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Web analytics question -- how to track downloads of PDF and DOC files?

Server platform: Windows 2008 Server / IIS 7.5

Hi. I have a large number (many hundreds) of PDF and MS Word files on a web site, and I need to track downloads of those files. Each file has it own URL and filename, for example:

http://www.cep-dc.org/cfcontent_file.cfm?Attachment=ForumSummary_ImprovingLow-PerformingSchools_041310.pdf
http://www.cep-dc.org/cfcontent_file.cfm?Attachment=GeorgiaHSAdvanced.docx
http://www.cep-dc.org/cfcontent_file.cfm?Attachment=Appendix_Part5StatebystateLIST_100511.pdf

...etc.

I have set IIS 7.5 to log all downloads and generate log files in a /logs/folder on the server.

I have been using Analog 6.0 to analyze log files, but it is laborious and tedious. I have to manually create and configure a configuration file and very carefully enter all of the URLs for all of the files, so that each file is included in the generated report. (Also the client is not 100% happy with the appearance of the generated Analog / Report Magic web access reports.)

Are there other options besides the Analog 6.0 log analyzer? What else can I do to generate web access reports for these documents?

Thanks very much for any advice.

Eric

Mlanda T

You can actually use Google Analytics to do this tracking. Google Analytics will provide excellent reports for you with no effort on your part (well... a little... :) ).

Have a look here:
http://support.google.com/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55529
http://www.blastam.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/how-to-track-downloads-in-google-analytics/
http://www.goodwebpractices.com/roi/track-downloads-in-google-analytics-automatically.html

You will see that is basically as simple as adding an OnClick attribute to the hyperlinks to these documents.

onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/file_name.file_extension')

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As Blastam.com shows, you can even automate this process with jQuery.

Eric Bourland

ASKER

MlandaT, thank you for the links to Google Analytics. That makes sense.

I am concerned about Google Analytics, though. If a user disables javascript in her web browser, then Google Analytics cannot count the page visit.

I am wondering if there is a program, besides Analog 6.0, that will analyze the accumulated log files and sift out the hundreds of documents for which I need statistics The SmarterTools StatCounter might do the trick, but StatCounter needs to be installed before it can begin tracking page visits or downloads.

I'll probably close this question soon. Thank you again for your ideas.

Eric

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Mlanda T

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Eric Bourland

ASKER

MlandaTm, thank you for the articulate, helpful answer. I am exploring the IIS log analyzers you recommend. I will also see about setting up the Google onClick for each document download, if only to compare results from Google Analytics and from the other IIS analyzers.

Have a great evening.

Eric