Logfile analysis has always been the primary method of companies to perform web analytics. Since the establishment of commercial websites, servers have been able to record logfiles of page views and page visits.
Intelligent programs then were created to specifically read these logfiles in order to get a concrete summary of website behavior and performance while live on the Internet. This is called logfile file analysis and it can offer numerous advantages to owners of websites.
The advantages of logfile analysis can be summed up in two major categories: it is easy to perform and to deploy; and it is a cost effective solution for web analytics.
Specifically, the advantages of logfile analysis are the following:
First, there is no need to alter the website when performing logfile analysis. Logs of user views and visits are instantly recorded on the server. So, web administrators just have to run the logfile analysis program to capture website behavior. This is cost effective and very convenient.
The second advantage of logfile analysis is its reliability. Through this method, web analytics would not be dependent on the visitor’s browser. Whenever a web page is loaded, the server instantly records this instance. Analytics that rely on JavaScript often cannot see web page behavior when the user’s Java platform is disabled. The simplicity of operation in logfile analytics adds to its reliability in capturing data.
Lastly, logfile analysis offers flexible software solution for companies. Because data is stored on servers in simple format, companies can change their application and still use the data collected as logfiles. This minimizes the cost of data and program migration.