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

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~

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?

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.