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Google analytics or your hosting company to check your stats?

by ymest
12 replies
Hi fellow warriors!

Just been wondering what's to check your stats! You see, I follow my stats on a daily basis and so far, I have only used Google Analytics! Then, I decided to have a look at what my Hostgator Cpanel said...Never done it before...and found big discrepancies with regards to the number of visits! Not sure what this means??

Which one is best? Which one do you follow? Both?

Thanks for your input!

Regards,

Yoan
#analytics #check #company #google #hosting #stats
  • Profile picture of the author AdrianCostan
    Google analytics is more accurate than the stats shows on Hostgator. I've also seen big discrepancies since I've been working both with Google and Hostgator.
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    • Profile picture of the author ymest
      Originally Posted by AdrianCostan View Post

      Google analytics is more accurate than the stats shows on Hostgator. I've also seen big discrepancies since I've been working both with Google and Hostgator.
      Thanks, Adrian! I found Hostgator pretty confusing indeed!

      Thanks for your kind answer.

      Yoan
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    Edit. Cpanel Awstats are not updated as frequently as GWT. In other words, GWT is not in synch with all of Cpanel Awstat Programs in the world. Depending on your Host it is usually anywhere between 24 and 48 hours on shared hosting accounts. You can change that if your host allows it.

    GWT stats are primarily limited to the top three search engine networks: Google/Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. There are instances when other networks access your website and the stats may not be reflected in GWT. Typically Adwords.

    The Cpanel Awestats shows the stats from any and all of the networks that access your website. That is almost the entire internet unless the host or your own .htaccess file is blocking certain networks.

    That is the main reason why there are discrepancies with regards to the number of visits.

    For that reason webmasters also use StatCounter.com because the stats are cumulative of all networks.

    With that said, even though the number of visitors is important, most webmasters are more concerned with Awstats "search keyphrases" which are the keyphrases that your visitors used and found your website.

    Example: Depending on which stat program we use lets just say the site averages 100 unique visitors a day. Lets say we analyze the "search keyphrases" those 100 unique visits used to find the site. Now we can determine if our target market is in fact visiting the site or not.

    Target Market Visiting The Site?

    [Yes] Good job. Drill down and upscale.
    [No] Optimize the "search keyphrases"

    Jeffery 100% :-)
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    In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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    • Profile picture of the author e4job
      well said and true Jeffery - we get more info from statcounter.com than google or awestats
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
        Originally Posted by e4job View Post

        well said and true Jeffery - we get more info from statcounter.com than google or awestats
        WOW! Smart and easy to look at!
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        In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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        • Profile picture of the author e4job
          Originally Posted by Jeffery View Post

          WOW! Smart and easy to look at!
          are you one of those dirty old men my mom told me about ?
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          • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
            Originally Posted by e4job View Post

            are you one of those dirty old men my mom told me about ?
            LOL, Young lady I will have you know that I take a regular bath once a week.
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            In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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          • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
            Originally Posted by e4job View Post

            are you one of those dirty old men my mom told me about ?
            always nice to meet someone from costa rica
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            Skunkworks: noun. informal.

            A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
            https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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  • Profile picture of the author Curtis2011
    Google Analytics is very comprehensive and very useful.

    I've heard that Google Analytics does not show you visits by search engine bots and other types of bots, while some other types of stat counters do show you those bot visits but don't tell you they are bots. This could account for a discrepancy in Google Analytics vs your own host stats.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
      Originally Posted by Curtis2011 View Post

      Google Analytics is very comprehensive and very useful.

      I've heard that Google Analytics does not show you visits by search engine bots and other types of bots, while some other types of stat counters do show you those bot visits but don't tell you they are bots. This could account for a discrepancy in Google Analytics vs your own host stats.
      Yep, and that is why so many webmasters use StatCounter. Can't emember if the free version shows the bots in the stats, but the paid version has the option to show or not show the bots in the results.

      The main stat is where the visitors came from and which keyword phrase was used to find the site. Bots do not use keyword phrases, but search engines do. Bots can be triggered or blocked by Wordpress SEO plugins, RSS Feeds, .htaccess, the hosts, etc. What is important to bloggers is if the bots are not visiting the site. In that regard, the webmaster needs to find out why and fix it.

      So, yes bots are relative.

      Jeffery 100% :-)
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      In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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  • Profile picture of the author NewRiseDigital
    I use a combination of Statcounter for quick overviews on a daily basis, and Google Analytics for a more long term strategic analysis. Both work extremely well, haven't used my hosting companies stats for over 6 years, they are usually things like AWStats which are bolted on to hosting as value adds, but SC and GA offer excellent features for zero cost and are reliable and accurate.
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  • Profile picture of the author ymest
    Thanks everyone for your input! Have a great week end!

    Yoan
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