Strange referal stats in Awstats - links from external pages

Discussion in 'Traffic Analysis' started by Notting, Dec 19, 2006.

  1. #1
    I've had a lot of referals from websites which I don't understand. i cannot work out how a visitor could have got to my page from the refering website.

    the website: www.theafricangreyparrot.com

    The kind of sites in my referal list:

    http://www.straight-bananas(.)de
    http://www.dvbita(.)com/
    http://www.vlp-aspan(.)ch/
    http://www.strawberry-world(.)net/
    http://www.sodeco-new(.)com/
    http://www.worldcuplasvegas(.)com (!!)

    Why on earth are sites like this showing in my Links from an external page (other web sites except search engines)? Fairly sure these pages have never referred a visitor to me!

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks
    Notting
     
    Notting, Dec 19, 2006 IP
  2. T0PS3O

    T0PS3O Feel Good PLC

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    #2
    Welcome to referrer log spam. As long as your stats package isn't publicly available you should not worry.

    PS By giving them live links in this thread, they succeeded in their plans...
     
    T0PS3O, Dec 19, 2006 IP
  3. salmonbones

    salmonbones Well-Known Member

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    #3
    I saw some software that did this once. Alexa rank increaser or something of a similar name.

    Also programs that scrape websites for content can display false referer details.
     
    salmonbones, Dec 19, 2006 IP
  4. Notting

    Notting Notable Member

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    #4
    live links removed!

    So how do they gain by doing this then?

    Notting
     
    Notting, Dec 19, 2006 IP
  5. GuyFromChicago

    GuyFromChicago Permanent Peon

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    #5
    Webmaster visit the site(s) to see where there links are...which drives up pages views and revenue for the referral spammer.

    Plus, sometimes people post live links (link love + more visits) to the sites in forums and other places asking how they showed up in their server logs:)
     
    GuyFromChicago, Dec 19, 2006 IP
  6. Notting

    Notting Notable Member

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    #6
    that sounds really sad. I almost can't believe its worth it!
     
    Notting, Dec 19, 2006 IP