Definition

Web analytics may be defined as the tool used for collecting and analyzing data in order to learn about web traffic and other web usage. It is a strong market research tool and it can also be helpful marketing tool.

Types of web analytics

The complex field of web analytics can be put in just two categories:

  1. Off-site web analytics uses the data that can be found all over the internet, on various websites, social media etc. This type of web analytics is often done as part of market research, in order to see if there is potential market for a certain product or service.
  2. On-site web analytics refers to measuring data flow on a given website. The following data are being measured: hits, page views, visits, visitors (including first visitors, repeating visitors, new visitors etc.), impressions, bounce rate, duration of the session, clicks and so on. Many factors are included in this complex calculation and the main goal is to tell whether the website is working as planned or it requires changes and adapting to its visitors.

Web analytics tools for companies

Web analytics is very complex and, some of its tools can be more important than others. For example, owner of the business website and the owner of a blog are unlikely to use all the same web analytics tools. However, here’s a list of the most helpful tools that can be used by business owners and everybody else:

  1. Google Analytics – being the biggest search engine in the world, Google brings billions of people to desired websites daily. Using Google Analytics can help company determine the keywords that people most often use when searching for it,
  2. Spring Metrics – it’s very simple and easy to use and it has a lot of useful features. Spring Metrics offers keyword analytics, email reports, landing page analytics and more.
  3. Moz Analytics – one of the greatest SEM companies in the world, Moz, offers a web analytics package with following features: social media marketing, content marketing, mentions on social networks, as well as basic features like keywords and many more.
  4. Clicky – another great web analytics tool, it has everything a website owner can think of. Plus, it offers real-time data.

Types of Web analytics tools

  1. Traditional Web Analytics Tools – for basic website tracking.
  2. Social Media Analytics Tools – for collecting data from social media.
  3. Voice of Customer Tools – for collecting customers’ opinions.
  4. Mobile Analytics Tools – for following mobile users.
  5. Experimentation Tools – for trying new trends.