1) I use my own script I whipped up (and added to bit by bit) to look at search engine referrals - I get an email for all the other referrals. My church's host can provide some stats using Analog, though I have to contact them to get it arranged. Search engine referrals most interest me since I can see what people are searching for. I log the SE referrals in a DB (which is growing - need to keep an eye on it!)

3) They index PDF's and other files because they want to provide everything that surfers might be interested, in an effort to have the edge as a search engine (or to keep up). Cached versions of files have word-highlighting which is handy. I assume they do music files to deliver searches for music as they do for images).

Hi Doug:

I have put some answers to your questions below:

1) What solutions are you all using to analyze your traffic?

I use the Funnel Web. There is a great freeware version I have recommended to clients:

http://www.quest.com/solutions/download.asp

By the way, funnel web, as well as many other of the analysis apps have definitions of what you are looking at.

2) Do you recommend any particular posts/articles to educate myself on understanding web log analysis?

This is a well done article by Chris Beasley over at Sitepoint:

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/808

He covers a lot of the basics and makes some analysis recommendations.

3) Why in the world would a robot go through my site and download entire files? Google, AltaVista and Hot Bot all have gone through and downloaded PDF and music files from the site. I'm not clear on why/how that could be.

Googlebot and maybe other index PDF content (as well as word and PowerPoint). I?m not sure why they might download your music files.

4) Seems like a perfect opportunity for one of our resident gurus to write a nice "from the bottom up" article on Search Engines and Understanding Traffic...anyone?

I had planned to do one, but have not had time yet.

I will say a few points:

When looking at my logs I typically do the following:

Ignore number of hits, because any call to a file (whether images on a page, the page, ect.) counts as a hit. So a web page with 20 little images will rack up 21 hits (page plus images) while a page with just text will only count as one.

I look number visitors and user sessions.

I check my top viewed pages.

I look at any server errors and try to identify the cause, fix it, and then check again later to make sure it went away.

I check referrals to see where my visitors are coming from.

I look at search engine activity and key word and phrases reports to see what search engines are putting people on my site and what words or phrases are doing it.

The Freeware version of funnel web can do all this for you.

Hope this helps.
Blessings,
Sean

Thank you both for that information. That article was just what I needed to clarify terms and such. I downloaded the OS X version of Funnel Web, but, so far, it's not too user friendly. Going to have to spend some time with it.

One thing I will share, at the risk of being too honest, is that the Lord dealt me a gentle rebuke over the weekend on this whole issue...basically telling me to leave the traffic up to Him. I don't know if you can identify with what I'm trying to say here, but essentially it came down to pride. I need to trust that He'll bring the people to the site. Doesn't mean I can't and shouldn't progress with optimizing traffic, just that I shouldn't fret so much over whether it's working or not...that may or may not make sense...anyway.

Thanks again and God bless you - Doug

Just a quick addendum...I wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding...

I was in no way implying that everyone or anyone else has a pride issue regarding their traffic monitoring. That was just something that the Lord was dealing with me about. I share it because I personally think there is a need for the Body of Christ to be more honest with their shortcomings. That's the best way to open the door wide for prayer support!

Gal 6:1-5, 2 Cor 11:9, Eph 6:18

Serving Christ with you all - Doug

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Doug:

Awesome honesty. Praise God for your acknowledging a true issue. As we webmaster our sites, pride and obsessing can be issues that we struggle with.

And I totally agree with what you said. /thumbsupsmileyanim.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumbsani:" border="0" alt="thumbsupsmileyanim.gif" />

I have lately, and actually since CWM went up, been learning a lot from Psalm 127:1

The Lord told me something similar to what He told you. That He is the builder and the watcher over CWM. He will bring the traffic. He will protect and build the community and watch over it. Trying to do it myself will only be in vain.

Lately, I have been mediating on our part as we work with God (including in our web mastering). It is the Lord that builds and the Lord that watches. True. Notice also that there are builders and watchmen present. It?s the Lord that does it, but He uses us, the builders and watchmen. We are His body on this earth. There truly is a partnership or put better a ?synergy? between God and us. Synergy implies 100% God and 100% us. Where we are to work 100% unto the Lord with our talents and gifts as He guides us, and we are to trust and look to Him for the results 100%.

Thanks for sharing brother.

If you do nothing else with your server logs, look at the server errors and fix any. However, if looking at them at all tempts you towards obsessing with the other things, then don?t look at all. We can even take a look for you if you like.

Blessings,
Sean

Those were very nice comments with which I definitely agree. Thank you for the returned honesty and insight.

There are just some things I get a little too intense about sometimes....web/graphics and music are close to the top...makes my wife crazy!

I'm good though...lettin' the Holy Ghost keep me in check. I'd write more, but it's after 1am and I'm shutting down.

More later...God bless - Doug