How do you track where traffic is coming from?

Tshepo

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2013
Messages
72
Points
8
How do you track where traffic is coming from without using a url shortener (is that even possible?) Google analytics?

If you have a domain (example.com) and you want to use that domain name for advertising on Instagram, Twitter bio, Facebook or YouTube. Is it possible to add a multiple tracking codes to a domain url?
 

Hawker

Well-known member
Registered
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Messages
287
Points
0
Well there is Goo.gl which is not just a URL shortner but is also an Analytics tool. It will tell you where traffic comes from but only the root domain of that visitor not the exact link.

There's Google Analytics too which can really drill down to where the traffic came from right to the exact page but its rather quite finicky and technical to get your head around for first time users.

I prefer to use StatCounter.com tracking as it can tell you straight away on the Came From page where your most recent visitors came from.

It will show traffic for each URL on your domain.

Hope this helps!
 

Ron Killian

Well-known member
Registered
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Messages
363
Points
0
How do you track where traffic is coming from without using a url shortener (is that even possible?) Google analytics?

If you have a domain (example.com) and you want to use that domain name for advertising on Instagram, Twitter bio, Facebook or YouTube. Is it possible to add a multiple tracking codes to a domain url?
You're kind of talking about two different things. If your talking about just having stats as to where you traffic is coming from, then yes Google Analytics is a great tool, least from my experience. Not the only one, but it's a good option.

Now, if you talking about tracking paid traffic, that is different because it's not about tracking where the traffic is coming from, it is about tracking conversions, otherwise you have no clue if you advertising spend is making a positive ROI. If you're paying for traffic you HAVE TO track it's conversions, it's only good business sense. Not only to see which ads are working (converting to sales), or if they are not. Any one can throw money at traffic, getting it to convert is another thing.

There are a ton of tracking and conversion tracking services, Improvely comes to mind. You could also do it with Google Analytics, I am just no expert on the subject to explain it. I do know on my stores, I use Google Analytics with the ecommerce option and it shows me exactly where my sales are coming from and how they are converting. Pretty cool actually.

My best advice would be to dive into GA and learn it, it can do amazing things and give you some amazing stats.

Maybe some one else will chime in with useful and legitimate options.

On a side note, Pretty link is not a detailed stats plugin on it's own. It does cloak links and make them pretty, but it does not give you detailed traffic stats or conversions. Least the free version does not.
 

Developer

Well-known member
Registered
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Messages
292
Points
43
I, too, am no expert in this field, but one important thing I have learned over time is this:

When tracking links and visitors, it's also very important to track exits as well. Yes,
knowing where your traffic is coming IN FROM is VERY helpful in determining where
your marketing dollars will be spent, BUT, knowing where your visitors are LEAVING
TO is also essential on knowing how to keep them on your site once they're there.
 

Allchat

Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 24, 2015
Messages
52
Points
0
As Ron said GA can be very powerful if you learn all the in's and out's of it which is probably a good idea.

But another good tool you can use is StatCounter - it now has a "paid traffic" tracker. I have been using it in conjunction with Google Analytic's for a couple years now and all it requires is you setting up the domain you want to use & placing it's code in the pages.
 

DonaldWoods

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2015
Messages
12
Points
0
Using Google Analytic, You can install multiple instances of the Google Analytics tracking code on your web pages to send data to multiple properties in your account.
 

TerranceM

Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Messages
35
Points
8
There are various looks like Google Analytics, Click, Omniture, SemRush, etc that can help one to know the traffic source, Google Analytics is of the free tool everyone can use.
 

Akshay_M

Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
44
Points
8
For simplicity sake, if you are a wordpress user, just install a jetpack and you can add Google analytics code to your site header. There are numerous plugins that can do this for you and you keep track of views, bounce rate, search for and other stuff for web analytics.

If it is just html site, you can use Google analytics code added to the top of site and also you can use crazy egg and there are lots of it online. Some are paid for others free
 
Newer Threads
Replies
14
Views
6,373
Replies
0
Views
2,304
Replies
20
Views
7,856

Latest Hosting OffersNew Reviews

Sponsors

Tag Cloud

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.

Top