Awstats vs Google Analytics

by tonywarrior2

Posted: 15 years ago 27 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Hi

I use Google analytics on one of my sites. I happened to look into awstats today for the same site and was very surprised to see the difference between the two sets of stats. Awstats showed more data, for example there were visits from countries in awstats that aren't visible in the Google stats, also crawls by other engines, etc.

I'm using a CMS on this site (MODx) and the Google code is in the template that I use throughout the site, so that isn't the problem.

My understanding is that Awstats analyises the server weblog files but Google is collecting data via its javascript code in the page - does this account for the difference?

Other question, what webstats packages do you guys use?

Thanks

Tony

#analytics #awstats #google

rootpixel 15 years ago

I've been using Google Analytics for years. It's very brief compared to AWStats.
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- tonywarrior2 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Travish90
  
  I've been using Google Analytics for years. It's very brief compared to AWStats.
  
  So do you use both together?
  
  Tony
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  rootpixel 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by tonywarrior2
  
  So do you use both together?
  
  Tony
  
  I use Google Analytics with Google Adsense integration.
  
  Thanks
  
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lenny3k 15 years ago

My opinion is the more data you can collect the better. Instead of trying to choose between them, why not use both? That way you can compare the things that are similar, and enjoy the extra features in each respective program.
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tonywarrior2 15 years ago

Originally Posted by hugo.john

what is awstats ?? i`ve never heard of it ??

It's an open source server log analysis package which generates web stats. It often ships free with hosting accounts. It's pretty cool and easy to use.
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- 1 reply
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- tonywarrior2 15 years ago
  
  Just asked a search guru friend of mine and she wrote:
  
  "Not sure about Analytics vs Awstats although someone else asked me that last week! Yes they gather data in different ways. It may be because Analytics requires javascript turned on and cookies. Norton blocks it as well. Does seem to be the general pattern though that Analytics has lower data than Awstats."
  
  Tony
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  PatriciaJ 15 years ago
  
  I use both but think that Awstats is better, more complete.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Digital Storm 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by PatriciaJ
  
  I use both but think that Awstats is better, more complete.
  
  Awstats is better by a long shot in my opinion... Plus, it runs on your website server versus letting google get even more information about your site then it really needs.
  
  Google is getting too big brother'ish in my opinion - they have there fingers in everything and they already track all of your searches by your i.p. address as well. So, I say to heck with google and use a self-hosted script like awstats..
  
  Ok, I'm off my soapbox now!
  
  Robert
  
  Thanks
  
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Solidsnake Banned 15 years ago

I use both... Analytics is more accurate considering it uses script.. Awstat is server side and can count double sometimes..
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- Blase 15 years ago
  
  This is just FYI.
  
  I talk to a few SEO guys that I know from
  time to time and they all have said the same thing.
  
  Google does not give accurate results with any
  of their tools.
  
  They are giving away free tools that benefit Google.
  (Helps big brother watch you)
  
  If you run Google Analytics on any of your landing pages or
  sites that use adwords to get traffic you will eventually
  pay more for your ppc.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  "Nothing Happens Until Something Is Sold"
  
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zoobie

15 years ago

Blase, really? That's insane if it is the case but I use both anyway.
yeah I do notice sometimes antivirus whatever blocking the javascript
they are insane why they want to do that?

Thanks
1 reply

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Blase

15 years ago

Originally Posted by zoobie

Blase, really? That's insane if it is the case but I use both anyway.
yeah I do notice sometimes antivirus whatever blocking the javascript
they are insane why they want to do that?

If you think about it why is Google in business?
For profit.

What business is Google in?
The advertising business.

Based on history do they have your best interest
in mind or theirs?

Thanks
1 reply

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Kay King 15 years ago

I use various cpanel stats. Plenty of detail and doesn't affect speed of my site.

My view of Big G's analytics is that it useful for webmasters but more useful for google info gathering. I have no problem with that becuase it's provided as a free tool.

But - sites seem slow loading at times (including this forum) while the status bar on my browser says "running google analytics". I've seen that message so many times I've wondered if anyone has checked load times with and without that "tool".

kay
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dvduval 15 years ago

Unfortunately awstats is really no comparison to analytics anymore. Since it usually comes installed on hosting, I may occasionally check it, but analytics is much more advanced now. In some ways I don't like this, because it is a case of google rendering a software developer obsolete, and this is a little sad.
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anildewani 15 years ago

I see a lot of difference between awstats and GA.
I would prefer using GA as a perfect source to real statistics, awstats doesn't give proper stats IMO.

+1 for GA.
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bhopkins 15 years ago

Awstats counts every file as a page view. So if you have a header, sidebar, index, what ever else, each one of them will count in the page view. which is not accurate. Analytics is more accurate as to the actual number of page views.

I use Awstats as its real time and lets me know immediately if something has gotten hot on the site, but outside of the SE traffic its not really a true representation of what is going on with your visitors.
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Bruce
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cashforlifetv 15 years ago

Ad agencies will entrust Google Analytics so that should help.
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tonywarrior2 15 years ago

There are pros and cons but one thing I can say with certainty is that Google does not count all the traffic. I have tested this by asking a couple of friends in two different countries to the one I'm in, to go to my site. Their visit were recorded in Awstats but not in GA.

One poster above said that Awstats counts all the parts of a page. Sure, but Awstats offers the 'Unique Visitors' stat which is literally what it says.

Also I am not sure you can strip-out your own IP address from the Google stats - anyone confirm this?

Awstats is probably very good for tracking visits through pages etc but as a general webstats package I can't recommend it anymore!

Tony
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Droopy Dawg 15 years ago

I tend to use the analytics that I get from my host... I have Google Analytics accounts for my clients, but I look at my host stats for more detailed info.
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Kezz 15 years ago

I think your real stats will tend to be somewhere in between what Analytics tells you, and what Awstats tells you.

The tricky thing is this. If you have a dynamic site, like a cms site or blog, you have multiple php files making up a single page of your site. Awstats will count every one of those as a single page view. For this reason it might tell you have 5 times the page views you actually do.

Analytics on the other hand, is a lot more conservative. It generally won't report anything that didn't actually happen. But, because it collects data after the fact rather than at the server level like Awstats, it misses some things. For example, if someone blocks javascript they won't be counted at all.

In a nutshell, Awstats exaggerates a little, Analytics understates a little. Somewhere in the middle are your real numbers.
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tonywarrior2 15 years ago

Hi

I have been monitoring this over the last few days and Google Analytics is quite a way behind Awstats in terms of logging the number of visits, probably for the reasons mentioned above.

Awstats does have a weekness, which is fair enough given that it's a free tool: it doesn't allow you to select results by the day or date range. Can anyone recommend a server log analyser that doesn't cost the earth?

Thanks, Tony
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- tomw 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by cashforlifetv
  
  Ad agencies will entrust Google Analytics so that should help.
  
  Erm...no they don't on the whole...we use things like this...
  
  Web Analytics | Online Business Optimization by Omniture
  
  Originally Posted by tonywarrior2
  
  Hi
  
  Can anyone recommend a server log analyser that doesn't cost the earth?
  
  Thanks, Tony
  
  Some people highly recommend this...particularly because of the privacy angle,
  
  Piwik - Web analytics - Open source
  
  but as stated we use other stuff so can't give it the personal thumbs up.
  
  Thomas
  
  Thanks
  
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Mrs Z 15 years ago

I tend to view Analytics more than AWstats. I'm finding, on sites that I have also included a counter that the visits from analytics are more in line with the counter visits than AWstats.
I guess it's all a matter of personal preference.
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Fox30 15 years ago

I think Google Analytics is more accurate than Awstats...at least that's my experience.
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hughbanks 15 years ago

Both have their little quirks, but I use AWStats more often because it delivers what I need that GA doesn't.
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PeteHarrison 15 years ago

The real question you need to ask is:

How much information about my business do I want to give to my biggest competitor?

If you want to attract traffic from Google SERP's or Adwords, DO NOT use Google Analytics, Big Brother IS watching you and the less information you give him the better you will do.

I consistently rank my sites on page 1 Google/Yahoo! for low to medium competition (less than 1,000,000) keywords; I had a bit of a brainstorm and decided to install Google Analytics on 3 sites last November (these were sites targeting the Christmas present market) that were already on page 1/2 Google & Yahoo! for my main keywords; 2 days later all 3 sites dissapeared from Google SERP's (not in first 1000 results)!
All 3 still rank well in Yahoo!, I even have the No. 1 & 2 spot in Yahoo! for the primary keyword for one of those sites

Just my experience with Google Analytics - never again!

Hope this helps, Pete
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Anomaly1974 15 years ago

I thought I was the only one that used Piwiks LOL

I personally prefer AWStats, but there is more information to go through and some of it does require some deciphering to see which views are relevant and which are not. However, it also provides a host of benefits and features that GA lacks ... including letting you know if you suddenly and mysteriously begin logging thousands of hits a day by some .ru site ...

Just my two cents
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