Webalizer (search strings) - Simple question

[maxxwebb]

just want to double-check (clarify) something please:

do the "search strings" (phrases, words etc.) actually mean that someone VISITED your site after searching for that term/phrase using a search engine?

if yes:

we just don't know which search engine SENT them - correct?

and...

wow, people really can find your site using "odd ball" search strings. :gl:

can someone confirm this for me please?

thanks,
mike

 

[maxxwebb]

come on folks - help a fella out

am i right in my assumptions?

thanks,
mike

 

[CrazyTech]

Yes, the search strings that you see are the result of visitors who searched that string of text. I know how the oddball strings feel - I owned a teen forum and if you had looked at the search string returns then you'd have thought I was running a porn site. The two admins before me were quite loose in what they let go on.

 

[sjp]

Here's a tip: Webalizer misses *a lot* of search engines. Last month Webalizer extracted 476 search strings from my logs while AwStats found 857.

 

[maxxwebb]

thanks for the info/tips...

i'll check my awstats too.

happy new year!

mike

 

[CrazyTech]

Agreed, it's just IMHO but Awstats gives the better stats especially when it comes to search engines.