Awstats vs Google Analytics

[callumacrae]

Okay so both Analytics and Awstats are both saying completely different things. Which is most likely to be correct, and why is the other getting it so wrong?




~Callum

 

[ananth2ananth]

Google Analytics is the best one.We have different categories to track our website.

I opt for Google analytics

 

[callumacrae]

I used the wrong title XD

Google analytics is completely wrong, though. (apparently it's most likely to be google analytics)

~Callum

 

[lemon-tree]

Google analytics is more likely to be a realistic figure, as it is only triggered when a page with the tracking code is loaded. Awstats will usually overestimate, as it includes every requested file in the log regardless of whether it was actually a proper visit or whether it was just an image being included on someone else's site.
For example, both Analytics and Reinvigorate both correlate with a pageview count of ~8000, whilst Awstats is over double at 16,111. Similarly, in both your screenshots the 'visits' number is pretty consistent for them both, suggesting that is likely to be a more statistically accurate figure.

 

[Smith6612]

Without knowing the metrics behind what AWStats is driven by, it would have to be Google Analytics.

 

[callumacrae]

Google analytics is more likely to be a realistic figure, as it is only triggered when a page with the tracking code is loaded. Awstats will usually overestimate, as it includes every requested file in the log regardless of whether it was actually a proper visit or whether it was just an image being included on someone else's site.
For example, both Analytics and Reinvigorate both correlate with a pageview count of ~8000, whilst Awstats is over double at 16,111. Similarly, in both your screenshots the 'visits' number is pretty consistent for them both, suggesting that is likely to be a more statistically accurate figure.

The visits are completely different:

Analytics overall: 2,270
Awstats overall: 4,766 (2,725 this month)

~Callum

 

[lemon-tree]

Ah, I see now.
The problem may be that Awstats may not be able to differentiate between an actual viewed page and something just fetching a page intermittently such as an RSS reader as it has to make assumptions based upon the server log (I am aware there are separate bots and not bots sections, but it doesn't mean it's watertight).
Google Analytics fares better at this due to it only generally be triggered on a proper viewed page on specified webpages in a user's browser (People with Javascript disabled may be missed, but judging from my analytics it is a insignificant margin).
The only other possibility is that you have pages on your site that are missing any form of analytics code and are thus being missed by Google Analytics but are still included in your Awstats report.

 

[callumacrae]

I see

~Callum

 

[deptiesto77]

the best google Analytics :redface:

 

[yungjames21385]

Google always works best for me.