The video is in the works. Until then, the guide will get you there.
Step-by-step guide
Where to find the Downloads report
In the side menu, click "Behavior".
A submenu opens. Choose "Downloads" there.
The Downloads report opens.
What counts as a download?
Whenever a visitor clicks a link to a file, Trustlytics counts that as a download. So PDFs, price lists, brochures, white papers, ZIP files, images to download. Anything that is not simply another web page but a file to take along.
The nice part: you do not have to set anything up for this. Trustlytics detects these clicks automatically. No marker, no extra code, nothing. As soon as a visitor clicks a file, it shows up here.
The period being analyzed always follows the date selection at the top. Set a different period there, and the entire report adjusts immediately.
When you should check here
Whenever you offer files for download and want to know whether anybody downloads them at all. A beautiful brochure does you little good if nobody is interested. And an unremarkable price list that gets downloaded all the time tells you exactly what your visitors are looking for.
Fits questions like: which PDF is really in demand? Was the effort I put into this whitepaper worth it? And which file should I maybe place more prominently?
The domain list
The main table shows every domain (external ones too) that your visitors download files from, with these columns:
| Column | What is behind it |
|---|---|
| Domain | Which domain the file was downloaded from (with a small icon). |
| Unique downloads | Counts each visitor only once per file. |
| Downloads | Counts every single download click. |
The difference in brief: "Unique downloads" tells you how many different visitors downloaded something. "Downloads" counts every click. If the same visitor downloads the same file three times, that is three downloads but one unique download.
Why does that matter? If the two numbers are far apart, a few visitors are downloading the same file several times. That is often a sign that something is wrong with the file (the download breaks off) or that it is so important people need it again and again.
Looking into a domain
Click a domain row to see which individual files belong to it. The view switches to a list of the download addresses for that domain ("Downloads on …") with the same metrics: Unique downloads and Downloads.
This is where it gets practical. In the domain list, you only see where the downloads came from. In the drill-down you see what. So the individual files, name by name.
"Back to downloads" (arrow at the top) takes you back to the domain list.
What you can set here
Both in the domain list and in the file drill-down:
- Sorting: click a column heading to sort ascending or descending.
- Entries per page: at the bottom you choose how many rows are shown (10, 25, 50, or All).
- Paging: with long lists, you page through at the bottom.
Aha moments you will recognize
And sometimes you run into a number that explains everything:
- A file stands out that you never would have expected. An old manual, a technical data sheet, a fact sheet. If something like that gets downloaded all the time, it tells you: that is what your visitors are really looking for. Maybe it belongs more prominently on the home page.
- Your beautiful new brochure hardly gets downloaded. Ouch, but honest. Either nobody finds it or the topic does not pull. Check where the link sits. Often it is simply too hidden.
- Downloads and unique downloads are far apart. Few visitors, many clicks. That sounds like a file that does not load cleanly. Test the link yourself once, calmly.
What is in it for me?
The Downloads report shows you which content your visitors really take with them. And that often reveals more about their intent than any page view:
- Spot the files in demand. Which downloads get clicked most often, you see in seconds. That is the content that pulls.
- Judge the real reach. The unique downloads show how many different visitors a file has really reached. Without repeat clicks distorting the picture.
- Break it down to the individual file. The drill-down takes you from the coarse domain level down to the specific file. Name, number, done.
In short: a page view tells you somebody was there. A download tells you they wanted to take something with them. And that is a very different quality of interest.
Common questions
Do I have to set up downloads first?
No. Trustlytics detects file clicks automatically. You do not have to place a marker or add any extra code. As soon as somebody clicks a file, it shows up in the report.
Why do "Downloads" and "Unique downloads" differ?
Because they measure two different things. "Downloads" counts every click. "Unique downloads" counts each visitor only once per file. If somebody downloads the same file five times, that is five downloads but one unique download.
Why do I see several domains and not just my own?
Because files sometimes live somewhere else. At a file host or on a subdomain, for example. Trustlytics groups the downloads by domain so you can see where they are loaded from. With a click on the row, you get to the individual files.
Why does a file not show up even though I offer it?
Usually because nobody clicked it in the selected period. Check the date selection at the top first. It is also possible that the link does not point directly to the file but runs through an intermediate page. Trustlytics then counts the click differently.