Visitor tracking methods compared - LeadsExplorer: Discover and identify business website visitors for prospecting

Visitor tracking methods overview

Even in case people find your website on the Internet and have a demand, still the larger part will quit the website without leaving any contact details behind.
In order to solve this problem, there are several different methods for website visitor tracking available, all claiming the same purpose and results.

As there are many methods, the goal of this overview is:

To give you more insight in the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods available.
To allow you to find out what method could be most suitable to your needs or business.

Two distinctive visitor tracking methods:

Push: using email

This is pushing or luring people to visit your website, by sending unique tagged emails.
If the addressee clicks on a link in the email, the tagging allows retrieve the identity of the visitor from the list of send emails, when he arrives on your website.

Pull: using IP address

People find your website in the natural way, due to all efforts of marketing communications (Press Releases, publications, advertising, blogs,…) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) performed.
In order to identify these visitors, data from the browser and IP Geo-location (based upon IP address) needs used, at the same time applying logical tests and algorithms for revealing company name and other visitor data (language, time zone, …).

Solutions using IP-address lookup:
These solutions just lookup the IP-Address for retrieving the ISP or Company name.
This works only for larger Enterprises, as have their own Internet connection.
Most small and medium-sized companies use an ISP, who in many cases hides the company name.

Solution with elaborated IP-address investigation:
One of the problems faced is within the companies using an ISP (Internet Service Provider), instead of having their own Internet access point. By applying the appropriate methods and algorithms, the names of these companies can still be revealed or be found.

Conclusion on Push or Pull:

It is clear the solutions using the “Pull” method are more complicated and less intrusive for your potential customer, than the straight forward “Push” method.
The elaborated IP-address investigation should be preferred over the simple IP-address lookup.
The main problem with the “Push” methods is in the execution: where and how to get always new email addresses. The permission lists are limited in numbers, else it is spam. Whereas with the “Pull” method: people keep on flowing in “naturally” and continuously.