Unique Visitors tracking doesnt seem right...

[notsonormal]

My web host uses Webalizer Version 2.01.

I market my site to 1000-2000 people a day.

I get on average 50 new members a day, but FAR more random visits by people that don't sign up.

Monthly Statistics for January 2006

Total Hits 469366
Total Visits 3049
Total Unique User Agents 532
Hits per Day 78783

Visits per Day 258

I don't understand this... it's telling me 260 unique visitors a day? That can't be right... can it?

My advertiser bidvertiser also tracks visitors:


Impressions per day:

January 01, 2006 2,406
January 02, 2006 2,295
January 03, 2006 3,690
January 04, 2006 1,941
January 05, 2006 4,090
January 06, 2006 3,650
January 07, 2006 2,162
January 08, 2006 2,299
January 09, 2006 3,440
January 10, 2006 1,414
January 11, 2006 2,639
January 12, 2006 2,191
January 13, 2006 3,226
January 14, 2006 1,338
January 15, 2006 4,307
January 16, 2006 3,608
January 17, 2006 1,584

are impressions different?

am I really only getting 260ish unique people looking at my site a day?

that cant be right... I'm a little confused and new to all this. can someone clear this up for me please?

I just read something that says cookies have a part in unique vistors, i have that set really high on my site - should i lower that down?

[Corriewf]

Impressions is how often it is shown and you have to remember that aol users often use the same IP addy.

[Paul M]

I have no idea how Webalizer defines a unique visitor, but generally the definition is along the lines of a unique combination of ip/useragent, that hasn't previously visited for x minutes is considered to be a new visitor. X can often be 15/30 minutes.