Using Google Analytics to Track Usage of Your Grabber

I used to have one of those cute little Maps on my grabber page that shows who's using it.  These apps are provided free and I read that they are a means of collecting user data, including IP addresses.  The provider can then sell this data to advertising companies, etc.  When I learned this I immediately removed the apps from my web page at QSL.net.

I really wanted a way to see if my grabber was being utilized since I rarely get feedback indicating it is.  I ran across a reference to Google Analytics which allows a web site operator to collect the data without obtaining personal data and IP address.  I've found it to be a useful and safe tool to monitor site activity and the most detailed info I get is rough geographic location and how many times my web page is accessed.   Here is what the info looks like:

I chose to watch on a daily basis but you can also select hourly, weekly or monthly.  In the graph above I can see that the peaks occur on weekends and the minima at mid-week.  Country information is also available.  There is also an option to monitor in real time so I can see who is accessing the web page now.

To install the app just to to Google Analytics and set up an account then follow the instructions.  You can also get reports for other web sites you may operate.

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