how to access log files

[jesennia]

I'm on my host right now trying to find out how to access the log files..what I think I found is just the raw files..see their message:

Raw log files list every request made to your Web site. Every time a visitor tries to access your Web site, certain information is added to your log file. Your log files are updated throughout the day, so you always have access to current information. You can view logs online or download the files for use with offline statistic analysis software, such as WebTrends or FastStats.

So I downloaded it and opened with winzip, it's this huge list that strains the eyes to read as it's all clumped together..is there a way to either organize it or download and open a different way? What I'm looking for specifically is number of hits to each separate web page. I can find how many hits to the site by day and by month but I'm interested in detailed info about hits to each specific page..

thanks!!

[antimony]

Your host may offer a reporting package, but I really like Google Analytics. You put a snippet of code on each of your pages, and then they track *everything* - where people got to your site from, what they searched to get to it, what country they're from, what browser they were using, etc. As well as which page and how long they stayed there.

[HubicRuzz]

You can download free weblog report software to create meaningful data from the logs.

You might also find it useful to setup Google Analytics which logs it's own data.

[Lauren_]

Jes, didn't you say you're using Bizland? At the top of your member page, after you log in, there's a link for 'check traffic.' Click on that. You get nice, neat, easy-to-read reports from Bizland. There's also an option to have the reports e-mailed to you regularly.

[jesennia]

I'll go check again..am probably just cruising over things too quickly..but i DID just sign up for google analytics, thanks you guys for the fast help..can't wait to play :)

[Lauren_]

Check the top row of your members page, there are little icons that go across. Right in the center is a picture of a mouse, and it says 'check traffic.'

After that, you'll click on the link where you see your own url, under the red heading 'browser viewing.' That will take you to a summary page with a graph of average activity by month. Click on the name of the month for a lovely detail page.

[jesennia]

YES!!!! I remembered how to get to that page but you can click on each month for more info..that is the page I was looking for..it lists hits, files, pages, etc and ranks them according to popularity, then at the bottom shows the referrers..which I'm assuming is where the traffic is coming from?

Very interesting info..

the data is showing a range of 5800-8900 hits per day. But hits don't matter as much as page views right? Page views are at 900ish..

Dang. Ebay sure refers a lot..I hate to admit it because I'm tired of supporting ebay but they are better than google and anything else (except for something that says direct..not sure what that is?) .

Does anyone use a wordpress blog? I just started one and noticed quite a lot of activity from that too.

Ok on to more analysis..thanks for the help..this is pretty fun.

[antimony]

"Direct" means people didn't follow a link to get to your page, it was either a bookmark in their browser, or they typed the URL in directly.

I use wordpress as a content management system for the pictures I post from my garden for my family to see, http://www.azazello.org I like it, it's very easy to customize.

[Lauren_]

Direct -- yeah, that would be me using the bookmark in my browser. Sorry, should I not be doing that 900 times a month?

Wonder how badly I mess up BellydancewithK's stats, too? HAH!

[HubicRuzz]

Originally Posted by jesennia

YES!!!! I remembered how to get to that page but you can click on each month for more info..that is the page I was looking for..it lists hits, files, pages, etc and ranks them according to popularity, then at the bottom shows the referrers..which I'm assuming is where the traffic is coming from?

Very interesting info..

the data is showing a range of 5800-8900 hits per day. But hits don't matter as much as page views right? Page views are at 900ish..

Dang. Ebay sure refers a lot..I hate to admit it because I'm tired of supporting ebay but they are better than google and anything else (except for something that says direct..not sure what that is?) .

Does anyone use a wordpress blog? I just started one and noticed quite a lot of activity from that too.

Ok on to more analysis..thanks for the help..this is pretty fun.

Hits is only useful to web master needing to know how much load the site is under. It includes everything like images and document downloads.

Ebay is good for retail sites cause you already have qualified traffic that want to spend money. Traffic from google might only be searchers of information that you have to convince to buy something.

One useful thing that Google Analytics tells you is site navigation. ie where did people go after landing on the homepage.

[beafarhana]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Direct -- yeah, that would be me using the bookmark in my browser. Sorry, should I not be doing that 900 times a month?

Wonder how badly I mess up BellydancewithK's stats, too? HAH!

That's OK, there'll be a cookie somewhere to say you're a returning visitor

I tried Google Analytics, but found it inflexible. I've been using Statcounter for the last couple of years, and I find it way easier to navigate. It works for me because my site is generally fairly low-traffic. Their free service only monitors the last 100 or so hits in any detail (e.g. if you want "Came From" or "Visitor Paths" reports) so if you have a high volume site you'd need to pay for the more comprehensive service.