Monthly web traffic analysis is the key to unlocking your site's performance, and measuring the effectiveness of any search engine optimisation and online marketing activities you undertake.

Website Log Files

Your web hosting company can provide you with access to the log files where all your website's visitors are recorded. Don't be fobbed off by being told it's difficult for them to do - it is rarely the case! Your web hosts may make a small nominal charge for giving access to your log files but many don't. The cost should be small but the information contained within is priceless.

Detailed monthly website log analysis allows tracking of:

• Changes in the number of visitors per day the site receives
• Patterns of site usage - by hour, by day of the week
• Which pages are most frequently accessed
• Which search engines and other sites are referring traffic to you
• The keywords being used on search engines to find your site
• How frequently, and which of the search engines are reviewing your content

All of this information is invaluable in identifying your sites weaknesses and provides a yardstick by which to evaluate remedial work.