Smugmug stats vs. Google Analytics

FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
edited September 16, 2012 in SmugMug Support
Long, long ago I attached Google Analytics to my account, and once in a while I look for curioiusity. I do not do this professionally, so this is just curiousity.

But I happened to look at the same time I looked at Smugmug stats and realized they were very different.

Now I put the google analytics in the custom footer (I think there is another way one can do it now), and I realize that means (I think) that I am seeing PAGE views in Google, but IMAGE views in Smugmug, is that correct?

But look at the period around 8/12-8/15, in analytics it's a big jump, in Smugmug there's nothing at all. Then look on 9/5 in Smumug, which had a big spike and not even a blip in Analytics.

I realize the counts can be different, but shouldn't the shape of the cativity be somewhat similar?

I guess remote image views from links could account for 9/5. I do link to images here a lot, but that's a big spike.

But what can account for mid August, where page views were way up and almost nothing at Smugmug. Someone loading one and exiting hundreds of times?

I assume there's no way to have Analytics measure image loads, as it needs the code in the link?

Anywhere in Statistics in SM to see page views?

Again, I realize it is somewhat different, just didn't expect it to be this different.

PS. Domain is http://captivephotons.com

Comments

  • DreadnoteDreadnote Registered Users Posts: 634 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2012
    I'm no expert, but every image has a different URL and so I assume would register as a separate page.
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  • rainforest1155rainforest1155 Registered Users Posts: 4,566 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2012
    As you've pointed out, SmugMug stats and Google Analytics keep track of two very different things (photo vs. page views). Higher stats on SmugMug are usually external embedded photos or if a lot of slideshow photos were viewed.

    Keep in mind that it's nothing unusual with social sites nowadays that a certain blog or forum post out of the sudden gets thousands of hits in just a few hours. And as fast as such a wave can come in, it may drop the same.

    As for the peak in Google stats, that could be a lot of folks viewing pages that don't have larger photos on them, like your homepage or any category / subcategory page. Thumbnails are not counted in the SmugMug stats so going just to your homepage, no view should register on your SmugMug stats.
    Sebastian
    SmugMug Support Hero
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
    edited September 13, 2012
    As for the peak in Google stats, that could be a lot of folks viewing pages that don't have larger photos on them, like your homepage or any category / subcategory page. Thumbnails are not counted in the SmugMug stats so going just to your homepage, no view should register on your SmugMug stats.

    Perhaps. That's the one that bothers me the most, that means 5 times or so the number of people visited just the (boring) home page for a few days and nothing else. Possible. Just odd.

    Anyway, I gather there's no known issues with the stats, and my understanding of them is right? And thanks for clarifying -- thumbnails do not count -- I wasn't sure.
  • rainforest1155rainforest1155 Registered Users Posts: 4,566 Major grins
    edited September 14, 2012
    I'm not aware of issues with stats not being recorded properly.
    Sebastian
    SmugMug Support Hero
  • SamirDSamirD Registered Users Posts: 3,474 Major grins
    edited September 16, 2012
    Keep in mind that it's nothing unusual with social sites nowadays that a certain blog or forum post out of the sudden gets thousands of hits in just a few hours. And as fast as such a wave can come in, it may drop the same.
    Yep. And while it can be quite confusing to try to figure out why the two stats are different, both have a way to look at the top referrers which can be a strong clue as to where the traffic is coming from. thumb.gif
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