e all know we should be
using web analytics to Page Tagging Advantages
analyse web site visitor
behaviour and online marketing • Because data is collected
channel performance. However what client side this gets around any
type of web analysis should we proxy and caching problems
use? Should you go for log file • Will give you information on
analysis or page tagging or a bit web design parameters such as
of both? First of all let's browser versions, platform
define what we mean by these versions, screen resolution,
terms. connection speed etc
• Track client side events such
Page tagging involves placing a as JavaScript and flash events
piece of code usually
externalised JavaScript on each Page Tagging Disadvantages
page of your site and is
sometimes referred to as • Firewalls can prevent or
client-side data collection. interfere with script
Every time a tagged page is processing• Set up costs
opened by a visitor's browser the associated with insertion of
script is processed and visitor code.
information collected. Log file • Insertion of code can lead to
analysis refers to data collected errors
by your web server. What's the • Will not pick up page errors
difference from a web analytics such as 404s
point of view? • Because robots ignore scripts
can not track search engine
The bad news is that both spiders
strategies have their advantages • Unable to directly track non
and disadvantages so here goes. html pages
• Vendor Specific persistent cookies your web
analytics programme can not
Logfile Analysis Advantages identify unique visitors
therefore all visitors are lumped
• Historical Data can be together as total. Typically
analysed unique visitors represent about
• Little set up cost 20 -30% of total web site visits
• No firewall issues so this metric will be inflated
• Easily track page errors by this amount. Sometimes you'll
• Can track Search Engine see a dramatic reduction in site
spiders visits. This is usually because
• Vendor Independent web analytics programmes strip
• Can track non html pages such out the loading of graphics which
as pdfs are erroneously counted as visits
by other programs.
Logfile Disadvantages
Other differences in visitor
• Proxy/caching inaccuracies. numbers are usually due to how
If a page is cached no record is programs define a visit. A visit
logged on your web server duration of 30 minutes means that
•No web design parameters multiple visits from the same IP
• No event tracking address with-in this time period
will be counted as a single
If you are used to looking at web visit. Change this parameter to
statistics using Web Trends for 15 minutes and these visits could
instance you may see significant be counted several times and your
differences in visitor numbers. total visits will increase.
When moving to logfile analysis Finally, when a web browser loads
visitor numbers may increase by a PDF file is brings down
20-30%. If your site is not using different parts of the file at
different time and some programs these differences and manage the
can count this as multiple expectations of your colleagues
requests for the same file. A as surprise drops in web site
good web analytics programme will metrics can sometimes lead to
collapse these multiple downloads disenchantment with measuring web
into a single. site performance altogether.
It is important to understand
About the Author:
Jim Williams is the Managing Director of the Web Strategy Consultancy http://www.ju2.com
Read more articles by:
JMA Williams
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
