Server and log files detail the hits (visits) you have had to your website. They normally list the IP address of your visitor, how they got to your website, what keywords were used, etc. The problem with these files is they are not typically in an easy to read format. That’s where stat counter come in to play.

The purpose of a stat counter is not only to track how many visitors you are having but give you a custom summary of your stats. You simply insert a small piece of code on your web page and your stat counter service will be able to analyze and monitor all the visitors to your website in real-time! You can then log onto your stat counter's website and analyze the data.

Most webmasters prefer to have stat counters that are invisible, meaning that visitors to your website don't know they are there. However, you can have a visible counter that shows how many visitors your site has had.

The better stat counters offer highly detailed analysis of your recent pageloads. For example, you might want to look at what keywords visitors use to find your site on search engines, what are your most popular pages, what links on other sites are being used by visitors to reach your site, what countries your visitors live in, how visitors navigate through your site, how many repeat visitors you are having and how long your visitors are staying on your site.

A good stat counter will organize this information into easy to read lists, charts & graphs to make data analysis fun and easy.