Google Analytics Help Please

[geordiboyo]

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Hi there,

Hopefully someone can help me with a query around google analytics and referring sites.

Before we fully launched one of our sites the beginning of August I have just found a number of visits on analytics from the site of a key player in the sector.

We recieved a number of visits from a page on there site and when I visit referring link there is no link on that page linking to us now.

Why would a competitor link to our site, then get rid of the link, especially before the website was launched fully?

As I am fairly new to AM I have found this very strange and was wondering why this was done?

Is it so google will penalise us when live?

Mark

[geordiboyo]

Hopefully the above is clear, if not and you have time I can discuss over MSN. Would like to get to the bottom of it.

Many thanks

Mark

[fizzbird]

Hopefully the above is clear, if not and you have time I can discuss over MSN. Would like to get to the bottom of it.

they don't have a google search box on their site by any chance?

[Mike_Scott]

Have you been running a PPC campaign?

[geordiboyo]

Thanks, no the site went live on the 8th August and was still under construction.

I recieved the below visits and bare in mind the first day analytics was put on site was the 8/8/2008 so was this person sending google to my site before this:

8/8/2008 - 2 visits
9/8/2008 - 0 visits
10/8/2008 - 1 visit
11/8/2008 - 2 visits
12/8/2008 - 1 visit
13/8/2008 - 0 visit
14/8/2008 - 2 visit
15/8/2008 - 0 visit
16/8/2008 - 1 visit
17/8/2008 onwards 0 visits

So google was visiting a under construction site, hence the reason i am thinking google is penalising me now?

The website in question does not have any sponsored links or adsense on the site.

Very strange and has baffled me.

Mark

[geordiboyo]

they don't have a google search box on their site by any chance?

They do have a search box which only searches the site in question

Mark

[fizzbird]

They do have a search box which only searches the site in question

Mark

Don't know then?
It could be just an anomaly and nothing to worry about?

[jd77]

I take Google Analytics with a <slight> pinch of salt.

I always make sure I dig through my own logs. :blush

[geordiboyo]

Don't know then?
It could be just an anomaly and nothing to worry about?

The reason I worry about it is that I don't show on any pages of google for a basic keyword term which I believe I should show.

Very strange

Mark