Best Ways To Track Keywords From SE's To Your Site?

[briandoakes]

What is the best way to track what keywords from your site are being referenced by Search Engines?

Thanks,
Brian

[rustybrick]

Hi briandoakes! :)

Do you mean, what is the best way to search how people are getting to your site from the search engines? I.e. if your Web visitors are getting you by way of Google after conducting a search on a specific keyword phrase?

If so, you should look into Web analytical tools; such as WebTrends, Urchin, ClickTrax, etc.

[briandoakes]

Yes... that is exactly what I mean.....

so the only way to do it is through analytic software?

[rustybrick]

Well, yea. You can built your own analytic software if you like.

There are also free alternatives like AWStats.

[Marcia]

AWStats is good, about the best I've seen that comes with common web hosting packages. It's included with Cpanel.

[Marcia]

Let me also mention that what I'm finding exceptionally valuable right now is on dirt cheap Cpanel hosting - a feature that shows the last 300 visitors to a site right on line so it's very convenient and can be checked all day with a glance, with the search engines and keywords used and a link back to the source of the hit.

[tomslick]

You can always parse the logs manually if you don't want to invest in tool. :D

[AussieWebmaster]

Most hosting offers some type of limited log analytics - but you can find a few free programs or even use the paid ones for the 30 day free trial to get a feel for your visitors - but once you get to the point of wanting the information to improve the web site and what terms to optimize for - the positive results will soon have you investing in some type of software package.

The tools will dramatically improve your ROI and thus pay for themselves.

[grnidone]

As important as log file analysis and metrics are to any web site, it floors me that there isn't a really good analysis tool out there. Most of the ones I have seen have pretty pie charts but nothing that really says anything meaningful.

What you need is something that will take you from the keyword the person typed in the search engine all the way through the shopping cart or other transaction on your site. And, you need to be able to look at trends over time. For example very few tools allow you to see the metrics for your web site over a three month period by week.

I have yet to find a tool where you don't have to hack two or three reports together to get the information you need in a format that actually says something. And, I have seen even fewer tools that allow you to make your own reports to include only the information you need. (Unless you pay through the nose for it.)

Webtrends, for example, one of the most oft used metrics tools out there SUCKS for metrics...all pretty pie charts that don't say anything. I have heard that IndexTools is pretty good, though I have not tried it myself.

[AussieWebmaster]

As important as log file analysis and metrics are to any web site, it floors me that there isn't a really good analysis tool out there. Most of the ones I have seen have pretty pie charts but nothing that really says anything meaningful.

What you need is something that will take you from the keyword the person typed in the search engine all the way through the shopping cart or other transaction on your site. And, you need to be able to look at trends over time. For example very few tools allow you to see the metrics for your web site over a three month period by week.

I have yet to find a tool where you don't have to hack two or three reports together to get the information you need in a format that actually says something. And, I have seen even fewer tools that allow you to make your own reports to include only the information you need. (Unless you pay through the nose for it.)

Webtrends, for example, one of the most oft used metrics tools out there SUCKS for metrics...all pretty pie charts that don't say anything. I have heard that IndexTools is pretty good, though I have not tried it myself.
Have a look at WebSideStory - they have all sorts of analytics... even a template that shows the percentages of clicks for every outbound link on a page, a path of entry to exit and all stops inbetween, the option to create spreadsheet reports that are run and even emailled to you on a regular set time-frame...
And there are a bunch of other ones that have similar abilities.

[grnidone]

I'm a metrics hound, so I'll definately look into it.