Why use Opentracker if I get log stats for free?

Problem:

OT versus awstats: why use Opentracker?

Solution:

The main difference between the two systems is that Opentracker specializes in tracking unique visitors over long periods of time.

So, for example, you are able to see what visitors who came in with specific keywords, search terms, or from specific links, did on your site. This data is stored and can be pulled up for comparison over long periods of time.

Recent & online visitors shows, "live", everybody who is on your site. You can explore clickstreams, answer questions about what do people do on your site and how they get there.

We have written a short article that explains the main differences between log analysis (awstats) and tracking systems (opentracker), which is posted here:

http://www.opentracker.net/pages/tracking-vs-log.jsp

What can be learned from this info, and the purpose for which opentracker was designed, is to manage content & make updates. The Bounce rate, for example, graphically demonstrated the impact content changes over time.

The specific information that we can provide shows how people move around a site. This type of information can be used to understand & decide what changes to make: you will see how long people stay on what pages: how they move from page to page. How well you use the information lagerly depends on what you decide that you are interested in accomplishing. Opentracker is well suited to answer specific questions. We provide analysis for our subscribers, and are able to provide information regarding the efficicacy of ad campaigns.

To answer the question directly, two points can be made:

1. Understanding what the information is actually telling you: often, going through statistics, and asking yourself: what does this mean?, can be a very valuable process, in terms of stimulating new ideas and perspectives.

2. The answer depends very much on the direction and planning that you have in mind for your site. For example, we can measure changes over time, and hence evaluate changes. If you know what you would like to achieve, stats are able to offer you guidance, based on your existing traffic patterns and trajectories.