A logfile It is a file in which the processes that have a place on a PC or on a network system are registered. Logfiles or log files provide important data for network analysis or access to a web server or web portal. Logfile analysis used to be the most common way to get data on website visitors.
Contents of a logfile
Generally, a logfile will always contain the same information. Usually only the sequence of information varies. The most common formats for logfiles, or log files, are NCSA, W3SVC, Microsoft IIS3.0, and O'Reilly.
Each logfile contains individual lines named hits. The data, which is transmitted from a server to a client, is recorded in these hits with a time stamp. The following information is contained in a logfile:
- Username if account is password protected
- Access time
- IP or DNS address
- Command, which is required by the server
- File name and path
- Transfer protocol type, for example, https
- Server response
- Previous URL visited by user
- Bytes transmitted
- Browser used
- Operating system used
Benefits of logfiles for SEO
Logfiles provide SEO important clues about the origin and behavior of visitors. Important data for website optimization can be obtained from this information. At the same time, the logfiles can be used as control files to check the correct functioning of analytical tools such as Google Analytics. Server errors or crashes can be better tracked using logfiles. Especially since the accessibility of a web portal and its subpages is relevant for the evaluation of the web by search engine robots, logfiles have an important role in the error analysis. At the same time, the usability of a web portal can also be interpreted with an analysis of the logfiles.
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