Identify location of visitors 2

[audiopro]

A client of mine as asked me to beef up his website logs.
At the moment the controlling Perl script logs every action and logs every page each visitor visits. This is very useful and has helped identify a few navigation issues within his site. One of his suppliers has told him that they can tell the geographical location of visitors to their own website and that this is easy to achieve. My client is obviously excited about this and wants me to implement the same functionality to his site.

Can geograhical location be identified in some way from a simple visit? The only way that I know to do this would be for people to register on the site. As far as casual visitors are concerned, I thought that all we had to go on was the IP address which is non geographic.

If there is a way please enlighten me before my client dumps me in favour of

http://www.bulls£itwebdesigners.com

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[tchatzi]

take a look at this it might help you.

http://crazycanuck.org/2005/11/08/geographic-ip-database-using-perl-php-and-mysql/

``The wise man doesn't give the right answers,
he poses the right questions.''
TIMTOWTDI

 

[Foamcow]

Have you considered using Google Analytics?

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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[glenmac]

Have you considered using Google Analytics?

I was unaware of the of this functionality. Are you sure it is possible?

Glen

http://lantzvillecomputers.com

 

[Foamcow]

Well IP addresses are geographic within certain limits.
I don't think anything will be 100% accurate but you can get a reasonable idea of where someone is based on their IP. What you are actually tracking is a node on their ISPs network.

As an example, I am based in Gloucester UK, but if you look at me geo/IP it says "Bletchely" since this is where BT (my ISP) 'surfaces'.

You could purchase access to a datasource that maps IP's to geographic locations and use that with your own logs.

However, Google Analytics does this (albeit it relies on Javascript to work). It will show you a global map colour coded to the number of visits. You can zoom into this map and see specficic regions/cities etc.

The information is also available as conventional text and you can drill down through it to your heart's content.

As with any stats, you need to take them with a pinch of salt but over time, you should be able to build up a reasonable idea of patterns.


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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[audiopro]

Thanks for the useful information.
I have signed up for the analytics as it sounds like a useful tool. I will give it a go and see what it can do.

My client is under the impression that a postal address can almost be found via an IP address. They were saying that analysis of their stats revealed that many of their visitors were from London and also a particular town in the North West. I know there is a large server farm in that town, could that be a coincidence? Of course he believes him, after all the chap with the knowledge is a fully qualified plumber and glazier. I have asked my client to find out what technology is used in the system they speak of but as yet they haven't replied to his email.


Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[Foamcow]

You can't determine a postal address from an IP unless you have access to every ISP's customer database.

The only way you could do that is via a cookie written to the machine of a user who's address details you have logged. Even then it only works while they use the same browser and don't delete their cookies.

The particular town in the north west and the fact there is a server farm there is probably not a coincidence. I would imagine that the IP being logged is where an ISP's network joins with the internet as a whole.


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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[audiopro]

That was my conclusion too but my client believes that these stats will solve all his problems and maybe even reduce his gas bill. I cannot make him understand that web stats are just long lists which need to be analysed. I think he imagines a list of towns with how many visitors from each town. How can I let him down slowly?

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[ChrisHirst]

How can I let him down slowly?

Print out a weeks server logs (we'll not worry about the trees on this occasion).
Put them on his desk with a note on top saying "Enjoy!!!"




Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Woo Hoo! the cobblers kids get new shoes.
People Counting Systems

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[Foamcow]

Just show him Google Analytics. He'll love it.
But you should explain to him that stats aren't facts.

You need to look at web stats over a period of time and examine trends. Not specific numbers.

Will having a list of towns actually help him or his business? The great thing about the web is that it's geo-agnostic. It allows a business to reach customers outside their geographic area.

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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[Foamcow]

You may like to give this a whirl too.

http://www.w3counter.com

Like GA, but live.

Thing is, the map is currently showing me as being in Leeds when I'm pretty sure I'm a little South of there in Gloucester!

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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[ascotta]

You can put that purlpley thing on the map then Foamcow, I had a look at the w3Counter today and added it to our site, seeing as we are trying to attract engineers from outatha country it would be good to know where we are getting hit from so to speak.

Which reminds me, ....best a new post me thinks.

[blue] A perspective from the other side!![/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[Foamcow]

FWIW I still think GA is a better option and it will show you the same information. You just need to wait till the next day to see it.

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<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[audiopro]

I have set up GA on a few of my client's sites and I am waiting a few days for the data to build up before trying any analysis.

I am glad, in a way, that the information is not very geographically accurate as I have shown GA to the client in question and he has pinpointed a few of his own visits. They too show him to be in a city, 80 miles away from his business. I am shown as only 50 miles away from my office which isn't bad. I can see the information being useful, once we have a few months of data to study. Looks like those cold winter nights are just going to fly by.

Thanks for the information - it was very useful.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[roshaoar]

Might want to have a look at statcounter too, they show addresses quite well.