What is included in the work on Internet-project (is not important in real life or in virtual). Results of several components: data collection, data analysis, conclusions, and implementation. In theory it's simple. On practice, all tangled up outrage. Let's start with the purely technical aspects: methods of data collection. This is, in fact, a key phase of work on any project. In only two are based on the principle – the principle of the counter (a special script, uploaded by users on the server side with the loading of your page) and the principle of log analysis (special files on your server, retaining all visits). The first stumbling block – both ways of collecting information to operate independently of each other and each with some degree of error.
This leads to the fact that the data is very difficult to compare and, moreover, to unite. Second – Counters are the most advertised and the cheapest intermediary between you and your statistics. They are massive, tailored to the needs of the massive and often provide their services free of charge, while a good log analyzers are already in the field of professional software and, naturally, expensive. Unfortunately it is the external counters, by the purely objective reasons, usually find someone in that much. Despite this, the statistics in a professional Most Runet users associated with it, however, apply. But in fact, in RuNet, paid counter is nothing more than an improved version of "free" statistics do not get rid of most of its shortcomings and decorate yourself with some additional services.