Site Meter: Free and Premium Tracking Solutions
When you first launch a website, a natural question arises: how many people are actually visiting? Knowing that number is only the beginning. Site Meter, a well‑established player in the analytics arena, offers a clear path for owners who want to start tracking traffic without a large upfront cost. The free version gives you a visual counter that can be displayed on your homepage or hidden in the background, while the paid tier unlocks deeper insights and a cleaner, invisible counter that looks more professional on every page.
Getting Started with the Free Counter
To install the free counter, head over to Site Meter’s website and click the “Free Version” link. The setup wizard will prompt you to register your site and then generate a snippet of JavaScript code. Paste that code into the <head> or <body> section of your homepage, depending on whether you want the counter to sit at the top or bottom of the page. Once the code is live, Site Meter begins counting visitors in real time.
The free counter is visual - either a simple number that updates each visit or a small colored square if you prefer anonymity. Site Meter sends you a weekly email with the total visitor count, and you can log in to the online dashboard anytime to view more detailed statistics such as referral sources, average time on site, and pages per visit. Because the free tier records data for the whole site, you can quickly spot which pages attract the most attention by placing the code on each page of interest.
One feature that is often overlooked is the “Ignore Visits” toggle. When you’re testing the site or visiting from the same IP as your own server, you don’t want those visits skewing your numbers. Turning on this option ensures that visits from your own address are excluded from the totals, giving you a more accurate picture of external traffic.
Upgrading to Paid Features
For a modest monthly fee - currently $6.95 USD - Site Meter’s premium plan unlocks several enhancements that can make a noticeable difference for small businesses and hobby sites. First, the invisible counter eliminates the on‑screen number that some visitors find distracting. Instead, the data is collected silently in the background, letting visitors focus on your content while you still gather analytics.
Second, the paid plan adds search engine reporting. You’ll see which search engines deliver the most traffic and which specific queries bring users to your pages. That level of detail can inform keyword strategy and help you refine your SEO efforts. If your site relies heavily on organic search traffic, the visibility into search terms is invaluable.
Third, the premium tier lets you export the raw data as a comma‑delimited file. With just a few clicks, you can download a CSV that can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or any other spreadsheet program for custom analysis. The ability to manipulate the data yourself allows you to run your own calculations, create charts, or merge the visitor statistics with other business metrics.
Although Site Meter’s paid plan is inexpensive, it still requires a monthly subscription. Many designers and developers charge a modest fee for placing the counter on each page you want to track, which is typically only a few dollars per page. For most small business websites, the free or paid version of Site Meter provides all the essential metrics you need without breaking the bank.
WebTrends: From Log Analyzer to Live Monitoring
For sites that generate higher traffic volumes or that require more sophisticated analysis, WebTrends offers a suite of tools that scale from modest to enterprise‑level. Unlike Site Meter, WebTrends provides two distinct products - Log Analyzer and Live Monitoring - each suited to different use cases and budgets. Below we walk through both offerings to help you determine which fits your needs.
WebTrends Log Analyzer
The Log Analyzer pulls data directly from your web server’s access logs, bypassing the need for JavaScript injection. Once you upload your log files - whether through FTP or a scheduled transfer - WebTrends parses the entries and produces an array of reports. The interface supports multiple languages, including Spanish, French, and German, making it accessible to a global audience.
What sets the Log Analyzer apart is the depth of insight it offers. The reports display the exact paths visitors take through your site, revealing which pages are most frequently visited, which ones are entry or exit points, and how long users linger on each page. This information is critical for understanding user behavior, identifying content gaps, and spotting navigation bottlenecks that might lead to cart abandonment or bounce.
The tool also includes filtering capabilities that let you segment traffic by country, browser, or time of day. If you’re running a marketing campaign in a specific region, you can narrow the data to that cohort and see how the campaign translates into actual visits. You can further customize reports to focus on metrics that matter most to your business, such as conversion rates or revenue per visitor.
Because the Log Analyzer requires you to upload logs, it does not depend on client‑side code. That means it captures traffic from users with JavaScript disabled or those who use ad‑blockers that would otherwise interfere with traditional pixel trackers. The price point for the Log Analyzer is $499 USD, and it demands a minimum of one gigabyte of free space on the host machine to store the processed data.
WebTrends Live
WebTrends Live adopts a different approach: a small snippet of JavaScript placed on each page collects visitor data in real time and sends it to WebTrends’ cloud servers. Because the analytics engine runs off‑site, you receive instant, up‑to‑the‑minute reports through any web browser. This immediacy is especially useful for monitoring the performance of ongoing promotions or real‑time events.
A standout feature of WebTrends Live is its campaign tracking capabilities. By attaching unique identifiers to your ad creatives, you can see not only which ads drive the most clicks but also which ones generate the most revenue. This level of granularity is vital for optimizing ad spend, especially if you operate in a highly competitive niche.
For e‑commerce sites, WebTrends Live offers granular cart analytics. You can view actions such as product additions, removals, and completed purchases, all plotted over time. When you notice a drop in conversion rates at a particular step - say, after the shipping options screen - you can investigate why shoppers abandon their carts and adjust the user flow accordingly.
The eBusiness edition starts at $35 USD per month for 50,000 page views. This price tier is well‑suited for growing sites that already exceed the free or low‑cost options but do not yet require the full enterprise suite. For larger operations that see millions of unique visitors, the Enterprise edition begins at $2,000 USD per month and offers additional features such as advanced predictive analytics, custom data feeds, and dedicated support.
Choosing the right analytics tool depends on the scale of your website, your technical comfort level, and the depth of insight you need. If you just need a quick way to see how many people are visiting and where they come from, a free counter like Site Meter will do. For more detailed reports, especially when tracking conversions or optimizing ad spend, consider upgrading to the paid version of Site Meter or shifting to WebTrends Live. And if your site generates a significant amount of traffic or you require the highest level of data fidelity, the Log Analyzer or the Enterprise edition of WebTrends can provide the comprehensive, actionable intelligence you need to grow your online presence.
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