An Introduction to Web Analytics

 

At the start of his book "Web Analytics An Hour a Day" published sometime in March 2007 Avinash Kaushik stated that a search for the term "web analytics" on Google retruned 642,000 results in 0.11 seconds.

Repeating that exercise in September 2008 gave 72M results in 0.42 seconds. Ignoring Google's the amazing speed thats an approximate 7100% increase in articles on the subject in 18 months. 

Whats all the fuss about?

Well web analytics is fast becoming a vital technique in running a successful business online and increasingly offline as well. What is web analytics? The web analytics association defines web analytics as the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for the purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage.

Why's it so important?

Because it enables organisations to continuously and systematically measure and optimise their performance online like they've never been able to do before. Unlike offline everything is measuable online to some degree. Unique visitors, session times, referrals, conversion events, transaction values, acquisition costs, marketing campaigns, customer lifetime value, abandonment, Web analytics is being pushed centre stage in all sorts of interesting areas including web design, usability and online marketing. Companies wishing to compete analytically need talented web analysts.

 

Hopefully the information contained on the JU2 site will help you gain a better understanding of this exciting branch of information technology.