GlobalSpex, Inc.

The Difference Between White-Hat and Black-Hat SEO

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:00:11 +0000

In the world of Search Engine Optimization, SEO, there are a number of techniques that many use to secure higher visibility in the search engines. This includes content creation, Pay-per-click banners, linking from other sites, business advertising, and especially social media integration are also vital tools in enhancing web presence. While the ultimate goal is to rank high on leading search engines, there are certain rules and guidelines that we follow to ensure long lasting placement. For one, spamming and keyword stuffing can result in permanent search engine bans. False advertising and unscrupulous techniques can also lead to permanent site and blog removals. In this challenging industry, these techniques are referred to as white hat SEO and black hat SEO.

White Hat SEO

White hat SEO is designed to produce lasting results. With white hat, web developers strictly conform to search engine guidelines. They also follow designated rules and limits. In fact, search engines recommend white hat as part of good overall design meaning the indexed content that is indexed and ranked, is the same content users will see. Therefore, there are never any deceptive tricks.

In a nutshell, white hat SEO is mainly content creation for users. This content is then made accessible to search engine spiders, which index and rank the materials. For visitors, what they see is what they get. There are never any algorithm tricks or hidden codes to improve search engine rankings.

While white hat promotes user accessibility, the content of the site or forum remains the same. Unless changed by the owner or web design firm, users have access to web content within a safe and regulated environment.

Black Hat SEO

Unlike White hat SEO, Black hat SEO utilizes techniques that search engines do not approve. This includes spamming, keyword stuffing, search engine poisoning, or spam-dexing. These are all deliberate manipulations of search engines to increase online visibility. Others implement these techniques to generate revenue and deceive online users.

As a result, these sites can be permanently banned from leading searches. This, of course, occurs once the search engines discover what they are doing. These unethical practices can also lead to financial restitution for those that have been cheated.

One of the most common, yet effective, techniques, is to use hidden text used within the content or blended in with the background. These hidden words may also contain harmful links, which can result in ad-ware, spy-ware, and even viruses being downloaded. Since deception is the key to black hat SEO, hidden div or off-screen text can be used as well. Black hat SEO also tries to trick search engines by algorithm manipulation.

This includes cloaking, which is a technique that uses two different forms of content. The first is for search engine spiders to secure placement within engines. The second, however, is completely different for users that land on these pages.

These deceptive practices are always monitored, and eventually lead to ranking reductions or complete removal of listings from search engines.

Wearing The Right, White Hat

Unless you want your sites to be permanently removed, white hat SEO is the only way to go. With white hat, your sites and forums have met all search engine guidelines. These sites also entail ethical embedding of metadata and keywords throughout the content and images. Black hat SEO never complies with search engine rules. As a result, web owners can tarnish their online reputations, while suffering from diminished rankings and complete web removal. Penalties and fines can even be assessed if black hat SEO results in online criminal activities.

4 Google Search Changes That Affect Your Business

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:24:42 +0000

Nothing is permanent and Google is no exception. Recently it made some changes to its algorithm that they say will improve how Google ranks websites. Parts of those changes include timely content of a website, meaning that it reviews and calculates how recently you’ve made changes to your website. They are looking for relevancy in hopes to provide users with the most recent and appropriate website. The other change was how Google+ is ranked and indexed and incorporated into search results using the ‘“Search plus Your World” tag.

Relevancy and Freshness

I am sure you’ve searched and clicked what you thought was a website with great information only to find it was a 3 year old blog post or page. In today’s environment that is ancient. Google recognized this. Businesses now need to concentrate on keeping content up-to-date as well other search engine optimization techniques like meta tags, quality links, and code. Their plan is to feature more fresh results encouraging website owners make an effort and publish and edit their website more regularly.

Read more about Google’s ‘Freshness Algorithm.’

“…this change noticeably impacts 6 – 10% of searches, depending on the language and domain you’re searching on.” – GoogleBlog.blogspot.com

Anchor Text.

Another change is that Google has started devaluing the value of anchor text within inbound links. Rather than incorporating keyword anchored text SEO professionals now need to focus on stronger calls to action that might get noticed by Google. Click here for an explanation of anchor text.

Micheal Cutts wrote, “We look at a number of signals when generating a page’s title (the meta title you see in search results). One signal is the anchor text in links pointing to the page. We found that boilerplate links with duplicated anchor text are not as relevant, so we are putting less emphasis on these. The result is more relevant titles that are specific to the page’s content.”

Website Reviews.

Google will pay attention to websites that have reviews or what we can call ‘Social Signals.’ This means that as your website is mentioned on various social sites like Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, you can expect Google to use social signals as forms of ranking, authority, reputation, etc. These are becoming the new ‘backlinks’ or quality links to your website. Review our blog on Mobile Marketing to learn how you can help with these social signals.

Google+

If you have noticed yet, your search results should show two buttons on the upper right. The new search features fully integrate Google+ profiles, photos, and other content into Google’s main search. If you are logged into Google, you’ll notice your search results are affected and can change based on what you might have shared before. You can neutralize this effect by clicking the world button.
This has caused some to criticize Google’s search monopoly. Twitter’s General Counsel, for example, released a tweet saying “Bad day for the Internet. http://bit.ly/Am5bqz. Having been there, I can imagine the dissension @Google to search being warped this way.”

John Battelle (one of the founders of Wired Magazine) says, “And it sucks for the web. The unwillingness of Facebook and Google to share a public commons when it comes to the intersection of search and social is corrosive to the connective tissue of our shared culture. But as with all things Internet, we’ll just identify the damage and route around it. It’s just too bad we have to do that, and in the long run, it’s bad for Facebook, bad for Google, and bad for all of us. (BTW, Google also doesn’t show Twitter or Flickr results either or any other “social” service. Just its own, Google+ and Picasa.)”
http://battellemedia.com/archives/2012/01/search-plus-your-world-as-long-as-its-our-world.php

Google will always come up with changes to help users find more relevant content. It intends to deliver the users more up to date results that are relevant and its main consideration is to promote freshness of a website. With this in mind, everyone needs to modify their SEO campaign for acquiring more accurate ranking on Google.

Christina Hawkins is the President of GlobalSpex, Inc., an internet marketing company, in the Houston, TX area since 1999. Follow her on Twitter #globalspex or become a Fan on Facebook.

If you learned from this article, be sure to invite your colleagues to sign up for the GX Web Wire – An Internet Marketing Newsletter so they can receive similar articles in the future and download her 101 Internet Marketing Tips and Techniques Free!

Create a Website that converts Visitors to Subscribers

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:30:27 +0000

People still pay more attention to emails (as long as they’re not considered spam) than social media. The nature of the online customers is such that their attention span is short lived. Your website should offer, within 3 seconds, something compelling, if not they will move on to the next site without delay. Therefore it is important to not only attract their attention but to hold it for enough time to keep their attention and eventually steer them to make the purchase, request the offer, or subscribe to the newsletter.

Many companies have an email newsletter. But usually it’s full of me, me, me, what they’re doing, their products, but nothing of value to the subscriber. Outside weekly coupons, your newsletter should reflect your markets needs and questions.

If the visitor is not converted into a customer through calls to action (make a call, download now, request an estimate, buy now) or at least a subscriber to your website, they can be lost forever. There are many ways to convert visitors.

Providing a captivating blog to draw them in. Professional bloggers call this Link Bait. It is a strategy that can lead to a large number of backlinks pointing back to your site from other websites. This can pull users from other sources. At the end of the article or content, your visitor should be offered to subscribe to your mailing list so that they continue to receive free updates in future.
Make it easy to subscribe. You either send users to a landing page highlighting the benefits of your newsletter or your subscribe form should be on every page with your compelling offer. Make sure it is noticeable and stands out from your regular content. It should either be the form or within one click send them to the form.
Offer something free or something compelling. It helps when people are promised a little extra and maybe a free e-book or report that is important to their industry or interest. They will look forward to receiving more of such offers in the future. Offer a sample newsletter. On the squeeze page or subscribe form, give them a glimpse of your newsletter so they can sample your content and what to expect. You don’t want entice visitors that might not be interested in your style or approach to business. Be honest with your target market.
Be clear about your subscribe policy. With the increase in email fraud, internet hacking, and identity theft, people are becoming more and more careful about revealing their email or subscribing to internet offers. Again, be honest if you intend to share their email with chosen third parties (best that it relates to their interest) or you do not intend to give their email address.

So although your long term goal should be to convert visitors to clients. Your short-term goal should be to convert visitors to subscribers. Once their interest is aroused and they subscribe to your mailing list, you have a long term member who can be a permanent part of your future marketing strategy.

Have a great week and we’ll “see” you next week, OK? Until then, happy Surfing!

Christina Hawkins

Your Internet Strategist

Christina Hawkins is the President of GlobalSpex, Inc., an internet marketing company, in the Houston, TX area since 1999. Follow her on Twitter @globalspex or become a Fan on Facebook.

How to Track QR Codes

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:38:41 +0000

A Quick Response code (QR code or QRC) is a type of barcode, but it is also used as a marketing tool to increase traffic to your web site, boost sales, and help market your business. They may seem a novelty at this point, but they’ve been used in Japan since 1994.

These barcodes get your customers interacting with your website or products by generating interest. In order to get the information in the code, your customer has to scan it with a smartphone.

Tracking for True ROI

Like any other internet marketing campaign, you want some statistics on how well your QR code campaign is working for you. QR code tracking helps you with this problem.

There are several ways you can track your QR code campaigns including full QR generation and tracking services, manual analytics, and shortened URL tracking. Most methods are free to use; however, extra features may end up costing you money.

Generation & Tracking Services

Several websites offer QR code generation and tracking services. These full featured QR vendors provide several packages to fit your budget. A few QR vendors available include PercentMobile, Sparqcode, and Ventipix.

Their analytic services integrate into your online account. Once you generate your code, you can return to your account to see the statistics on how your QR code marketing campaign is performing for you.

Below are some free services that we recommend you try:
https://bitly.com/ – Create a short URL and generate a QR Code.
http://delivr.com/qr-code-generator – Create QR Codes with our QR Code Generator for URLs, Tweets, Foursquare Check-ins, iPhone App Store, Android Market, Google Analytics Campaigns & more.
http://tag.microsoft.com/my-tags/getting-started.aspx – Capture customers in the moment and bring printed materials to life. Create a dynamic, trackable, Microsift Tag.
http://www.bwscan.co – A flexible platform to create, manage QR codes and track usage and campaigns through insightful analytics.

Manual Analytics Tracking

Manual analytics tracking for your QR code campaigns is possible with a little tech knowledge. For your own website, you can add a campaign to your existing analytics account to monitor traffic coming from your QR codes. Use Google Campaign Builder to build unique URLs for each channel.

Shortened URL Tracking

Shortened URLs assist your customers by eliminating the need to type long or involved URLs into their web browser. Services such as bit.ly and goo.gl allow you to track your shortened URLs. Simply use these shortened URLs in your QR code and you can track them with your bit.ly or goo.gl analytics.

Regardless of the method you choose for monitoring your QR code campaigns, you need to keep track of your QR codes. Under performing QR codes or inaccurate QR codes may end up costing you business or traffic if you do not monitor them. You can always change QR code data on the back end to make sure it is current and accurate.

10 Real Life QR Code Examples for Marketing

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:00:47 +0000

In a past blog post, I explained the idea of QR Codes. Below are 10 examples of what you can do to incorporate QR Codes into your internet marketing strategies.

On your car, while parked at a client’s home or office or a stop light, visitors or neighbors can scan your code rather than type in your phone number. QR Codes can instigate a call, a website, or text.
On postcards, direct mail that will send users to a landing page that describes that specific feature or special that you are promoting. It can send users to a coupon or contest
Restaurants, on your menu to see photos of the food
On a business card, send users to a special video of you welcoming them and telling them more about you and your business.
Place it on your storefront to direct users to your online store. You might be close but not your website.
Add a qr code at checkout, send them to your Facebook page to continue the relationship.
QR code stickers. Place anywhere and everywhere that you can.
Magazine advertisement that sends users to a mobile friendly landing page.
Expo or Conference Welcome signs with individual qr codes that sends participants to specific seminar pages, speakers, content downloads.
At a cocktail reception that you are hosting, qr codes on napkins or coasters. This same concept would work great in bars where customers can be set to dial, say, a cab’s phone number or an online mobile game or Facebook fan page.

Think past your website and more toward mult-media; videos, articles, coupons, phone calls, texting. The QR code is meant to expand the customer’s knowledge and supplement information and advertising.

Are QR Codes the Future of Marketing?

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:28:59 +0000

Are QR Codes the Future of Marketing?

There are many people in the marketing arena that believe QR codes are the future of marketing. These codes are popping up everywhere in the media including billboards, magazines, product labels, and advertisements.

Quick Response codes, also known as QR codes or QRCs, are two-dimensional barcodes that hold alphanumeric characters that link to online content. Your customers scan the barcode with a smartphone camera and are given the information hidden in the code.

This one will take you to Google Maps on your mobile device with directions to my office. This way you don’t have to type my address when visiting me! Cool, huh?

Another example, you can embed a sales page URL in the code, and the customer will immediately be taken to that page on their smartphone browser.

A Little History

QR codes are not a new technology. In fact, QR codes have been on the scene since 1994 in Japan as a means to keep track of inventory in automobile factories. Since that time, QRCs have been the norm in Japan for advertisements on consumer products.

The technology behind QRCs has been slow to migrate to other countries because of a lack of knowledge and accessibility to this technology. As this technology gains popularity, the utilization of QRCs in marketing will continue to bridge the gap between print and electronic media. Google, a giant in the computer industry, advocates the use of QR codes for businesses. They recently added QR codes to their ‘Favorite Places’ service for their businesses. They issue QR codes to businesses that register and encourage the use of these codes.

With Google pushing QR codes on the public, it is reasonable to conclude that QR codes are indeed the future of marketing. They definitely have their place in the business world and provide an interactive method for consumers to get information on your business.

Hurdles to QR Code Adoption

The biggest hurdles towards the mainstream acceptance of QRCs are knowledge and accessibility. Much of the public doesn’t know what QRC codes are or how to use them. You need to educate your customers on what QRCs are and how to use them.

Additionally, not everyone has a smartphone to scan these barcodes. Most smartphones do not come with a stock barcode scanner for reading QR codes. This means your customers have to know what a QR code is and then download an application to read them.

As smartphones continue to replace traditional cell phones, you will find more consumers with the knowledge and capability to access your QR codes. Like any new technology there will be a period of time for consumers to adjust and get used to it. Once we can get past the hurdles involved with QRCs, these versatile barcodes are going to be splattered all over the consumer landscape.

Where can you get a QR Code?

There are some websites that will help you generate QR codes:

http://qrcode.kaywa.com – simplest format
http://goqr.me – more options
http://www.qrstuff.com – many, many options for your qr code

Our next post will give you some real word examples on how you can use QR Codes.

Have a great week and we’ll “see” you next week, OK? Until then, happy Surfing!

Christina Hawkins

Your Internet Strategist

Can Blogging Increase Attorney Credibility?

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:00:32 +0000

As blogging continues to soar in global popularity, a number of businesses are utilizing this medium to effectively promote their services. From Internet marketing agencies to textile manufacturers, blogging has been proven to increase online visibility across vast digital networks. As part of a strategic online marketing campaign, it can even secure potential clients, while showcasing new products and services for existing ones. While blogging requires updated content to maintain that competitive, the possibilities are simply endless when it comes to formats and templates. In fact, the more compelling and creative your blog is; the more it will attract and engage audiences. In the legal spectrum, blogging has even propelled several law firms to new heights and aspirations.

Attorney Websites For area attorneys, blogging is the perfect way to enhance credibility and trust. It is also a great way to build repertoire with potential and existing clients. By marketing your legal services, clients have access to a wealth of useful and pertinent information. This is especially true if they are seeking legal representation, or simply want to learn more about new changes to the law. Attorney website links can be placed at strategic locations throughout the body of content as well. This way, clients and readers can easily be connected to your services if the need arises. With blogging, lawyers can also discuss a myriad of law-related items. This includes new law amendments, and how these changes will affect the public at large. Discussing your areas of expertise is also essential. Whether you are a criminal attorney, or specialize in DWI cases, marketing your services is a must in this challenging and diverse market.

Attorney Tweets

In addition to captivating blogs, social media integration is also paramount. For attorneys, tweeting about your legal specialties can connect you to thousands of potential clients. Since Twitter is an instantaneous forum, your messages are delivered within seconds of posting them. This is also a cost-effective solution to traditional marketing techniques, which can be time consuming as well. Tweeting can even help establish your law firm, while keeping you abreast of all social media patterns, changes, and trends. Attorneys, however, should tweet about relevant services, including:

Specialty areas – DUI/DWI, Divorce, Medical Negligence, Immigration, Wills & Loans, Property Disputes, etc.
Case studies
Changes in the law that effect clients
Experience level and expertise
Success rates and stories (without violating Attorney – Client privilege)

Attorney Videos

In addition to Twitter, promotional videos are also designed to sell your legal services. From You Tube to Veoh, video-sharing platforms allow attorneys to promote their business, while showcasing their office and staff. For area attorneys, a number of professional video production companies are available for your convenience. Whether it’s highlighting blog topics, or visualizing your mission statement, marketing videos offer a personalized touch for any independent attorney or law firm.

As an industry leader in web design, content creation/blogging, and e-commerce solutions, Global Spex can help promote your legal services to a range of potential clients and customers. Utilizing strategic marketing plans and SEO enhancement, we have helped countless attorneys and law firms secure greater online visibility. If you’re a lawyer struggling to market your practice and services, let our marketing experts open the door to a wealth of new opportunities.

For more information, please visit: http://www.globalspex.com/

Why Physicians Should Blog

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:00:58 +0000

Blogging is an effective way to market all your products and services. It also helps establish online awareness and brand validity. For the medical spectrum, this can elevate leads and generate revenue for health clinics and private firms. Blogging can even increase physician credibility, while marketing a myriad of health services across vast networks. As blogging continues to soar in global popularity, social media integration is also a key element in building online longevity. From showcasing the latest medical procedures to securing a loyal client base, doctors from all across the globe are utilizing the Internet to advertise services for existing and new patients.

Marketing Your Website

With any health-related blog, it is essential to market your website and its services. This includes areas of expertise, such as pediatrics, weight control, disease management, or even basic health care services. Your blog should also entail precise contact information, along with details for emergency services and hours of operation. While each blog differs, certain elements are simply paramount in achieving desired results. This includes your mission statement, which allows readers to access your goals in this challenging and diverse industry. Utilizing back-links, as well as general breakdown of specialized services can captivate potential customers as well. If marketing your site on social media platforms, catchy phrases can capture the true allure and essence of your practice.

Tweet and Meet

As an intricate marketing tool, Twitter enables physicians to advertise their medical services to countless users. This helps generate an instant “buzz” about their services, while encouraging users to ask pertinent questions on related services. One of the most common, yet effective ways to relay information is by tweeting. Not only does this help ensure customer patronage, it opens an online portal for networking with colleagues as well. With medical tweeting, however, there are certain elements that should be followed:

Tweeting about your particular specialty can connect you to patients that seek your specific abilities.
Tweeting about the latest medical advances helps your office maintain a competitive edge in this cutting-edge industry.
Tweeting about medical tips for ailments can establish patient trust and a true sense of caring.
Tweeting about cost-effective services and discounts can facilitate patient needs within time and budget.
Tweeting about your medical expertise helps readers understand your level of experience and dedication.

Promotional Videos

No online marketing campaign is complete without promotional videos. From YouTube to Vimeo, videos are designed to effectively promote your office and health services. You can also engage customers by introducing staff, or discussing topics that are featured in your medical blogs. Unlike traditional advertising techniques, promotional videos can cover a range of ideas, thoughts, and perceptions within minutes. Whether it’s promoting a new location, or discussing the finer points of being a doctor, promotional videos are a great medium for building trust, likeability, and personalized services.

As an industry leader in web design, content creation/blogging, and e-commerce solutions, GlobalSpex can help promote your health services to a range of potential clients and customers. Utilizing strategic marketing plans and SEO enhancement, we have helped countless doctors and medical facilities secure greater online visibility. If you’re a doctor struggling to market your brand and services, let our marketing experts open the door to a wealth of new opportunities.

For more information, please visit: http://www.globalspex.com/

67 Ideas for Blog Topics

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:00:38 +0000

You’re likely sick of hearing about the importance of having great blog post content. But you know you need it in order to have something to promote via social media. And you know that great blog posts can bring in lots of long-tail search engine visitors.

What you may have trouble with is what to write about in your blog.
With that in mind, I’ve brainstormed 67 blog ideas to get your creative juices flowing. What you write about in your blog will of course depend on your type of blog, your industry, whether you’re selling products or services, whether you have a local walk-in establishment, and a number of other factors.

When you browse through this list, remember that most blogs should have a wide variety of blog post types rather than always sticking with the same ones. While it’s fine to announce a new product or service on your blog, if that’s all you do, it could get pretty boring.
I’ve put the types of information into a few different categories to make it easier for you to scan for the type that might interest you. So without further ado, I give you 67 ideas for blog topics that could interest your target audience:

Upcoming events:

1. Classes, seminars, conferences, webinars (and why you should attend).
2. Special events (wine tastings, 5-course dinners, open houses, etc.)
3. Introduction to new products or services.
4. Important company announcements (as long as this isn’t all you do).
5. Free stuff you’re giving away.
6. Special offers, discounts, coupons.
7. Gift ideas.

Contests or other promotions:

8. Photo caption contest.
9. Holiday theme contest.
10. Product naming contest.
11. Logo design contest.
12. Send in a video contest.

Tutorials, product support and how-to guides (in the form of text, videos, or infographics):

13. How to set up your products.
14. How to choose your products or services.
15. How to use your products.
16. How to fix your products.
17. How to assemble your products.
18. How to clean your products.
19. How to protect your products.
20. How to know if you need a particular product or service.
21. How to get the most out of your product or service.
22. Explain the subtle differences between your products (and/or those of your competitors).
23. Answer reader and customer questions.
24. Conference session summaries.

Show your expertise:

25. Do it yourself: For example, how to create a Title tag, how to unclog a toilet, how to file your taxes.
26. Provide your thoughts on industry news.
27. Take an opposite stand on an important industry topic.
28. How to avoid making mistakes (in whatever it is you do).
29. Industry myths.
30. Show both sides of an industry debate and provide your opinion.
31. Discuss industry trends.
32. Discuss the results of tests you’ve performed relating to your industry.
33. How to be a better…whatever.
34. How to avoid…whatever.
35. How to protect yourself from…whatever.
36. How to survive a…whatever.
37. How to recover from a…whatever.
38. How to become a…whatever.
39. How to create a…whatever.
40. How to change your…whatever.
41. How to calculate your…whatever.
42. How to beat…whatever.
43. How to improve your…whatever.
44. How to make your…whatever…easier.
45. How to save money on…whatever.
46. How to be seen as…whatever.
47. How to have the…whatever…you always wanted.
48. How to stop doing…whatever.
49. How to justify…whatever.
50. The problems with…whatever.
51. The importance of…whatever.
52. What caused…whatever?
53. How to understanding the subtleties of…whatever.
54. What not to do with…whatever.

Interviews (in the form of writing, videos, audio, or a combination):

55. Interviews with industry experts.
56. Interviews with people who work at your company.
57. Interviews with people who’ve used your products or services.

Miscellaneous:

58. Best posts of the year.
59. Breaking industry news.
60. Industry predictions for the future.
61. Provide an analogy between what you do and something in life that people can relate to.
62. Satirize your industry or products (could be via a comic):
63. Reader polls and the results.
64. Industry awards.
65. Product and service reviews and recommendations.
66. Quizzes or tests.
67. Expose bad things that are happening in your industry.

What did I miss? Add it in the comments!

Jill

Jill Whalen is the CEO of High Rankings, an SEO Consulting company in the Boston, MA area since 1995. Follow her on Twitter @JillWhalen

If you learned from this article, be sure to invite your colleagues to sign up for the High Rankings Advisor SEO Newsletter so they can receive similar articles in the future!

The Importance of Referrer Logs

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:10:05 +0000

Referrer logging is used to allow web servers and websites to identify where people are visiting their website for marketing or security purposes. You can find out which search engine they used to find your site and whether your customer came from a site with your website link. It is basically the URL of the previous webpage from which your link was followed, the referring URL.

By default, most hosting accounts don’t include referrer logs but may be subscribed for an extra monthly fee. If your web host does not provide a graphic report of your log files, you can still view the referrer logs for your website by logging into the host server using free or low-cost FTP software, like these:

The log file is available on your web server which can be downloaded into your computer later. You can use a log analysis tool, like those mentioned below, to create a graphic report from your log files so that the files are easier to understand.

Abacre Advanced Log Analyzer http://www.abacre.com/ala/
Referrer Soft http://www.softplatz.com/software/referrer/
Log Analyzer http://www.loganalyzer.net

You can view the files using Word or WordPad files even if you don’t have the right tool. This information is very crucial to your business and marketing plans and should not be neglected.

Another option is to create a Google account and subscribe to Google Analytics. You will have access to all kinds of information. We setup accounts with automatic reports emailed monthly.

In addition to identifying the search engine or linked site from where your visitor arrived, referrer logs can also tell you what keywords or keyword phrases your client used for searching.

At times, the referring link sits behind a secure website. If so and the link points to anywhere except another secure website or webpage, then the referrer field is not sent.

Recent changes to website coding, specifically HTML5, allows programmers and website owners to support the attribute/value rel = “noreferrer” in order to instruct the search engines not to send a referrer. This can help with blog comment spamming by telling Google not give the link credit.

From :

What Do You Do With WordPress Comment Spam?

Why Do I Get Comment Spam On My WordPress Website?