What is Web Analytics?
Without some way of measuring the success of your online campaigns your marketing will be merely guesswork. Web analytics applications such as Google Analytics allow online businesses to measure the performance of their websites, enabling them to optimise their website and online marketing.
How does Web Analytics Work?
Analytics software is installed on a website by placing a small piece of code on each page. This code allows the application to track the usage of the site and present this information in graphical and table form. Web analytics is invisible to website visitors. There are a wide range of analytics packages available to website owners. Vendlab recommends Google Analytics as a good entry level web analytics package as it provides a wide range of reports and is free.
What Information does Web Analytics Provide?
Web analytics provides a wealth of information about how visitors reach a website and what they do when they get there. This includes:
- Visitor origin. The origin of a visitor, be it via the direct entry of a URL, a link, email or online search.
- Unique visitors. The number of individual visitors to a website within a certain timeframe
- Page views. The number of pages viewed within a certain timeframe
- Search terms. The most popular search terms which lead users to the website
- Navigation path. View common paths through the website including common entry and exit points
In addition, if properly configured, a web analytics package will be able to provide reports on the success of your online marketing. Metrics include:
- Conversion rate. The percentage of visitors who visit a site and perform a specified action, for example buying a product
- Cost per conversion. By using cost data from online marketing channels such as Google Adwords, a cost per successful conversion can be calculated
- Return on investment. By using cost data, a return on investment can also be calculated, allowing the success of different marketing campaigns to be compared
- Basket size and composition. View the products which are commonly purchased together
The full and proper use of web analytics is essential for any web based businesses as it allows informed decisions to be made about online marketing strategy, allowing businesses to invest in their most profitable channel.
