What Are Web Analytics?
June 25, 2007
I am writing this for all the people who come to PureWebAnalytics and wonder just what I am talking about when it comes to discussing the idea of “Web Analytics”. A lot of people find Statistics very boring and let’s face it, they can be but for your online business efforts to succeed Web Analytics allows you to keep the health of your online business in check.
So where do Web Analytics come from?
Web Analytics are the way in which companies or people running websites are able to measure the success or failure of their websites, marketing and advertising efforts and to some extent the profitability of an online business. Because the commercial use of the internet is only about 11 years old, Web Analytics is a pretty cutting edge strategy that many companies are scrambling to stay on top of because it requires a good amount of supervision to execute successfully. Either this is something that your company does in house if you have the money or your pay an outside consultant to come in and mind that aspect of the business but however you do it; it is one area that needs to be focused on when it comes to developing strong and successful web-based businesses long term.
What are some popular Web Analytics Tools and Programs?
Google Analytics – I’ve written a number of articles already about this Analytics programs and I have to say that as far as Analytics programs go it is not a bad program to use to track analytics on your business site.
Mint Analytics – Mint Analytics costs money and you have to install the Mint Analytics into your server to work with it but it is far most vast then Google Analytics.
How Mint and Google Analytics are similar
Because both Mint Analytics and Google Analytics are Analytics programs they share the following things in common…
- Page Views
- Unique Visitors
- Referrers
- Location
- Downloads
- Click outs
- Exits
- Search Terms
- Feed Subscriptions
- Page Popularity
- Return and new Visitors
- Click Path
- Browsers Used
- Window Size
- System Colors
- Charts/Graphs of Statistical data
- Keyword Analysis
Which one does my website need?
Google Analytics and Mint Analytics are both solid Analytics programs but they are not equal because while everyone loves the term “free”, it comes at a price. Google Analytics is a FREE Analytics program but it requires a good learning curve. Mint Analytics is more visually appealing to people and it does a great job of simplifying a subject that most people hate (unless you are me), Statistics. Mint, also has a wide variety of plug-ins known as “Peppers” that allow for greater customization and Google Analytics does not currently have this functionality. The only drawback is the price of Mint Analytics. At a cost of $30 it is well worth the money and you won’t be disappointed in having spent it.
While there are other Analytics programs in the market including WebSideStory’s HBX and Omniture many small to mid size business owners will not be shelling out the cash because the functionality offered by Mint and Google’s Analytics programs meet a broad range of needs.
Whatever choice you choose for your website, there is a learning curve to it but it is well worth learning because this is how you will be able to learn about the effectiveness of your online business and have the most timely and up-to-date information.
Luc
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One Response to “What Are Web Analytics?”
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Hello,
There are many tools apart from Google and Mint. I have tried many others like Stat Counter, Sitemeter However, I like
GoStats.com amongst all due to their Comprehensive visitor log.