able to know which traffic source is the one that is getting the best conversion.

Different tracking systems will give different results and I think it will be best to use one or maximum 2 of them as a reference to gather important information about the website traffic stats.

Hope my humble contribution is useful

Zack

[BloggingPro]

I use both AWStats and GA in tandem with one another. I like looking at the RAW data and the data that GA reports as well.

[pwtmike]

I would stick with GA and AWstats, but if you are really looking to understand your audience you may consider adding quantcast:

http://www.quantcast.com/measurement/why-get-quantified

It's free and will give you a good demographic breakdown of your audience.

[MikeFriedman]

Originally Posted by Johnny Optimo

Some people don't like using GA because they don't want google to get the inside eye on marketing strategies, but if you're 100% above the board then it's nothing to worry about.

What happens though when Google decides to change the rules about what is above board?

Look at all the people who have had all their AdWords accounts banned, but haven't run a campaign in 4 years. However, they did something years ago that was okay then, but Google decided is not okay now.

Sorry, but F Google.

[alinpion]

Originally Posted by jerzykaz

Would appreciate if you have any ideas, software recomendations or other things.
Thanks

In my opinion the best tool to track you visitors (better then google analytics) is Stat Counter. It has a lot of features like visitor tracking, enter and exit link tracking, time spent on site, keyword analysis, visitor map and other. And has also a guided installation feature on the main blog and web development platforms like wordpress, joomla, blogger, drupal, tumblr and many others.

[Dennisknows]

Originally Posted by pwtmike

I would stick with GA and AWstats, but if you are really looking to understand your audience you may consider adding quantcast:

It's free and will give you a good demographic breakdown of your audience.

Thanks.. I just signed up.. I'm running Multi-site. Don't think I can use AW Stats as my site shows up like *.mysite.com...

I need to know the demographics though because I'm running PPC...

[dragtastic]

I am a HUGE fan of sitemeter. Have been using them since day one.

They also show each visitor number - which I used to track down my 100,000 visitor

[wolfez]

How about Webmaster tool? Should we keep or let go?

By the way I just discovered that Clicky app and boy am I switching everything there! I feel analaytics has gone from a great tool to an over-complicated giant dinosaur. I used to go back to old version but they removed that feature so that change was much needed.

[socialbookmark]

I only use Awstats and it am happy with it. It gives good and enough information about the site statistics and also if you want to have another tool, you can try Histats too. Its another good option in my opinion. But i should say that none of these tools are excellent in my opinion. Even Google analytics is not excellent IMO.

[Andrian]

Great information thanks, AWStats and GA are Good but not supporting this feature in its old version, sitemeter is also one of my favourite.