How Well Do You Really Know Your Website?
If you're like most webmasters, you have probably spent
years building your site. You have spent years adding
content, building links and cultivating traffic - but how
well do you really know your website?
How well do you know the intricate details of your
website's traffic? Where do your site's visitors come from?
How long do they stay on your site? Just where do they go
to on your site and how well do they convert into buyers or
subscribers?
Do you know your site's rankings in the major search
engines? What are your site's top keywords? What's your
site's Google PageRank? Who are your IP neighbors? What
your site looks like in other browsers? How much is your
site worth?
These are just some of the questions you should know,
mainly because the more knowledge you possess about your
site, the better equipped you will be at improving it. So
here's a simple list of free site checking tools/sites that
will let you "Big Brother" (monitor and watch) your site.
1. Google Analytics
Perhaps one of the most helpful analytical tools you can
use on your site. Google Analytics will give you a wealth
of information about your site's traffic. Where it comes
from, how long it stays on your site, where it goes on your
site, how well your content converts... invaluable
information every webmaster should have in their
possession. ( www.google.com/analytics )
2. NetMechanic Toolbox
Check your site's mechanics - find broken links, check
browser compatibility, find bad HTML code, spot
slow-loading pages, and check your spelling... all by using
the NetMechanic Toolbox: ( www.netmechanic.com )
3. Keyword Suggestion Tool
This free keyword suggestion tool will tell you how many
searches are done in WordTracker and Overture for your
site's keywords. Extremely valuable information since much
of web's traffic and ecommerce is keyword driven. (
www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/)
4. Iwebtool
This is another free site which offers many valuable
webmaster's tools that will give you information about
your/any site. Google PageRank, PageRank Prediction, Link
Popularity, Search Engine Positions for Keywords, Backlink
Checker... also Visual PageRank where you can see all the
PR values of all the links on a given page - both internal
and external. ( www.iwebtool.com )
5. Alexa Traffic Rankings
Alexa tracks the web's traffic by using the Alexa bar in a
surfer's browser. Most people know it is not an accurate
assessment of the traffic on the net but is a handy
measuring stick, nonetheless. It is also a handy tool for
comparing sites and seeing the long-tern traffic trends of
different sites, including your own. ( www.alexa.com )
6. Your Site's Traffic Logs
Most webmasters know your raw traffic logs are worth
checking and reading. It contains valuable information
about your site. Especially helpful if you're checking for
broken links on your site, you don't want to see those
302's everywhere. Close examination and regular checking of
your traffic logs and stats will point out the profitable
keywords on your site.
7. BetterWhois
You can use this site to find out the domain information
about your site. Do you have control of your domain? Many
webmasters buy their domain name thru their web hosting
company, while this is not a problem in itself, however, if
any dispute should arise who has administrative control of
your domain; you or your hosting company? Can you change
hosting companies? ( www.betterwhois.com )
8. Google Alerts
Another valuable tool from Google which notifies you by
email when your link or site is found anywhere on the web.
Great for keeping track of any new links your site is
getting. Many webmasters also use this handy tool to keep
track of their competitor's sites. They also use Google
Alerts to keep track of whenever their own name is
mentioned anywhere on the web. This one would even make
Orwell proud. ( www.google.com/alerts )
9. IP Neighbors
Many webmasters have their site hosted on shared hosting
plans, which means there can be hundreds of sites sharing
the same IP address. This site lets you discover who your
IP neighbors are. Why would you want to know your IP
neighbors? Well like neighbors everywhere; there are good
ones and there are bad ones. For example, if you have a
neighboring site that uses email to spam, it could get your
IP address blocked or shut down. ( www.myipneighbors.com )
10. Any Browser
Use to this handy site to discover what your site looks
like in different browsers; you could be in for a real
shock. ( www.anybrowser.com )
11. Google Toolbar
The Google Toolbar can be placed on your browser so that
when you're surfing you can see the Google PageRank of each
page/site you're visiting. Many SEO experts believe Google
is not giving us the true PR of a page and this bar is
rather useless. However, like the Alexa rankings it is a
handy measuring stick, nonetheless. (
www.toolbar.google.com )
12. What Is Your Site Worth?
Please take this last analyzing tool with "a large grain of
salt", but it is fun to use and to see how much your site
is worth. Measurement here is done largely by the amount of
links you have coming into your site. (
directory.sootle.com/website-worth )
In conclusion, all of these free handy tools/sites will
give you a better, more complete picture of your own site.
Remember, the more knowledge you acquire about your own
site and your competitor's sites, the more equipped you
will be to succeed. This is one case where being a "Big
Brother" can truly benefit your site.
----------------------------------------------------
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous
websites, including two sites on Internet marketing. For
the latest and most effective web marketing tools try:
http://www.bizwaremagic.com
Or why not try these excellent free training manuals and
videos:
http://www.bizwaremagic.com/Free_Marketing_Courses.htm
2007 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed
if this resource box stays attached.
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