Using your Website Stats when you have a Hosted Site
One of my coaching clients asked this question:
Nicole, How to you know what your webstats mean? You keep saying they are important, but it looks like a bunch of junk to me!
Here's my reply:
Your stats are EXTREMELY helpful to showing you what is currently working on your website. I would prefer to invest my time in that which is already bringing me money rather than spinning my wheels. Wouldn't you?
Assuming you are hosting your own website (at a place like I recommend at MomWebs.com/ ) You'll find your stats in the cpanel. This can be found by typing in your URL and adding /cpanel to the end. (Like http://www.yourdomain.com/cpanel — of course “your domain” would be replaced with your actual domain) You'll have to have your login info, of course, which you were given when you signed up for hosting.
From there, you'll go to “stats” of course. I like to view “awstats” from the options listed.
You'll have several sections to go through. However, the most important ones to me are:
Referrers: Look at who is sending you traffic and network with those people. Offer to send them unique content or work out deals. They are already interested in you so this is gold. Even if you do nothing but touch base and offer them a copy of your free ebook and let them know where they can find your free reprint articles, it's worthwhile.
Search Engine Keywords and Keyphrases: This shows you what you should write more about. 🙂 It's not only what people are looking for, but it's what you're naturally ranking for. Use this for ideas to add more articles or blog posts to your website.
Popular Pages: This shows you 1. What pages you need to monetize better (since they are getting traffic) and 2. What people are looking for when they visit your site. So, give them more of what they want and lay out those pages better so you get better financial results.
That's the QUICKIE version of what your stats can offer you. Please post questions below and I'll do my best to help!
Nicole
Kim Monaco
December 21, 2006 at 1:37 pmThanks for the quick tips, Nicole!
I have a question about “referrers” – I’ve seen these in my stats. What I’ve found (when clicking through) is that some are just “link sites” and I can’t even find my site listed… Should I bother to try to find someone to network, or just disregard?
Thanks!
As always, you ROCK!
Kim
Administrator
December 22, 2006 at 10:21 amNah. I’d only contact them to network if they are publishing your articles. Offer to send them MORE! 🙂
Or, if they’ve blogged about you — contact them and say “Thanks!”
I try to do this, but it is hard to keep up. It is a nice way to build relationships with people who are nice enough to promote you, though.
Oh, and, of course, you can find out if someone is ripping you off, through your stats, too, sometimes. Unfortunately, I’ve uncovered some content thefts using my stats, too. UG. Some people!
Hope that helps!
Nik
PS> You rock, too! 😉