Website Statistics: Facts and Fallacies
Website Statistics: Facts and Fallacies
Website statistics, however, are often misunderstood.
“Hits” for example, are not an accurate representation of visits to a website. In fact, a hit only represents the number of times a file (html, graphic, etc.) has been sent from your web server to a visitor's browser (viewing a single page on a website will often register 10 or more hits). While an increase in hits does represent greater activity on a website, it does not directly equate to the number of visitors.
The reality is that most statistics are not accurate, due to the nature of the Internet. The only way to collect completely accurate statistics is to develop a sophisticated visitor tracking system, and force users to log in to your website each time they visit. Of course, this is far beyond the ability and need of most organizations.
Even though most statistics are not accurate, they are still beneficial in determining trends. For example, if you run a promotion during a certain period of time, you can check to see if there is a corresponding increase in activity on your website.
Here are a few of the most useful statistics:
Unique Visitors
Probably the most relevant statistic, it represents the number of individual visitors to your website.
Returning Visitors
This tells you how often the same visitors return to your website.
Referrers
These are the other websites that include a link to yours, as well as search engines that referenced your website under specific keyword searches.
Page Views
This tells you how often specific web pages were viewed, and enables you to determine most and least popular.
Paths
These are the routes most visitors use to navigate through your website.
Website Statistics Facts and Fallacies - To learn more about this author, visit Mathew Georghiou's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Website statistics can be very helpful in monitoring visitors — and visits — to your website. They can help you maintain a record and determine what is of most and least interest to visitors by telling you what is being viewed most often and for the longest periods of time.
Website statistics, however, are often misunderstood.
“Hits” for example, are not an accurate representation of visits to a website. In fact, a hit only represents the number of times a file (html, graphic, etc.) has been sent from your web server to a visitor's browser (viewing a single page on a website will often register 10 or more hits). While an increase in hits does represent greater activity on a website, it does not directly equate to the number of visitors.
The reality is that most statistics are not accurate, due to the nature of the Internet. The only way to collect completely accurate statistics is to develop a sophisticated visitor tracking system, and force users to log in to your website each time they visit. Of course, this is far beyond the ability and need of most organizations.
Even though most statistics are not accurate, they are still beneficial in determining trends. For example, if you run a promotion during a certain period of time, you can check to see if there is a corresponding increase in activity on your website.
Here are a few of the most useful statistics:
Unique Visitors
Probably the most relevant statistic, it represents the number of individual visitors to your website.
Returning Visitors
This tells you how often the same visitors return to your website.
Referrers
These are the other websites that include a link to yours, as well as search engines that referenced your website under specific keyword searches.
Page Views
This tells you how often specific web pages were viewed, and enables you to determine most and least popular.
Paths
These are the routes most visitors use to navigate through your website.
Website Statistics Facts and Fallacies - To learn more about this author, visit Mathew Georghiou's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Mathew's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Disciplines of Success Performance Emotional Intelligence Cash Flow Forecast Samples DCJA Consultancy Case Study EQ SUCCESS STORIES |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 HR Blogs 2009
Top 50 HR Blogs 2009 | |
 |
Top 50 Raising Capital Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||