How to conduct effective traffic analysis?

To conduct effective traffic analysis, follow these steps:

1. Define Objectives: Clearly outline what you want to achieve, such as identifying traffic sources, user behavior, or performance bottlenecks.
2. Collect Data: Use tools like web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics alternatives) or network monitoring tools to gather traffic data. For cloud-based applications, Tencent Cloud's Cloud Monitor and CLB (Load Balancer) Access Logs can help track traffic patterns.
3. Analyze Traffic Sources: Break down traffic by channels (direct, organic, paid, social, referral) to understand user acquisition. Tencent Cloud CDN Access Logs provide detailed insights into content delivery performance.
4. Examine User Behavior: Study metrics like page views, bounce rate, and session duration. Tools like Tencent Cloud Web Application Firewall (WAF) logs can reveal suspicious traffic patterns.
5. Monitor Real-Time Traffic: Use real-time dashboards to detect spikes or anomalies. Tencent Cloud Real-Time Log Analysis helps identify sudden traffic changes.
6. Optimize Performance: Identify slow-loading pages or high-latency requests. Tencent Cloud EdgeOne accelerates content delivery and mitigates traffic surges.
7. Set Up Alerts: Configure thresholds for abnormal traffic (e.g., DDoS attacks). Tencent Cloud Anti-DDoS Pro automatically filters malicious traffic.

Example: An e-commerce site uses Tencent Cloud CLB Access Logs to analyze traffic spikes during a sale, identifying that most users come from social media ads. They optimize their CDN settings via EdgeOne to reduce latency and improve conversion rates.