Statistics in Real Time

You need to add the "Statistics in Real Time" option to all the pages of your website. It is used to collect information about visitors to the site. Click on the statistics of the page after setting up and then top right on Counter CODE . On the new page, click on Add new counter and then choose the counter design. People used to love displaying how many visitors already visited the website, but now it's more the reserve of private offerings.

Operators thus also offer an invisible counter. To select this, click twice on Hidden tracker and then press Save . You have now created the counter for your website. Now click on the newly created entry. In the Counter code , you will see the part that you need to embed in your website. However, if a page visitor has switched off JavaScript, they are not counted. The advantage of Histats is that there is also a "No Java Script" part (Figure 1). This code is written in pure HTML and is a "pixel counter." Viewed technically, visitors of your website also access a 1x1 pixel graphic that is stored at Histats. Histats then counts these views. Because the JavaScript part is missing, the system can capture few additional details.

Figure 1: Histats also offers the counter code in a no JavaScript version.

Once the code is built into your site, Histats displays the statistics in real time. To see this, call the statistics page of the domain in the dashboard. At the center, you will see a chart showing you the access stats. Above, you'll see the absolute numbers in real time (Figure 2). For example, the real-time display of visitors online right now is interesting. On the left, you can navigate in the menu to see detailed information about your visitors. Here you can also see the referrer, that is, the page from which your visitor came. This is very useful for tracking the impact of advertising links on various sites.

Figure 2: Real-time evaluation in Histats is very extensive.

Stetic with more Counter Codes

The commercial solution by Stetic GmbH is another alternative. To get started, go to the website and click on Free trial . This is the best way to determine whether the offer meets your needs over a period of 14 days. The account you create can be used later on in a commercial version, and no data is lost. Enter your details including the URL you want to capture and click on Create account now . After logging into the dashboard, you will see the installation page directly. Compared to other suppliers, the manufacturer has a wider range of options for building the counter code into your own page (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Stetic offers several enhancements for integrating the counter code.

Like everywhere else, there is a JavaScript code snippet. Stetic also has an extension for Magento, a plugin for WordPress and Shopware, as well as extensions for Joomla and Contao. Depending on whether you are using one of the systems, follow the respective instructions for the installation and setup.

There are no pre-built modules for capturing in the Plentymarket ERP product. However, Stetic has detailed instructions on how to integrate the tracking code into the parts of the program.

For companies that offer their own iOS apps, the integration method might be interesting if you want to analyze user behavior in the app. Integrating an iOS library means that you can acquire both the app events and the user events. The manufacturer again offers a very detailed guide for integration.

Interaction Thanks to Pop-Ups

Although Stetic, like Histats, advertises statistics in real time, it did take some time until we saw the first reports in the project. However, these results are far more revealing than those offered by competitors. On top of the classic page statistics, evaluations of breadcrumbs are just as interesting as the additional tools that Stetic also offers.

To start, go to the Tools menu and choose a tool, for example, Targeting . This option makes it possible for you to control the display of HTML elements on your website based on certain rules and visitor behavior. For example, you can set up a pop-up that appears if the user has been inactive on your site for some time.

Click on Create new item now and enter a name. In the Design tab, define the appearance. Choose the colors and text, and whether the element appears in full screen mode or as a sidebar or pop-up, and what size it is. Then, specify the event type, such as call to action, newsletter registration, Facebook like button, iFrame call, or HTML code. Under Targeting, you can then determine when the notice appears. For example, you can set it to appear if the visitor is inactive for 30 seconds or there is a danger of a jump off.

We also liked the fact that Stetic supports site operators on the subject of data protection. In the dashboard, you an click on the Privacy menu item to see a proposal for a privacy notice that you can display on your website. The manufacturer even provides a link for revoking the data storage opt-in. If a visitor to your website clicks on this link, he or she is opting out of anonymous user data storage in Stetic. This approach is better than having to install a browser extension for Google Analytics or to write your own opt-out code in each case.