The Mystery of URL trackers…

1. 59

   paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

   Sometimes the counters work.
   
   Sometimes they don't.
   
   Why is that?
   
   I'm talking about perfectly good, working counters that suddenly drop dead.
   
   I know the code is still good.
   
   And I know they are getting traffic because I self-click test them all the time. I click them and they go where they are supposed to go, but the counter remains unchanged. Even after several hours.

   replyreport
2. 72

   tritrainposted 14 years ago

   I'm guessing that you are referring to those "counters".  They usually write to a cookie and may not always count.  They're not very accurate.
   
   Analytics, such as Google, can also be inaccurate because of blocking of javascript and/or cookies. 
   
   The most accurate would be analytics at the server level (webhost).

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      Excellent point about the counters. Thanx. Am updating the OP.

      replyreport
   2. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      I’m guessing tritrain had it right all along. I further suspect he may be a legend in sheep's clothing.
      
      Sunforged! Well, we tried!

      replyreport
3. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   example?
   
   most online and computer mysteries can be chalked up to user error.
   
   with hub trackers it usually an error such as forgetting the underscore or /

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi,
      
      I'm talking about perfectly good, working counters that suddenly drop dead.
      
      I know the code is still good.
      
      And I know they are getting traffic because I self-click test them all the time.
      
      edit: I'm going to put this in the OP as well.

      replyreport
4. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   i dont understand then?
   
   if you self test them and they still work - then what does "drop dead" mean?

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I click them, but the counter remains unchanged. Even after several hours. Another OP update.
      
      Edit: This has become a communication excercise as much as a tech excercise.

      replyreport
5. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   so lets see an example of a tracker link that doesnt work when clicked?

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The link works but the counter doesn't.
      
      websitewithnoname.com

      replyreport
6. 79

   thisisoliposted 14 years ago

   I long ago stopped trying to discover the mystery that is Hubpages trackers, it is an area of the site that needs fixing in my opinion, even in the basic areas such as the headings in the statistics.  I just promote with trackers and hope it earns me some cash!

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      A wise man. This is also now my philosophy.

      replyreport
7. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   http://hubpages.com/_cco4hhs3s1hcsi
   
   thats your sign up link
   
   this is what it should be
   
   http://hubpages.com/_cco4hhs3s1hcsi/user/new/

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      The first link is what I want. It gives them a sales pitch. And will still get credit for the signup.
      
      Meanwhile, the counter is still contemplating life...

      replyreport
8. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   ok - i guess i should try that before commenting, i do have around 300 referrals though, i always use the format i shared

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I used to, but am now trying it this way.
      
      Meanwhile, back to the counters... What now? Or are we beaten?
      
      Don't leave me now...!

      replyreport
9. 79

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   i never would have considered that link to be properly formatted.
   
   i always start with _ and end with/
   
   your link is not formatted that way, you said its worked in the past so i believe you - i usually just go with what i know works rather then speculate why something doesnt work
   
   thats all i got
   
   i never noticed any tracker update issues so i have now exhausted my knowledge

   replyreport
   1. 59

      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Sometimes I've had the "/" and sometimes I have not. I never really cared much since the forwarding worked either way. However, for all I know, its absence or presence may be the direct correlation to the functioning/non-function counters. You may indeed have solved this! Stay tuned.

      replyreport
10. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

    I’m baaaack…
    
    Well, the mess continues…
    
    Alas, the “/” wasn’t it.
    
    Darn it. I had a nice little fireworks image set up and ready to celebrate.
    
    These spastic counter issues have been going on for months. Since I’ve lived with it for this long, I guess I can just keep on doing so.

    replyreport
11. 66

    WoodsmensPostposted 14 years ago

    Can we use this http://hubpages.com/_011263/help/landing_e2 in our signup link I instead of /user/new or have I messed these up by using help/landing_e2 page

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Your question and other posts have got me thinking…
       
       Theoretically, it is my understanding that you can link a visitor to any HP page you want; and then that tracker will follow the visitor wherever he goes, including if they go to the sign-up page.
       
       However, now I am wondering.  Is that tracker’s “base of operations” the HP site, or is it doing it from a cookie that “reports” to the HP site?
       
       If a cookie is involved in this process like tritrain says, that is not good. A certain percent of computers auto-kill these critters upon inception.

       replyreport
12. 79

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    the trackers operate as 301 redirects, but probably hyave a 120 minute cookie also - ill peek with a new browser
    
    i still think the problem with that link design is simply that it doesnt have a place to point to
    
    when i said needs _ and /   i should have said  _545645/anywhere
    
    but again, bit outside by normal understanding- i thought a location following the tracker was required
    
    edit-after clearing all hubpages cookies, signing out - then clicking a tracked url, no new cookies appeared in my browser

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       
       
       No, I learned from the HP banner info that in many cases the tracker is the last part of the code and not supposed to end with "/".

       replyreport
       1. 79

          sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          what HP banner info?
          
          this:http://hubpages.com/help/ads ?
          
          if your reverse engineering any hp banner ads that they placed I wouldnt assume that the same functionality works for the tracker program.
          
          Can you paste an example link?

          replyreport
          1. 59

             paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             
             
             Give me a minute to find it.

             replyreport
13. 62

    darksideposted 14 years ago

    Paradigmsearch, on a good day, how many traffic views are you getting?
    
    I check and record once daily my URL trackers, and I can say that they certainly do work, and there has only been a couple of times in the last two years where it has appeared that the stats have frozen.
    
    But the data was still being tracked and when the stats were operational again, they were updated and by checking the data I can confidently say there wasn't any missing traffic views, hubs or signups.

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       
       
       Pathetically low… Alas.

       replyreport
14. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

    You’re back!
    
    In other words:
    
    Does a cookie death mean a tracker death?

    replyreport
15. 79

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    edit-after clearing all hubpages cookies, signing out - then clicking a tracked url, no new cookies appeared in my browser
    
    
    i think its server side
    
    but could have missed something

    replyreport
16. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

    The tracker/cookie question solution:
    
    I’ll do this someday when I’m not so tired:
    
    1.    Sign out of HP.
    2.    Reboot.
    3.    Go to HP via a tracker link.
    4.    Wander around a little.
    5.    Then, while still on HP, kill every cookie on my hard drive.
    6.    Then wander around a little more.
    7.    Then sign up as a new user.
    8.    Then wait….
    9.    Then I’ll know.

    replyreport
    1. 62

       darksideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Or just go to http://hubpages.com/tracker/ and you'll see which tracker is active.

       replyreport
       1. 59

          paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          
          
          darkside is a keeper!
          
          From his link:
          
          "Your current token is xyz. It was set about 41 minutes ago, and will be protected from replacement for about 78 minutes. If cookies are not cleared and another tracker is not clicked, it will remain active for about 4 weeks."

          replyreport
17. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

    .
    help link:
    
    http://hubpages.com/faq/#badges
    
    
    Example:
    
    <a target="_blank" href="http://hubpages.com/_xyztracker">
    <img src="http://x.hubpages.com/x/hubpages_120-60.gif" alt="HubPages - Write/Publish/Earn - Free"></a>

    replyreport
18. 79

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    ?
    
    The help link leads to the ads link I already placed in the thread, what am I  missing?
    
    None of the code boxes have the code you are referencing - where arent I looking?

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Yep, same place once removed.
       
       
       
       As for the code, I got it from there around a year ago, and haven't been back since!
       
       They've updated it! Amazingly the code still works, and it is one of the few counters I've never had problems with. lol

       replyreport
19. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

    Well, my “The tracker/cookie question solution:” will solve the tracker-dependency-on-cookie question.
    
    And I think darkside’s post solved the counter question. Specifically, maybe hp doesn’t update low traffic trackers right away…; lets it accumulate awhile. Good a theory as any.

    replyreport
    1. 62

       darksideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Not sure what you mean about it accumulating for a while before updating. It could be a few hours, but certainly not days. It could be an issue that it's just not counting your own pageviews. Whatever it is, it's not something to be concerned about.
       
       I have two hubs discussing Trackers/Referrals and I've got content for a third. One that will elaborate further and also wander off the usual FAQ and into some interesting speculation. I'm thinking I might even share a months worth of stats so people can see that there is a steady growth and no need to suspect HP of shenanigans or any glitches.

       replyreport
20. 81

    Rafiniposted 14 years ago

    I noticed a drop all the way to a dead stop of my URL trackers as soon as I started using the new 'share' link at the top of my hubs.  Now that I've decided to only use the 'link to this page' link at the bottom of the hubs...I've noticed the tracker working again. 
    
    So...my guess is to not use any of the 'share' links if you want your referral tracker to work!

    replyreport
21. 73

    WryLiltposted 14 years ago

    Do you mean the facebook like buttons? Those don't include trackers.
    
    I usually manually insert my trackers anyway, since I know my main ones off by heart.
    
    On Topic:
    
    With three or more signups this week and about 6 hubs by referrals, I think the tracker's are working fine. Or even great.

    replyreport
22. 79

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    Since this is getting all over the place here is the summary
    
    OP is using this tracker http://hubpages.com/_cco4hhs3s1hcsi
    
    he knows full well how to check whether its recording clicks and he isnt confusing facebook buttons with HP buttons.
    
    He is stating that even when he clicks one himself the tracker never "counts" the additional view.
    
    
    I mentioned that I never use that format for trackers - that the tracker is always within and address, not the end.
    
    He showed an example of HP using the same format as he does in the old banner/badge pages.
    
    Also up for discussion was whether the trackers are effected by cookies - I know from an HP staff post that the trackers are 301 redirects and not cookie based, BUT perhaps the 120 min ref could be managed via cookies, a quick cookie check showed no cookies being dropped by the tracker links (but I could have missed it as I did only a cursory check)

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Thank you sunforged.

       replyreport
    2. 62

       darksideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       The format is that the tracker is always after the hubpages.com/
       
       So if you're directing a person to hubpages.com it is hubpages.com/_TRACKERNAME
       
       If it's to the forum it is hubpages.com/_TRACKERNAME/forum (Yep, you can send tracked traffic to the forum).
       
       Your profile would be hubpages.com/_TRACKERNAME/profile/sunforged
       
       A hub: hubpages.com/_TRACKERNAME/hub/capsules
       
       Provided a person has an underscore and their tracker name straight after hubpages.com/ it should work without problem.

       replyreport
23. 79

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    so have you clicked your link to see if its giving you the appropriate tracker?
    
    as clicking your link did not overwrite my token

    replyreport
    1. 59

       paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       All is well on the tracker front.
       
       As to the pesky counters, virtually all the ones that are supposed to move are moving again. We are being watched…
       
       Edit: My guess is that someone went and kicked the side of one of the servers for me.

       replyreport