I Spy
For the past week, I've been using the data-gathering services of Statcounter. I did this after the previous "hit counter" service provider apparently "folded" about three weeks after I subscribed. In the process, I'm learning about how these things work, as well as getting an interesting peek at the invisible audience out there. This provider offers much more information than the previous one did.
First, I need to correct a misconception I passed on earlier. I did not understand the term "unique visitor" correctly. At least on this hit counter, this term means roughly "someone who has not visited this page within the past 30 minutes to 24 hours," depending on the interval you've chosen. This hit counter also keeps track of "page loads, " which is a combination of unique visitors and returning visitors (people who have been there previously within a specified time frame). My highest number of page loads was 60, with Sunday being the lowest, at 24. Most of them were from about 40 to 50.
I get a kick out of the map showing a "pin" at the geographical location of the visitors. As expected, the map is crowded from here east, mostly in the NE sector of the US and spreading south nearer the coast. A lone marker in California and another in Montana have me curious. The foreign countries represented so far are Canada, El Salvador, Belgium, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Australia. (Thank you. Yes. I see your hand.)
Many of the city names on the ISP log are unfamiliar, or well-known, but not as a Mennonite population center, probably because the service provider at those access points are in a different city altogether from the user, perhaps even in a different state. Winter Park, FL, for example has domain names for people who are local to Partridge, KS. What's up with that?
This hit counter is free until the count hits 500. Then the service is automatically canceled unless you pay the $9.00/mo. requested. At that rate, I don't know if I can justify continuing the spying fun and games for long. My total number of hits stands now at 287.
First, I need to correct a misconception I passed on earlier. I did not understand the term "unique visitor" correctly. At least on this hit counter, this term means roughly "someone who has not visited this page within the past 30 minutes to 24 hours," depending on the interval you've chosen. This hit counter also keeps track of "page loads, " which is a combination of unique visitors and returning visitors (people who have been there previously within a specified time frame). My highest number of page loads was 60, with Sunday being the lowest, at 24. Most of them were from about 40 to 50.
I get a kick out of the map showing a "pin" at the geographical location of the visitors. As expected, the map is crowded from here east, mostly in the NE sector of the US and spreading south nearer the coast. A lone marker in California and another in Montana have me curious. The foreign countries represented so far are Canada, El Salvador, Belgium, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Australia. (Thank you. Yes. I see your hand.)
Many of the city names on the ISP log are unfamiliar, or well-known, but not as a Mennonite population center, probably because the service provider at those access points are in a different city altogether from the user, perhaps even in a different state. Winter Park, FL, for example has domain names for people who are local to Partridge, KS. What's up with that?
This hit counter is free until the count hits 500. Then the service is automatically canceled unless you pay the $9.00/mo. requested. At that rate, I don't know if I can justify continuing the spying fun and games for long. My total number of hits stands now at 287.
posted by Mrs. I at
3:54 AM
2 Comments:
Re. strange locations: it's fairly simple. Person X from Winter Park, FL visits the site of Person Y, who's from Partridge, KS. Person Y's website links to yours, and Person X clicks the link. Presto!
By
Anonymous, at 4/16/2008
If you are referring to statcounter.com, from their website:
You get lifetime summary on all your visitors for free, forever! The highly detailed visitor stats are limited to last number of entries in your log. When your log is full the oldest entry is replaced with the newest.
From what I understand, by buying a premium plan, you are merely increasing the number of detailed stats. Their most expensive plan is $49 a month.
I've been using a free account, and with well over 2,500 hits, its still free! Good stuff.
By
Unknown, at 4/16/2008
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