I need a favor

HMTKSteve

I need a favor.

I'm testing out some web tracking tools on my site hmtk.com and my blog and I need data to work with to see which one of the two web tracking packages I want to go with.

So, can you guys help me out by just visiting, looking around and clicking through?

Thanks!

Apreche

I suggest Google Analytics and awstats as the best web tracking tools I know of. I'm sure there are others, but I don't care that much.

HMTKSteve

I was trying out CrazyEgg but they charge way too much and don't offer even half of what Google offers.

The only thing going for Crazy Egg is that their site updates in real time so you can watch people surfing your site.

Apreche

I've found that a lot of people spend way too much time watching their web stats. Real-time web watching is really sort of useless. No web metric is really all that precise anyway. The best you can do is get lots of visitors and watch the trends over time. We have different stats in a few different places. I usually look at one or two of them once each day. I don't even really look at the numbers that much either. I just glance at the graph to make sure it hasn't gone down a whole lot.

The only thing I really pay attention to are the referrals. I want to see who is linking to us. Without a doubt, referral tracking has been more valuable than any other web stat ever. Through referrals I was able to discover many podcasts and blogs who linked to us without contacting us. I discovered Dragon's Landing Inn this way because someone added us to their link wiki.

When it comes to search engine optimization(SEO), I've found the best method is to just go about my business as usual. It seems to me that most search engines, especially Google, have implemented algorithms which discourage people from trying to game the system. Most of the advice on SEO is for people who are trying to get lots of money from Ads. They are trying to game the system and get more money, so they use various tactics to make their web sites appear not to be gaming the system. If you simply don't try it in the first place, it's all good. Also, making this forum publicly readable is one of the best things we've ever done. All of the posts here show up on Google for the craziest random shit.

If you aren't trying to game the system and get yourself a better search result than you should have, and you aren't trying to make mad moneys, just get a web tracker that updates at least once a day with a general traffic graph and referral tracking. Also maybe use something that tells you which pages people are visiting the most. Everything else is not nearly as useful.

HMTKSteve

I do have server logs that I can comb through and what is going on but the data I do not have (that I hope to get) is seeing what people do when they come to the site.

Do they come in, read one thing and leave?

Do they come in, look around and then leave?

Where are they coming from?

Do some referers give me "long visit" visitors while another just gives me "bounce" traffic?

I admit, I am trying to earn some cash off of my website. I'm not going to lie about that! At the same time, I'm not going to post a bunch crap that I have no interest in just because it brings in higher paying advs. I'd just be blogging a lie...

My main site is about software and HackMaster. It used to be a lot larger but I "accidentally" deleted my database when I went to back it up... The hosting company offered to let me use their nightly back-up but they wanted to charge me more money then I wanted to spend...

My blog is about Pokemon, gaming, technology (Linux) and a few odd things thrown in.

My number one search query that gets me traffic is "Pokemon mystery dungeon." This is because I posted an FAQ about it that I found on the web that included the line "post this anywhere, just give me credit" so I did...

My number two search query is "sexvideo"... I have no idea why that search query sends people to my site...

Some "interesting" queries that I have found leading to my site are: "elf sex" and "double penetration"...

"elf sex" is understandable. I have a small section of pregenerated characters and, if you've ever played a fantasy RPG you know that "elf" is a race and "sex" is on all character sheets.

"double penetration" pops up because, in HackMaster, some dice "penetrate"...

Apreche

Tangent time! Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. I've seen that game around quite a bit lately. I think I instinctively avoided it because it's a game with a Pokemon license that is not a "real" Pokemon game. I don't know why I have this instinct because Pokemon Puzzle League and Pokemon Snap we're pretty good. What kind of game is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, and why should I care? I think I'm just going to get Diamond/Pearl and be done with it.

HMTKSteve

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is not a stellar game.

I posted a short Review on it.


It's no where near as good as the regular RPG GBA games.

My daughter loves it, I don't...

The key things the game is missing are:

1) Ability to trade Pokemon
2) Ability to battle your friends head-to-head

It does have a "rescue system" where, if you get stuck, you can give a code to a friend to rescue you. When they rescue you they then give you a return code which revives your group and allows you to keep playing.

The first half of the game is good. You wake up as a Pokemon and start a rescue team. Until you get the credits to roll the first time the game is entirely scripted. You go on a few missions then you have story-missions

There is a lot of "hunting and gathering" for items. You CAN get all 386 Pokemon in it. You can make any of those Pokemon your "Team Leader" and play as them.

One cool feature is "linked moves" this allows you to have a Pokemon do more then one move at the same time. It works out well when combating tough "level-end" guys. It would be awesome in regular play as you can link "crap" moves with good moves. This also results in players keeping non-combat moves because they can link them.

For example, I have an Absol with Swords Dance, Double Team and Bite all linked together. When he attacks he does the three moves in that order all as one action.

I find it is a game that is fun once, but you will not be restarting it after winning it. You also will probably not go back to it after you complete it.

I expect it will not be a big hit on the used shelf either. Face it, most kids who buy used Pokemon packs buy them to score rare Pokemon and items.

HMTKSteve

Sail

That just made my day.