MySpace Trackers: How to Get a MixMap Tracker on Your MySpace

Ever wondered whether the MySpace tracker, MixMap, can really track who visits your MySpace profile? Well, so have I. So I decided to take the plunge and sign up for a MixMap account to see just what it would get me. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to get your own MixMap tracker.

SIGN UP FOR A MIXMAP ACCOUNT

First of all, signing up for a MixMap MySpace tracker account is completely free. You have to create a username and password (not your MySpace username and password - remember, it's never a good idea to give those out to ANY website) and provide some other basic info like city, state, zip code, gender, etc. Don't worry, it's pretty painless.

CREATE YOUR MAP

Once you've set up your account you'll be directed to create your map. You'll need to choose whether you're going to use MixMap on your MySpace profile or for a different website like hi5, Friendster, Xanga or LiveJournal. For the purposes of this article, I chose my MySpace page.

Next, you'll need to name your map and decide whether you want to make it public (viewable by everyone) or private (viewable to only you). They'll also ask you to provide your MySpace Friend ID. If you don't know it, you can also provide your MySpace address name, MySpace profile address or your entire MySpace address.

VERIFY YOUR MYSPACE ID

The next step is to verify your MySpace ID. If you've entered all your information correctly you should see your MySpace profile pop up on the next page. If for whatever reason you don't see your MySpace profile, then click on No and complete the process again paying close attention to your MySpace Friend ID info.

CHOOSE YOUR MIXMAP CODE

Now that you've created your personalized MixMap code you'll have to choose which option you want to display on your MySpace page. Here are your choices:

A Yahoo Map of Visitors
A Google Map of Visitors (requires Javascript, which will not work on MySpace)
A Customizable Image
Completely Hidden Code - Nothing Displays on your Page
Completely Hidden Code for a Private MySpace Profile - Nothing Displays on your Page

ADD THE MIXMAP HTML CODE TO YOUR MYSPACE PROFILE

Once you've decided which option you want to go with, follow the directions carefully to add the HTML to your MySpace profile. Note that you are free to add the HTML to any section of your MySpace profile UNLESS you have opted for the Completely Hidden Code for a Private MySpace profile. You must add that code to the end of your Headline section.

VIEW YOUR VISITOR MAP

Once you have the MixMap code added to your MySpace profile you can check out your Visitor Map on Mixmap to get more details on your visitors. You won't really get any specific information if the user hasn't signed up for MixMap themselves, but remember that this goes both ways. Once you have a MixMap account, you will be trackable by any other MySpace users who also have the MixMap MySpace tracker on their page.

If you've gone through the whole process and decide that you don't want to have your information out there, you can always delete your MixMap account.