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How Does Web Analytics Help
eb analytics is a
quantitative indicator of In this article, we will briefly
behavior of visitors to a define some popular web analytics
website. Simply explained, web terms, moving on to comparing the
analytics involves identification two methods before outlining why
of visitor, analyzing the reason studying web analytics is
of visit and tracking his/her beneficial.
movement within your website
until the time he/she leaves the Key Web Analytics Terms
website.
'Hit' denotes a request for a
In essence therefore, web file from server and is recorded
analytics provides a clear only in logfile. 'Page View'
picture of the performance of a means different for the two web
website so that the website owner analytics methods. While tagging
can devise strategies to maximize script considers the whole page
acceptability of the website. as one request, the logfile on
the other hand will record
Web analytics mainly comes in two multiple hits (one for each file,
flavors in terms of collection of including images, .js and .css)
visitors' data. The first within a single page-view.
concerns collecting data from
server logfile, and the second by A visitor is one who requests for
tagging each webpage with a file to be shown. Once again,
javascript. A third web analytics while server log will record
method is a combination of the several files for each visit, the
two whereby more relevant data page-tagging script will only
can be produced than what is consider the page as a whole seen
possible with either of the two by the visitor. In either case,
methods. the web analytics data will
clearly identify if the visitor possible for a suitable program
is new (new or unique visitor) or to extract logfile data and
has come before (repeat visitor). arrange them in a meaningful
display. That is how web
Other Information analytics came into being. Today
most servers come equipped with
Both web analytics methods will web analytics programs such as
be able to gather several other Webalizer, Awstats, etc. which
important information, notable analyze raw logfile data and
among which are as under. portray valuable visitor
information in easy-to-follow
1. The length of time a visitor graphics.
spends in seeing a website.
Between the two web analytics
2. The keyword phrase used to techniques, namely logfile
arrive at the website. analysis and page tagging,
certain differences exist. Here
3. The unique IP address and are the main ones.
therefore the country from where
the visits generated. 1. Logfile analysis is usually
already available in the server.
4. The arrival and exit pages. Page tagging is an outsourced
option, which means that
Logfile vs Page Tagging visitors' data is captured by
provider's remote server. You can
Data transfer to and from web view them only in provider's
server is always recorded in website. Google Analytics and
server's logfile with clockwork ClickTracks are examples of
precision. Since early days, page-tagging web analytics.
realization dawned that it is
2. Since page tagging requires
javascript to be installed on Benefits of web analytics
every webpage, there is always a
possibility that some visitors' Web analytics is a constantly
browsers do not allow the script available feedback from your
to run. Not so with logfiles. visitors. Footprints that they
leave in the wake of their visits
3. Logfiles enter transfer of all are a great pointer of relative
files, including images and strength and weakness of your
scripts, and therefore certain website. It is only from web
parameters like hits and page analytics that you get to know
views are not as accurate as with which keyword phrases are most
page-tagging web analytics. relevant to your web content,
which pages are visited most,
4. While logfiles record visits length of visits, incoming links,
by search engines, page tagging demographic profile of visitors
does not. and so on. If ever you wanted a
trusted aide to comment upon your
5 Logfile web analytics record website's performance, the answer
failed visits too. Page tagging lies in installing a suitable web
takes a request into account only analytics program.
when a webpage is successfully
displayed.
About the Author:
Article by Josh at http://www.hostingfrenzy.com - Visit his site for a comprehensive web hosting directory, articles, tools, and more.
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Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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