Conversion Rate Experts, an organization devoted to helping businesses turn web visitors into customers, published an interesting guide to free tools that can help you analyze the traffic to your blog or web site. The list of tools includes Google Analytics, Crazy Egg, ClickTale, Google Talk Chatback, SurveyMonkey, 4Q, and others.
Based on my past experience, I would encourage you not to use all those tools at once. For a while, I ran a web-based cartoon site. To analyze my traffic, I used a handful of tools like the ones listed on the linked article. When I went to promote my cartoons on various web forums, my announcements were often followed by (inaccurate) remarks by other forum visitors who had gone there and had gotten browser security warnings about various JavaScripts being in use there. They (incorrectly) assumed that these warnings implied that my site was infected by some sort of virus or malware, and warned others not to visit it... even though there were no viruses or malware on my site. So my advice would be if you choose to use some of the listed tools, use them sparingly for a short time to analyze your traffic, and don't use more than 1-2 at a time. Otherwise you run the risk of misinformed or novice users thinking there is something "weird" happening with your site.
Based on my past experience, I would encourage you not to use all those tools at once. For a while, I ran a web-based cartoon site. To analyze my traffic, I used a handful of tools like the ones listed on the linked article. When I went to promote my cartoons on various web forums, my announcements were often followed by (inaccurate) remarks by other forum visitors who had gone there and had gotten browser security warnings about various JavaScripts being in use there. They (incorrectly) assumed that these warnings implied that my site was infected by some sort of virus or malware, and warned others not to visit it... even though there were no viruses or malware on my site. So my advice would be if you choose to use some of the listed tools, use them sparingly for a short time to analyze your traffic, and don't use more than 1-2 at a time. Otherwise you run the risk of misinformed or novice users thinking there is something "weird" happening with your site.
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