Information Management Weblog

Web Stats - Help Me!

Anyone out there have a favorite web statistics package? I've used the open-source products (Analog, AWstats, etc) for years, but I'm wondering if there are other good choices out there. A while back, I set up a small little script called "Visitors." I like the simplicity, but there is information that it doesn't provide that I'd like to have (more on my wishlist below).

A few Google searches turn up hundreds of products. Most look like they put a premium on style (as opposed to substance). Lots of them cost a ton of money, too. I'm not opposed to spending a few bucks on a good product, but I'm thinking that many of these probably aren't worth their high pricetags. I think I'm really looking for a "product," not a "solution." In other words, I don't want to have to call a salesman to buy a web stats product.

So, what am I looking for? Here's a list, in rough order of importance:

• I'd like to go beyond just a list of the pages on the site that are popular, and be able to track the hits on a specific page (or directory) over time. If we mention a specific page in an email newsletter, I want to know if that translates into increased usage.


• A report that details the path a visitor takes through the site would be useful. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it would be nice if this was presented in a clear way that helped further our understanding of how people actually use our site.


• I'd like to know about the types and versions of browsers used on the site. Inexplicably, the Visitors script I mentioned above doesn't include versions in their browser report (they may have added the feature since I installed it). As if there wasn't a difference between IE4 and IE6! Anyway, I'd really like to see browser usage over time, similar to the graphs Tim Bray produces.


• Detailed referrer reports would be nice, too. Again, as in with the browser information, time is a critical element here. Is a particular site sending more traffic to us all of a sudden? This could be very useful.


• Reports that list hits and visits. I'd like to always be able to see the "raw" view of how many individual files the site is serving up, just to keep an eye on the server's load. But it is also useful to see details about how many "visitors" use the sites. Preferably, the definition of a "visitor" will be clear, and maybe even customizable. I'd like to eliminate any and all robots, as well as users from specific IP addresses (like those coming from the office!).


• Plenty of detailed information on 404s could be helpful, too. By detailed, I mean enough information for someone to trackdown and find the broken link. Being able to view this information over time could be helpful as well (in knowing the issue was resolved).