Website Analysis data collection method detailed

Review the history of website data analysis, from "You are the first visit users" to now hundreds of professional tools provider, website analysis has evolved into a science. But in the face of different forms of analysis data, many people are still confused with the source of data, understanding the principles of data collection, may help you solve these puzzles.

There are currently three ways to collect web Analytics data:Web Logs ,JavaScript tags , and packet sniffers .

1. Web logs

is the Web log collection data process.

You can see that the collection of site Analytics data starts with HTTP requests from site visitors entering URLs to the site server. When the Web server receives the request, it appends a record to its own log file, including the remote hostname (or IP address), the login name, the login name, the date of the request, the time of the request, the details of the request (including the requested method, address, protocol), the status of the request returned, and the size of the requested document. The Web server then returns the page to the visitor's browser for presentation.

Some professional tool factory chambers have dedicated processing servers to handle large amounts of log data and to store processed data in their own databases. The website operator visits the analysis report system to view the analysis data of the website. There are also some small and medium-sized website owners for cost considerations will not turn to professional tool manufacturers, they will use simple website log analysis software to complete the log data processing, of course, the data will have some limitations.

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2. JavaScript tags

is a JavaScript tag that collects data.

The JavaScript tag shown is the same as the Web log collection data, starting with the HTTP request from the site visitor. The difference is that the code of the page that the JavaScript tag returns to the visitor contains a special piece of JavaScript code that is executed when the page is displayed. This code obtains detailed information from the visitor's cookie (access time, browser information, the tool vendor assigns the current visitor's userid, etc.) and sends it to the tool vendor's data collection server. The data collection server is stored in the database after the collected data is processed. The website operator views the data by accessing the analytics reporting system.

JavaScript markup has been favored by most tool vendors for its quickness and accuracy, and has evolved to become the most popular method of data collection.

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3. Packet sniffing device

is a packet sniffer that collects data.

You can see that a request from a site visitor arrives at the Web server before it passes through the packet sniffer before the packet sniffer sends the request to the Web server. The data collected by the packet sniffer is stored in the database after the tool vendor's processing server. The website operator can then see the data through the analysis report system.

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4. Comparison of data collection methods

No data collection method is perfect, different data collection methods also determine their own characteristics, understand the merits of different collection methods, will also have a certain guide to the choice of tools.

The following table is the comparison of three kinds of data collection methods:

	Web logs	JavaScript tags	Packet sniffing device
Advantages	? Easier to get data sources Easy to re-process historical data ? can record the access records of search engine crawlers ? log file Download status	Data collection is flexible and customizable ? can record cache, Proxy server access More accurate tracking of visitor actions	The monitoring of cross-domain access is more convenient Easy access to real-time data
Disadvantages	? Unable to log cache, Proxy server access ? Unable to capture custom business information ? The positioning of visitors is too vague ? monitoring cross-domain access is tricky	? user-side JS settings can affect data collection Recording downloads and redirecting data is difficult ? will increase the Web site's JS script load	? High initial import costs ? Unable to log cache, Proxy server access ? There is a security risk to user data privacy

Before deciding which data collection method to use, you need to understand your needs first. If you don't want your website's traffic data to be fetched by any third party, then web logs are definitely your best choice. But for accurate data that is closer to the behavior of site visitors, it is still necessary to collect data using JavaScript tags. This method of data collection not only provides a correct record of cache access, proxy access, but also allows for more precise positioning of individual visitors through cookies.

Of course, there are some websites that take a variety of data collection methods in order to obtain multiple data. For example, the use of JavaScript tags to collect accurate data, in order to search engine optimization of web logs in the search engine crawler records are also analyzed. There is also a packet sniffer that collects data, but simultaneously makes JavaScript markup for access to the cache.

The way data is collected is largely determined by the choice of analysis tools, but it is not enough to consider how a tool is chosen from this aspect, and the following will detail what technical parameters you need to know from the tool provider to help you make rational judgments before selecting the tool.

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Website Analysis data collection method detailed