Google´s Web Analytics

Eileen Chang

Overview

Last year, Google purchased Urchin, a web analytics software firm based in San Diego, California. Several months later they introduced the integration of Urchin on demand and Urchin 5 into the Google Analytics as a free web service, not software. It’s easy-to-use comprehensive synopses of user tracking are detailed and resourceful for marketing and optimizing sites. Analysis work on a marketer and webmaster’s side can be long and intricate. With Google Analytics, it is already done. For search marketers, keywords are perhaps the most important tool to focus on. Analytics provides the top five for the researchers requested span of time. Researchers can also easily see demographics of users like the ratio of new to returning visitors or the user’s screen resolution just with one click.

Benefits to Search Marketing and Web Site Optimization

If your company has enough funding, sponsored listing is a great and easy resource to advertise within searches. But it is only reasonable if the user types in the exact keywords or phrase. By having a full understanding of where searches are made, the sources users click from and the most clicked link from the home page to the user page, marketers are able to determine the best keywords to focus on and ensure that they are top in the biddings. However, not all online users look to sponsored listings as their first source. Algorithmic (organic) searching is often the first screening users click through to find the right web site. Analytics provides where the clicks are coming from, either sponsored or organic, and allows marketers to place more focus on which one provides the highest click-through rates. Opposed to sponsored listing, organic is much harder to receive first placement, let alone top ten. With the ability to see where a user comes in and track the area where exits are made, web marketers are able to fully communicate to webmasters what keywords to focus on in html or php scripting.

Benefits to Web Design

For webmasters, it is crucial that sites are observable in all web browsers, especially the browser that most of the site’s market is using. Analytics comes in handy because it includes an entire webmaster’s section with web design parameters. The parameters provide both unique visitor counts and percentages for everything from browser version to screen colors to connection speed. A useful tool the service offers is the statistics for the browser and platform combination. The designer can then accommodate his or her work to ensure site quality on each of the browsers and associating platforms, while continuing to place more emphasis on the highest used.

Kosmos Tips for Google Analytics

  1. Explore all the features: the site may be overwhelming, but a thorough run through of what it has to offer may speed up optimization efforts.
  2. Log on daily: tracking statistical trends enable marketers and designers to find the weaker areas to work on and balance funding in the right places.
  3. Don’t forget to add the tracking code into scripting: without the code, no statistics will show.
  4. Use it as a general business marketing tool: it provides an understanding of what and where the business market is.
    1. Geo Map Overlay – a graphical view of where in the world the site is receiving hits
    2. Visits by source – a pie graph of what sites the users are incoming from, such as a particular advertising banner to Google
    3. Visit by new and returning – a pie graph showing the ratio of new and returning users; it is useful for advertising analysis
As many benefits Google Analytics has, it should only be used in conjunction with other current site statistics like Google Site Maps or a self-programmed reporting server. In order to obtain the best marketing and site analysis, it is important to have other sources to compare and contrast all the given information.

What Google Analytics Can Do For Your Site’s Organic Search Results

Google Analytics is also an overall tool that compliments current suggested Search Engine Optimization, such as:
  1. Keyword or key phrase analysis
  2. Basic page optimization for copy design layout and loading
  3. Quality referral linking
  4. SEO friendly eCommerce Shopping Cart software
  5. Increased traffic
  6. Quality Hosting
When searching for an optimization package from any SEO company, make sure there is a good balance of all these features. It will ensure quality service and speed up the process of becoming top ten in online searches.

Analytics Update

The Google staff recently announced that the service has opened up for instant registration. Previously, there was a waiting period to become a member of Analytics.

To register or learn more about its features and services, go to Google Analytics.