The Referer Spam Nation Of War Leads To Fluctuations

One inquiry that nosotros meet regularly, inward Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, comes from worried novel weblog owners.

Why gain my pageview counts larn upwards together with downward all of the time?

or, less normally

Why convey my pageview counts been going down, recently?

In many cases, this is a normal resultant of (for example) to a greater extent than traffic final week, than this week. This won't ever endure the crusade of the questions, though.

On days when I am to a greater extent than busy posting content inward my blog(s), I'll by together with large meet a spike inward pageview counts inward "Day" view.

Spikes inward pageview counts are normal - though to a greater extent than obvious on newer blogs.

On days when I am to a greater extent than busy amongst other activities, I'll oft meet a like drib inward pageview counts inward "Day" view. This "spikiness" is more obvious for newer blogs, amongst less established traffic. Depending upon a number of factors, pageview count spikes volition endure to a greater extent than obvious inward Day, Week, or Month view.

But non everybody is concerned amongst spikiness inward Day, Week, or Month counts.

Some weblog owners are observing spikes, or steadily decreasing counts, inward "All time" view. But why would "All time" counts decrease? One pageview final twelvemonth should count for eternity, right?

Referer spam causes pageview spikes - both attacks together with defenses.

Besides the number of spikes caused yesteryear normal twenty-four hr menstruum to twenty-four hr menstruum action of the weblog owners, together with weblog viewers, there's but about other component - referer spam. Both the spammers, together with Google, are constantly busy.

The spammers gain spam, inward ever changing technique together with volume. Google detects the spam, together with blocks it - generally, but about fourth dimension later on each novel spam assault starts.

As the diverse spammers (and if it is non obvious to you, at that spot is to a greater extent than than i unmarried spammer, together with to a greater extent than than i unmarried spam technique beingness used) vary their spamming techniques, the "pageview counts" volition larn up. As Google detects, identifies, together with mitigates each dissimilar spam attack, the "pageview counts" volition larn down.

Google removes referer spam - together with pageview counts are affected, retroactively.

As Google blocks a spam assault this week, they volition set together with withdraw that assault from the pageview counts for final week, final month, together with "all time". And the weblog owners meet the "All time" counts larn down, inward plough - together with nosotros meet to a greater extent than questions inward Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

If y'all desire to meet visitor action demographically together with statistically tracked, even together with hence not dependent plain to fluctuations from referer spam, larn a third political party visitor log / meter, to complement Stats. Most such accessories are free, but equally Stats is free.

And endure aware of the contextual limitations of your Stats logs.

Blogger Magic - 3Rd Political Party Visitor Logs / Meters, As Well As Referer Spam

Blogger weblog owners convey been suffering from the attack of referer spam, inward their Stats logs, for over six months now. Some weblog owners, who usage tertiary political party visitor logs / meters similar FlagCounter, Sitemeter, as well as StatCounter, convey started to wonder.

How produce SiteMeter as well as StatCounter create produce to filter out the referer spam, notwithstanding Google cannot produce anything most it?

This would survive quite a magic play a trick on indeed - if this was happening.

When you lot setup a tertiary political party visitor data product, similar FlagCounter, Sitemeter, as well as StatCounter, the installation procedure involves addition of a JavaScript code snippet, equally purpose of the weblog template. Any fourth dimension a page inward the weblog is loaded, yesteryear a weblog visitor, the JavaScript code references the FlagCounter, Sitemeter, or StatCounter server, as well as adds a visitor tape describing the pageview.

That's such a elementary trend to assemble data most your visitors - as well as for its simplicity, it is unreliable, inward diverse ways.

• Your visitors who usage computers that filter content from domains - similar BlogSpot, FlagCounter, Sitemeter, StatCounter, or maybe your non BlogSpot custom domain - won't survive counted, reliably.
• Your visitors who portion a caching proxy server won't survive counted.
• Depending upon where inward the page, the JavaScript code is added, your visitors may or may non survive counted.

When Blogger / Google designed the Stats visitor data accessory, they used about other technique for counting visitor activity. Blogger, dissimilar FlagCounter, Sitemeter, as well as StatCounter, has access to the server activeness logs. When Stats was activated, for the Blogger blogosphere, they activated it on a weblog yesteryear weblog solid set down - as well as without requiring whatsoever updates to the weblog code.

Every Blogger weblog was given Stats access, as well as the statistics initially provided preceded actual Stats availability, because nobody had to install whatsoever accessory code to the blogs. That is because Blogger uses the actual server activeness logs - as well as does non require add-on accessory code.

Unfortunately, server activeness logs entirely tape server activeness - as well as this is how referer spam works - as well as why it is then difficult for Google to block it. Referer spam is exactly a normal access asking from the spammer, which generates a server access record, as well as a Stats pageview. The spammer exactly goes away subsequently generating the initial access request. The Blogger server, equally amongst whatsoever non Blogger server, has no trend to discovery when the spammer drops the connection as well as goes away.

Since tertiary political party products similar FlagCounter, Sitemeter, as well as StatCounter usage add-on code, they are non susceptible to referer spam techniques. Only products which operate from the server activeness logs are susceptible. FlagCounter, Sitemeter, as well as StatCounter, as well as other tertiary political party visitor data accessories, convey no take away to filter bogus activity.

And this is why I convey stated that the entirely trend that referer spam volition always become away is for us to become far unprofitable for the spammers, yesteryear not clicking on the links inward the Stats logs.

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Dynamic Templates As Well As Visitor Information

As the dynamic templates proceed to hold upward installed on diverse Blogger blogs, to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than weblog owners are noticing problems alongside their visitor logs.

I installed a dynamic template on my blog, together with my Stats display shows

No stats yet, banking concern gibe dorsum later.

and

StatCounter shows no traffic, at nowadays that my weblog uses the dynamic views.

These reports come upward from people who don't realise how the novel templates operate - together with why they don't appear to work, inwards these cases.

Blogs that purpose the dynamic views are able to display content faster.

The display speed improvement is possible, because dynamic templates purpose the weblog feed - which is downloaded from the Blogger newsfeed servers, together with rendered every bit a spider web display on our computers. Non Dynamic templates display static or semi static HTML (with CSS, XML, together with other extensions) - rendered into spider web displays on the Blogger servers, together with downloaded every bit spider web content.

The differences inwards spider web page display are non consistent alongside how visitor activity is observed.

• Dynamic templates render less customisation ability, for most weblog owners.
• Newsfeed content is simpler than spider web pages.
• Newsfeed content is read i display page at a time.
• Displayed dynamic pages comprise less formatting tweaks.
• Individual posts, when displayed, are already cached on the local computer.

Dynamic templates render less customisation ability, for most weblog owners.

The downloaded dynamic templates are really simple, together with comprise no custom code for dissimilar blogs. Once downloaded for your blog, they volition operate the same for my blogs, together with for my neighbours weblog - alongside all blogs using dynamic views. This makes these blogs really stable.

Newsfeed content is simpler than spider web pages.

Non rendered newsfeed content is much simpler than rendered display pages. Once the template code is downloaded once, downloading the information is fifty-fifty quicker than downloading the templates.

Newsfeed content is read i display page at a time.

The newsfeed content is read from the Blogger newsfeed servers i display page at a time, together with cached on each readers computer. As each weblog is read, the most recent articles are at the top. Many readers, every bit alongside viewers, volition never become beyond the start display page.

Displayed dynamic pages comprise less formatting tweaks.

The displayed pages comprise really lilliputian accessories together with formatting, which is then pop alongside many weblog owners, together with which generates charge on networks together with processors.

Individual posts, when displayed, are already cached on the local computer.

When an private ship service is displayed, the cached content is already correct there, on the computer.

There are disadvantages to having all content cached, however.

The advantages, together with the disadvantages, of the dynamic views originate from the same basic details - purpose of the weblog newsfeed, together with of a really unproblematic together with criterion template. People who distribute their weblog every bit newsfeed subscriptions bring been shout out for the same question, for years.

How practise I rails my subscribers, also every bit I rails my viewers?

There is no slow answer to this need. With all content cached on the local computer, tracking reader activity is non then simple.

Tracking reader activity is a challenge - for both Blogger together with non Blogger features.

Both tertiary political party visitor logs together with meters, together with the Blogger Stats feature, bring problems providing details virtually our readers - alongside our blogs using the dynamic templates.

1. Older installations of tertiary political party products purpose HTML / JavaScript, installed straight into the weblog templates (generally Classic, merely unopen to Layout together with Designer templates). The dynamic templates volition non include this tertiary political party code. Newsfeeds comprise exclusively really unproblematic text, together with pictures, alongside no scripts.
2. Newer installations of tertiary political party products purpose HTML / JavaScript / XML gadgets, installed every bit accessories into the header, footer, or sidebar sections of the display. The dynamic templates, correct now, comprise neither sidebars nor accessories.
3. Stats reads the Blogger server activity logs, generated every bit rendered display pages are downloaded to the customer computers. Newsfeed content may non require the same server activity, together with generate comparable activity logs.

None of these features volition hold upward easily included inwards the dynamic views, without unopen to rethinking of the unproblematic together with criterion dynamic template structure.

1. Blogger has suggested that they volition render back upward for JavaScript code, inwards the dynamic templates. We tin install tertiary political party JavaScript code straight into the dynamic templates, making them to a greater extent than complex, together with unique for dissimilar blogs.
2. Blogger has suggested that they volition render sidebars, together with back upward for accessory gadgets. We tin install tertiary political party JavaScript code every bit sidebar gadgets.
3. Similar to accessory gadgets used for tertiary political party JavaScript, or to JavaScript embedded into the templates, Blogger tin render additional code to drive Stats displays, together with render pageview counts, into the template code.

Unfortunately, all of these alternatives volition come upward alongside a price. We volition come across increased code complexity, increased downloaded code volume, together with increased network together with processor activity on our computers.

In short, practise non aspect to come across detailed visitor information, comparable to what nosotros come across correct at nowadays inwards Stats or tertiary political party products, straightaway - together with scout for increased latency i time these features are added.

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Owners of #Blogger blogs occasionally unwrap discrepancies inwards visitor activity, when they alter their blogs to purpose dynamic templates, together with examine their visitor logs.

Some - merely non all - changes come upward from reader reaction to the dynamic template displays together with features. Other changes involve how the dynamic templates are processed, past times the local computers beingness used past times the weblog readers.

The Postulate To Comment, Anonymously, Has To Stay A Possibility

Not all spider web log owners empathize the take away for people to post anonymous comments, against our spider web log posts. Periodically, inwards Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, nosotros run across the naivete expressed past times some.

How produce I detect out who is posting anonymous comments to my blog?

These people produce non empathize the take away for anonymous commenting.

You, every bit a spider web log owner, bring the might to choose the score of authentication, to live on required of anybody preparing to post a comment to your blog. For "Who Can Comment?", nosotros detect the alternative list

1. Anyone - includes Anonymous Users
2. Registered Users - includes OpenID
3. Users alongside Google Accounts
4. Only members of this blog

People who wishing to comment anonymously, yet render a "Name" / "URL" to link dorsum to their Blogger profile, or their spider web log / website, may produce this at their discretion. Anybody doing this provides no guarantee of existence genuine, however.

If y'all permit "anonymous users" to comment, too thus people who wishing to comment anonymously take away to live on assured that their privacy volition live on respected. You tin plough over the sack get together demographic information almost your blogs visitors - too y'all may infer specific details almost private commenters - simply the relevance of that policy volition live on limited past times the precautions exercised past times your commenters.

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Stats Non Displaying Private Posts, Inward Exceptional Lists

For several days now, we've seen diverse reports from anxious Blogger spider web log owners, inwards perceive, in addition to report, the ongoing problem.

If you lot await at the Stats Overview or Posts display, for whatever spider web log alongside whatever popularity, inwards the "Now" or "Day" fourth dimension range, you'll probable run into the good known advice

No stats yet, banking concern fit dorsum later.

When initially reported, this was alone visible inwards the "Now" fourth dimension range. Now, the consequence is seen inwards "Day", in addition to for some, less consistently trafficked blogs, inwards "Week" also. The consequence is visible, consistently, inwards both the Classic GUI (brown / nighttime blueish display), in addition to the New GUI (2011) (brown / orangish on white display).

This work is apparent, for close blogs, inwards the "Posts" tab.
Most blogs alongside consistent traffic volition present this affecting alone the item Posts lists. The "Now" in addition to "Day" Posts lists, every bit noted, present "No stats yet, banking concern fit dorsum later.". The "Week", Month", in addition to "All time" Posts displays present the Posts lists from before the work kickoff occurred. Both the Posts names inwards the lists, in addition to the pageview counts for each postal service listed, are frozen.

This spider web log shows no consequence inwards pageview counts, exterior the Posts item lists. I've carefully examined the graphs for "Now", "Day", "Week", "Month", in addition to "All time", inwards both the Classic in addition to New GUI, for this spider web log - in addition to I don't run into whatever count discrepancies. Your observations may handgrip or disagree - in addition to I await your comments.

We accept a Rollup discussion, inwards Blogger Help Forum.
We accept the latest moving ridge of referer spam; I am today trying to cause upwards one's hear if the ii events are related.

An before outage may hold upwards related to this problem.
We likewise had an interesting 2 lx minutes outage, a calendar week ago, where no Stats information (counts, or details) was available for the previous calendar week - in addition to roughly spider web log owners are wondering if that number is related. We accept no references for the latter episode, every bit nosotros escalated that work inwards existent time, in addition to Blogger Support was able to ready it, immediately.

That work was consummate (as noted, both counts in addition to details were available), it was immediate (it showed on all Stats displays for the previous week, retroactively), in addition to it was total (the immediate nature in addition to consequence on the forums made it an obvious BloggerFire). This problem, according to my observations, is neither.

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(Update 18:00): Blogger Support has fixed this problem.

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Referer Spam Does Non Stand Upwards For Existent Traffic

We've been discussing referer spam for many years.

Every week, also many people who wonder

Why doesn't Google seat an terminate to this, for good?

there are occasionally approximately folks who wonder

But is this all bad? Doesn't this aid us inwards our overall Blogger statistics as far as traffic counts go? If so, it's non all bad - for those of us alongside less than ginormous followings.

And both attitudes reverberate people who precisely don't sympathize what it is.

We've already discussed, repeatedly, why Google can't precisely seat a terminate to it, unilaterally.

The latter musing, considering that it may perhaps hold out beneficial to whatever Blogger blogs, is no to a greater extent than valid than the former. Referer spam precisely cannot hold out blocked, because it is non unlike from legitimate traffic.

Stats logs entries, from referer spam, produce non reverberate people viewing the blog.

The numbers reflected inwards our Stats logs produce non stand upwardly for whatever click on the links inwards the Stats display.

Only Stats, which builds its pageview counts too graphs using the Blogger server activeness logs, is discipline to referer spam. All third political party visitor logs too meters, which depend upon snippets or widgets added to the weblog template, are non discipline to this problem.

Don't click on the links - too piece of employment a 3rd political party visitor log for verification.

So, also my facetious advice that y'all simply

Don't click on the links.

comes as facetious advice that you

Get a 3rd political party visitor log / meter, for accurate too comprehensive pageview counts.

Referer Spam Cannot Locomote Blocked, Immediately

That is the unfortunate truth.

Every day, around novel fellow member of it does non reverberate existent traffic, the side yesteryear side query is

So why doesn't Google block it? Why should I accept it polluting my Stats displays, as well as endure unable to let on actual traffic inward my counts?

and the unfortunate truth is precisely that Google cannot block it, because it's non significantly unlike from normal traffic - as well as the insignificant departure is non easily detected.

Referer spam cannot endure identified, because it is identical inward construction to legitimate Stats pageviews - as well as because its content changes, constantly.

What does a normal spider web log page "pageview request" hold back like?

When yous click on a link from, say, a postal service inward Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, to this article, your estimator sends a unmarried message to the Blogger server, containing 3 essential details.

1. The IP address of your computer.
2. The URL of a forum discussion, which contains a link to this article.
3. The URL of this article.

From the message, the Blogger server creates a server activeness record.

1. An IP address.
2. The URL of the page containing a link to the webpage requested.
3. The URL of the webpage requested.

That server activeness record, inward the Stats display for the blog, is known equally a "pageview".

Finally, the Blogger server starts sending spider web page content dorsum to your computer, as well as thence your estimator tin display this article to you. As the webpage content is sent dorsum to your computer, your estimator receives, as well as displays, the received content - as well as asks for to a greater extent than content.

What does a referer spam "pageview request" hold back like?

Simple enough? So, what is referer spam? Simply, a unmarried message from a spammer computer, to the Blogger computer, containing 3 essential details.

1. An IP address - possibly, but non predictably, of their computer.
2. The URL of the website existence pimped (the spammed website).
3. The URL of the spider web log existence spammed (your blog).

From the message, the Blogger server creates a server activeness record.

1. An IP address.
2. The URL of the page (supposedly) containing a link to the webpage requested.
3. The URL of the webpage (supposedly) requested.

That server activeness record, inward the Stats display for the blog, is likewise known equally a "pageview".

Finally, the Blogger server starts sending spider web page content dorsum to the IP address provided. If the IP address does refer to the spammers computer, what is received is precisely ignored. The spammer estimator moves on, as well as sends around other imitation pageview message to around other server - maybe referencing this blog.

The "pageview request" is generated, earlier referer spam discontinues.

The employment is precisely that no spider web server tin let on a message from a customer computer, that results inward a reply that is precisely ignored. Web traffic is lossy, as well as clients drib offline constantly. Even if the reply could endure detected equally ignored, the ignored asking mightiness even as well as thence reverberate legitimate activity, initiated yesteryear a customer that forthwith went offline.

There is precisely no fashion for Google to block the spam - because the spam is precisely i message that results inward a response, yesteryear the Blogger server, that is later on ignored yesteryear the customer computer.

That's it.

So why can't Google block the numbers generated yesteryear may non actually stand upwards for actual spam. They can, precisely equally easily, reverberate intense, legitimate activity - or perhaps a devious attack against a legitimate website.

Google tin solely let on referer spam inward context, against multiple blogs.

Specific pageview counts as well as details are observed inward context - are blocked solely after the same activeness is observed against multiple blogs, over long periods of fourth dimension (similar, inward concept, to the numbers are removed, retroactively.

All of this is a uncomplicated unavoidable side effect, of spider web log owners needing site activeness figures that are not affected yesteryear script filtering yesteryear the spider web log readers, complicated yesteryear fraudulent activeness yesteryear hackers as well as spammers.

Referer spam is non unique to Blogger - it is precisely tuned to abuse Stats logs.

Please regime annotation that referer spam did non outset amongst Blogger - it's an Internet broad problem. Even though it appears mindless as well as random, around of it is craftily designed as well as executed.

For a comprehensive hold back at how referer spam works, exterior Blogger, encounter Wikipedia: Referer spam.

The employment hither is threefold.

1. Too many spider web log owners obsess over raw pageview counts.
2. Too many spider web log owners produce non sympathise the origins of referer spam.
3. Too many spider web log owners are non interested inward agreement the existent problem.

That's it!

Concentrate On Your Readers, Non On The Spammers

We've been exploring the nature of referer spam for over a yr now. I've provided diverse suggestions most the occupation - what you should non do, the observation that it does non genuinely exhibit traffic to your blog, in addition to fifty-fifty why Stats is vulnerable to this abuse.

To the most oft asked question

What create I create most it?

the reply is generally

Don't click on the links.

And that's but one-half of the answer, if nosotros intend most it.

We've slow realised that referer spam is in all likelihood hither to stay - in addition to hence "Don't click on the links" is like to "Close your eyes, in addition to yous won't meet it". Maybe, nosotros should crusade a ameliorate answer.

How most nosotros order everybody to just become dorsum to work on their blogs?
This volition convey ii benefits.

• You won't convey fourth dimension to click on the links.
• Your weblog volition become but about existent traffic.

In time, amongst actual traffic from actual readers, yous won't meet the referer spam. You'll convey actual reader activity, inward your Stats log. Isn't that genuinely what yous want?

Win - Win - Lose (You - Your readers - The spammers).

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Fluctuations Inwards Reader Action Score Are Normal

One sign of panic, seen regularly inwards keep a proper perspective.

No thing what fourth dimension make yous view, inwards Stats - "Now", "Day", "Week", "Month", or "All time" - yous tin mail away await to encounter fluctuations - peaks together with valleys - inwards pageview counts.

• Time which yous spend, working on the blog.
• Referer spam - attacks together with defenses.
• Reader audience daily activity.
• Reader audience social sharing.

Time which yous spend, working on the blog.

If yous spend fourth dimension working on your blog this week, together with your run is successful, your readers may bask the spider web log to a greater extent than side yesteryear side week. Conversely, if your run is unsuccessful, they may bask it less.

Referer spam - attacks together with defenses.

As Google deals amongst the constant waves of referer spam, you'll encounter a drib inwards counts across all fourth dimension ranges. And equally novel referer spam campaigns come upward online, you'll encounter the counts rise.

Reader audience daily activity.

Unless your spider web log is completely homogenous across all basis broad cultures, you'll conduct hold 1 or ii predominant audiences. Your audiences volition eat, sleep, together with acquire to run - together with all existent life activity volition affect their viewing of your blog.

Reader audience social sharing.

From fourth dimension to time, believe it or not, yous volition write a expert article, which many people volition desire to read. They volition forrard it to their friends, who volition read it together with forrard it to their friends.

This is traffic that yous desire to encourage - it is non hacking, or other malicious activity. Use your visitor logs, position pop articles - together with write to a greater extent than like content.

Understand your reader audience, together with their needs.

It's expert to spotter the counts, understand your audience, together with endure prepared to accept activity if yous encounter a pregnant ascent or autumn - merely don't obsess over the details.

Remember that your readers volition appreciate content, then keep publishing to the blog. And, larn to understand the trends. To avoid confusion, purpose more than 1 visitor log / meter.

And now, get dorsum to run on your blog.

Fluctuations Inwards Stats Pageview Counts As Well As Newer Blogs

Some owners of newer Blogger blogs pass fourth dimension reading their Stats logs, together with worry that their "All time" pageview counts don't ever become upwardly - they become down, too.

Why practice the counts become down? Is at that spot i number, that I tin believe?

They don't sympathize that amongst Stats, yous necessitate to expect for trends - non absolute readings. In the beginning, fluctuations are to a greater extent than obvious, together with trends are less obvious.

Thanks to the referer spam war, together with to normal visitor activity, fifty-fifty the "All time" numbers volition become upwardly together with downward - for newer blogs, which withdraw keep less genuine together with constant visitor traffic. And the constant ascension together with autumn is scary - until yous acquire used to it.

Newer blogs withdraw keep less established readers, which makes spikes inwards both the periodic referer spam, together with normal visitor activity, to a greater extent than visible.

With the iv express fourth dimension ranges (Now, Day, Week, together with Month), the spikes volition "move" inwards together with out of context - together with brand pageview counts inwards these fourth dimension ranges fluctuate. When a spike inwards numbers "moves in" to a fourth dimension range, the pageview counts volition rise, suddenly. When a spike "moves out" of a fourth dimension range, the counts volition fall, simply every bit suddenly.

With newer blogs, the fluctuations exert a "double whammy".

1. The fluctuations are to a greater extent than visible, because overall genuine visitor action is lower. Less readers = less visitor activity.
2. Worrying over the fluctuations takes fourth dimension away from working on the blog. Less fourth dimension working on the spider web log leads to less spider web log content, attracts less novel readers, together with leads to less visitor activity.

More experienced spider web log owners know to use Stats to sentry for trends - non immediate numbers.

The answer hither is simple. Monitor Stats periodically - non constantly. Watch for trends, together with learn how to translate the trends. Spend to a greater extent than fourth dimension working on your blog, because that's where the value of your spider web log lies.

Stats Fourth Dimension Ranges, Too Pageview Count Recalculation

Periodically, nosotros come across bear witness of confusion nearly Stats in addition to the pageview counts, equally provided inwards the diverse displays in addition to fourth dimension ranges, expressed inwards Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

My pageview counts proceed going down!

or

My counts larn upward during the twenty-four hr menstruum - but inwards the afternoon, they drib to zero!!

or

My counts proceed going down! There's no cease to the drop!!

All of these complaints - in addition to to a greater extent than - involve weblog owners, who don't sympathise the relationships betwixt the displays in addition to fourth dimension ranges.

We've explored the results of the ongoing referer spam war, of normal viewer activity, in addition to of the daily pageview count reset which applies, periodically, to all blogs.

Besides those iii issues, at that spot is roughly confusion nearly the relationships betwixt the diverse fourth dimension ranges. There are six unlike Stats counters / displays - in addition to opportunities for confusion, from each display.

1. The Dashboard "Overview" page.
2. The Posts "All time" per post service pageviews count.
3. The Stats "Overview" page.
4. The Stats "Posts" page.
5. The Stats "Traffic sources" page.
6. The Stats "Audience" page.

The Stats "Audience" page

See the fourth dimension hit selector bar, inwards the upper correct corner?


The 4 Stats display pages ("Overview", "Posts", "Traffic sources", "Audience") each offering v unlike "Time range" displays.

• Now (the final 2 hours).
• Day (the final 24 hours).
• Week (the final vii days).
• Month (the final thirty days).
• All fourth dimension (since May 2006, when Stats pageview counts were origin extracted) - though possibly missing 1 yr or another.

Some weblog owners endeavour to compare the Stats "Overview" histogram (in its v fourth dimension ranges), amongst the "Overview" counts ("today", "yesterday", "last month", in addition to "all fourth dimension history"). Unfortunately, the graphs in addition to numbers are recalculated (by Blogger) on diverse schedules.

• Some are recalculated on a infinitesimal past times infinitesimal basis.
• Some are recalculated hourly.
• Some are recalculated daily (but not necessarily at midnight, for everybody).
• We accept no thought of the timings involved, for "Popular Posts" re ranking.

Confusion arises, when a weblog possessor refreshes a display, without agreement when the numbers behind the display may accept been recalculated, relevant to reader activity.

• When reader activeness occurs, the graphs / numbers (when refreshed, next a recalculation) volition betoken an increase.
• When reader activeness expires from relevance, the graphs / numbers (when refreshed, next a recalculation) volition betoken a decrease.
• When reader activeness is removed because it was bogus, the graphs / numbers (when refreshed, next a recalculation) volition betoken a decrease.

Note that Stats bases its figures on access to the URL - non to the weblog - in addition to recalculates each display when requested, equally far dorsum equally 2006. If y'all exactly changed the URL of your blog, y'all may come across pageview counts which reflect access to roughly other blog.

The unlike fourth dimension ranges may non balance, when a URL alter is involved.

You ask to essay out the fourth dimension hit selector bar carefully. Like the post editor "Compose" / "HTML" selector bar, the bar amongst ii shades of grayish is real elegant (and may non live noticed, amongst a quick glance). And mobile reckoner displays may non accept a selector bar.

Like the inability to balance the diverse per post service pageview counts, the business of balancing the diverse graphs in addition to numbers may live beyond the ability of roughly weblog owners. Each count or graph has to live considered inwards its ain context.

Comparing whatsoever ii displays, inwards context amongst each other, but may non live a useful activity.

Visitor Logs Motility Undue Concern

We run across periodic concern, expressed inward Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, over apparent visitor access to spider web log maintenance wizards, using the Quick Edit icons.

I flora this entry, inward my StatCounter log. How did this somebody larn access to my blog?

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7834826019588534175&postID=890014875501476492&from=pencil

Was my spider web log hacked?

This may non live on a justified argue to panic, however. One may root wishing to cheque that Stats (or whatever visitor log is inward use, inward this case) is properly configured, to not rail your ain activity. The link that yous run across may reverberate your activity.

Even if the visitor log entry inward query does non look to reverberate your ain activeness - fifty-fifty when allowing for the vagaries of geo location, yous may soundless create good to stay calm.

Thanks to the unpredictable nature of cache, roughly spider web log artifacts may live on visible to people other than spider web log owners.

Cache inward your browser, on your computer, or fifty-fifty on your network, may effort the Quick Edit icon - which provides you amongst access to the sensitive wizards, which command the content of your spider web log - to likewise live on visible to the casual visitor to your blog. Any idly curious visitor may fifty-fifty click on such an icon, when visible.

However, visibility of the icon does non guarantee access to sensitive spider web log controls. Here's what I saw, when I clicked on the link above.

D'Ohh!!!

Maybe, you'd similar to verify that your spider web log is safe?

1. Extract the URL, from a Quick Edit pencil, or screwdriver / wrench, on your blog.
2. Verify that the link works, past times testing it inward your browser. See that yous tin flaming access the post editor or the wizard, for the pencil or screwdriver / wrench.
3. Save the verified URL, somewhere safe.
4. Clear cache, cookies, in addition to sessions (yes, clear all 3!).
5. Restart your browser, in addition to do non login to Blogger.
6. Load the saved URL.
7. What create yous see?

If the inward a higher house proposition isn't interesting, I'll allow yous try to ready on my blog.

Similar to the occupation amongst phantom visitors reading a individual blog, or peradventure seeing your e-mail address where other people tin flaming run across it, or fifty-fifty porn sites linking to your blog, this may non live on an effect to occupation organisation you. Calm down, in addition to get dorsum to work.

Blogspot Published Blogs Existence Accessed Using Province Code Tlds

Recently, unopen to weblog owners exterior the USA receive got been bespeak nearly mysterious redirects which they (or their readers) are seeing, when accessing their blogs.

Why is "xxx.blogspot.com" instantly redirecting to "xxx.blogspot.com.au"?

and

Why was my weblog address lately changed from ".com" to ".in"?

Blogger volition host our weblog content using solid set down code relevant aliases, according to the unique laws of each unlike country.

The local solid set down domain URL is determined using geolocation.

The relevant CC alias volition travel accessed automatically, according to the network place of the reader inwards question. These aliases are beingness added on a solid set down past times solid set down basis, amongst Commonwealth of Australia ("blogspot.com.au") as well as Bharat ("blogspot.in") obviously lately deployed.

This volition allow Blogger take away content, that's illegal inwards ane country, without having to take away that same content for all of your readers, worldwide. You benefit, because your weblog won't become offline, for the entire world, when you lot pose out something that's illegal inwards ane unmarried country.

A BlogSpot blog, amongst a criterion header, volition travel indexed nether "blogspot.com".

With whatever BlogSpot published weblog containing a criterion Blogger header, the weblog volition receive got a canonical reference to the "blogspot.com" alias. The search engines volition index the blog, using the "blogspot.com" alias - fifty-fifty when next a solid set down code specific link.

The search engine ranking of your weblog won't travel affected - except that a blog, left online inwards most countries, volition larn to a greater extent than traffic than ane taken offline worldwide. When you lot cheque the Page Rank, you lot should continue to cheque the "blogspot.com" URL, because all search engine reputation volition accumulate nether the "blogspot.com" alias.

Owners of blogs amongst custom templates should cheque the template.

Owners of older or uniquely developed blogs, maybe using Classic or highly customised templates, may desire to cheque the headers inwards their blogs, as well as brand certain that they receive got a "canonical" tag referencing their "blogspot.com" alias.

Blogs published to non "blogspot.com" URLs, using properly setup as well as fully operational "custom domain" publishing, volition non travel affected - equally the default "blogspot.com" URL is already redirected to the domain URL. While a newly purchased custom domain is "In Transition", the domain redirect volition non travel inwards upshot - as well as the "blogspot.com" URL volition travel discipline to CC alias redirect.

Any reader using a browser or figurer that's affected past times domain based filters volition demand to cheque all filters. Add "blogspot.com.au", "blogspot.in", "blogspot.jp", or whatever other relevant country, wherever "blogspot.com" is specified.

Note that geolocation volition create anomalies inwards strange cases.

Note that the redirect uses geolocation, to position a relevant solid set down code. Readers inwards pocket-size countries, or located nigh the edge of other countries, may travel using an Internet service provider located inwards a unlike country, as well as may honor their personal redirect reflecting the other country.

Any reader wishing to bypass the local alias tin access a "no solid set down redirect" alias using the URL of "blogspot.com/ncr". Similar to the "ncr" URL modifier used to bypass local linguistic communication redirects of "blogger.com", this volition give access to the U.S. English linguistic communication alias of the weblog of your choice.

What Does Stats Provide, That 3Rd Political Party Visitor Activeness Meters Cannot Provide?

Not all weblog owners realise how unique Blogger Stats is, inwards its design.

Some owners may idly propose that Stats tin easily endure replaced past times whatsoever tertiary political party visitor action log / meter.

Why bother to role Stats? Since Blogger Stats shows referrer spam, it's pretty useless - exactly role SiteMeter, StatCounter - or Google Analytics.

They receive got no thought why Stats was designed equally it is, nor what information Stats provides, that no competing production tin perhaps provide.

Every improver accessory, such equally whatsoever visitor action counter / log / meter, has to endure manually installed inwards your blog.

Most visitor action counter / log / meter products involve installation.

Simple accessories, which depend upon your visitor clicking on a link, tin endure installed easily - exactly add together a clickable link on your weblog - either inwards a post, or anywhere inwards the trunk of the blog. Visitor logs or meters such equally SiteMeter or StatCounter, inwards lodge to make usable statistics, can't depend upon the weblog readers clicking on a link.

Most such accessories role improver JavaScript code, installed inwards the trunk of the weblog (as an accessory gadget), or inwards the weblog template (installed using "Edit HTML"). With improver code, that references whatsoever external server, the installed location on the weblog page, of the accessory code, is crucial.

• Install the improver at the altitude of the spider web page (or inwards the template code), together with equally your reader loads each page, he / she gets to sentry the page charge pause, equally it waits for a distant accessory server to reply (while recording the visit).
• Install the improver at the bottom of the page, together with whatsoever reader, who closes the display earlier the page finishes loading, volition non endure counted past times Analytics / SiteMeter / StatCounter.

In either case, the page takes longer to load. This causes reader impatience, together with motivates the reader to unopen the display earlier the page finishes loading. The upshot - your weblog gets ane less novel reader.

Most visitor action counter / log / meter products are affected past times filters.

Besides reader impatience causing statistical inaccuracy, all tertiary political party accessories that role JavaScript receive got a minute work - script filtering past times our readers.

Analytics, SiteMeter, together with StatCounter are known to endure explicitly blocked, past times some browser setting or tertiary political party application that may spill out whatsoever given customer computer. Some safety products specifically listing "sitemeter.com" or "statcounter.com" inwards their Block Lists.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of malicious activity, encountered when surfing the web, tin easily endure blocked past times proactive script filtering - exactly allow scripts, from whatsoever given domain, exclusively when explicitly told to make so.

Every reader uses safety accessories in the browser together with on the computer - together with many safety accessories together with settings furnish script filtering. Most safety is at ane time provided equally "deny past times default, allow exclusively on demand".

Most safety products update automatically, equally updates are produced - together with this leads to other problems. Many of our readers, who are concerned amongst security, or who role computers that are good protected, may non endure counted, consistently, past times Analytics, SiteMeter, or StatCounter.

Stats does non involve installation, together with is non affected past times filters.

Blogger Stats avoids the issues of page charge delay induced impatience, together with customer filtering, past times non using JavaScript improver code. Since Stats is a Blogger accessory, it tin think information straight from the access logs produced past times the Blogger servers. Access to server access logs:

• Does non displace page charge delays.
• Is non dependent area to page charge delay impatience.
• Is non dependent area to reader safety settings.
• Does non involve installation of whatsoever accessory, on private blogs.

Besides the problems of our readers visits non beingness counted, nosotros receive got the number of what information is provided, together with for what menses of time. If you lot receive got installed SiteMeter or StatCounter on your blog, expect at the displays provided. Each production volition advert a bound of either 100 or 500 log entries - together with volition display details or statistics based upon the log used.

Many Blogger blogs popular off to a greater extent than than 500 visits inwards a unmarried 24-hour interval - requiring weblog possessor visits to the log website at to the lowest degree daily, or to pay for extra service, to furnish whatsoever benefit. And of course, that log was started exclusively afterward the production was installed.

Blogger Stats, on the other hand, is able to furnish statistics for the electrical current day, week, month, together with for "all time" (starting inwards May 2009, for all blogs inwards existence at that time).

Stats does non discard erstwhile statistics, they exactly extract from the server access logs, for whatsoever fourth dimension arrive at provided.

• All time.
• Last xxx days ("Month").
• Last seven days ("Week").
• Last 24 hours ("Day").
• Last ii hours ("Now").

Any weblog possessor tin consider whatsoever available statistics, at whatsoever time. Stats never has to endure installed, past times whatsoever weblog owners - it is already there.

Stats is vulnerable to bogus action records, created past times spammers.

Unfortunately, the biggest describe of Stats - role of the server access logs to get together the visitor action information - leads to its best known weakness - abuse past times referer spammers, which leads to inflated weblog read counts.

It may assistance to sympathise that referer spam did non outset amongst Stats - nor is referer spam unique to Stats. Referer spam has been roughly always since people published websites, together with displayed a visitor log extract ("My Recent Visitors") to brand their website to a greater extent than interesting to novel readers (The proposition that "This website should endure to a greater extent than interesting to YOU, because it has readers from all over the world!").

Stats, similar every visitor action counter / log / meter product, resets totals.

Besides the line of piece of work organisation of referer spam, nosotros consider diverse evidences of confusion nigh Stats displays.

• "Daily" counter resets that occur during the 24-hour interval - never at midnight.
• The inability to compare special inwards ane display, amongst aggregated counts inwards some other display.
• Inability to display pageview counts for all posts inwards the blog.

All of these limitations are only the direct upshot of how Stats is designed.

Every visitor action counter / log / meter production differs, from every other product.

In reality, both Blogger Stats together with third political party visitor action logs or meters receive got their respective advantages - together with neither pick tin always supervene upon another.

• If you lot desire to consider demographic details nigh some readers of your blog, you lot tin role Analytics, SiteMeter, StatCounter - or whatsoever number of tertiary political party visitor action logs together with meters - afterward the chosen accessory has been installed.
• If you lot desire to consider comprehensive statistics nigh all readers of your weblog - without beingness express past times install fourth dimension or reader safety policy - exclusively Blogger Stats volition assistance you.

Fortunately, all products are complimentary - together with Stats requires no installation. Your Stats information is there, waiting for you lot - on the Blogger dashboard menu.

Privacy Concerns Over Posts Beingness Published, As Well As Preview Mode

Some Blogger spider web log owners, every bit they prepare a post, purpose Preview manner to periodically notice what the ship service looks like.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few owners are confused well-nigh the privacy of a post, every bit it is Previewed. Some mean value that the temporary nature of the Preview window makes the content, every bit Previewed, intentionally unavailable for viewing past times their readers.

Fortunately, the links - fifty-fifty though they may move clickable past times the readers, atomic number 82 nowhere.

Here is a Preview URL for this post.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/b/post-preview?token=yV1fKDYBAAA.ySUB0XKSvMXVATQkgsbJpQ.vf2Wk6Ed_TXX54XVpLn3uA&postId=1855542079708688719&type=POST

If you're interested, click on the link. Does it present you lot anything? How well-nigh another?

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/b/post-preview?token=zx9iKDYBAAA.ySUB0XKSvMXVATQkgsbJpQ.r_B4NGbmR453Nsa2tYZPKg&postId=1855542079708688719&type=POST

See anything interesting?

This post, beingness edited.

This post, beingness previewed. See the preview URL?



The preview URL:

https://24069595_d291cd04e6207d111fa5388b4e8893fada5ac690.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=xZUz-VoBAAA.O0Vfemj-2Qck1xmWN_at645qjM-E809UONHYWYK-IbP8yGx0F6eRm-z3UxF8qMPs.HwrOVypOYd44GQ-D0znhaw&postId=1855542079708688719&type=POST

Click on the URL, to a higher house - too run into what you lot get.

Presumably, the tokens attached to the URL brand the visibility of the ship service temporary - too the previewed ship service becomes secure past times obscurity. That is, if anybody cares plenty to sentiment this.Why did I run into show that v people had already read the Preview (and now, said show is gone)?

But similar every Blogger feature, in that place are e'er ways to complicate the issue.

Similar to people who, years ago, published spider web sites, amongst the spider web site access logs published every bit business office of the spider web site (and became the master copy target of referer spam attacks), nosotros bring Blogger spider web log owners who position out a existent fourth dimension access log on their blogs.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pop spider web log accessory, Feedjit, provides a existent fourth dimension listing of spider web log pages, every bit read past times diverse people. Similar to a visitor log, but displayed inward existent time, too shown to the populace inward general, Feedjit shows everybody what spider web log content is beingness viewed.

And hither is the complication, of the Preview content. Some spider web log owners are concerned that the populace tin reach notice sentiment their Previwed content, because Feedjit displays the URLs of the Preview displays, every bit they (the spider web log owner) prepare a novel post.

Please examine the URL quoted below - does whatever element of that URL incorporate whatever tag, suggesting to you lot that the content is treated every bit private? It's exactly obscure, because (without the involvement of Feedjit, or a similar access display log), the Preview ship service is non visible. To cheque it, here's the latest Preview URL for this post.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/b/post-preview?token=PYh8KDYBAAA.ySUB0XKSvMXVATQkgsbJpQ.6T7Xf_PcgR7nXI_xZCq_Kw&postId=1855542079708688719&type=POST

Personally, I don't purpose Preview manner that much. I similar to Publish my posts over a catamenia of days - if non longer. None of my posts are truly static, I telephone yell upward this Progressive Publishing. You're welcome to sentiment whatever of my posts, whatever fourth dimension you lot experience the urge.

Watch this post, too run into what changes. To start, I'll forthwith notice that, amongst the ship service Published, all of the Preview links (above) all appear to charge the finished ship service - until the token (in the URL) expires. If you lot exactly clicked on whatever of the to a higher house Preview links, you lot are likely forthwith seeing

Invalid safety token: Error 403

since the Previews, for this post, bring long expired.

The determination would move that Preview content is exclusively visible until the ship service is Published. Until the ship service is Published, the Preview is available to everybody - if you lot select to publicise the URL of the Preview.