What is the value of Web analytics tools?

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Web Analytics tool is the analyst's weapon, an excellent website analysis tool can make our analysis work with less effort. So how do we choose web Analytics tools? For this question, my former boss gave a good answer with another question. That is: "What is the value of web analytics tools to the site?" This is a great answer. When we choose a Web analytics tool, the first thing to consider is what value it can bring to the site.

Of course, any excellent website analysis tool can not automatically generate insight and optimization recommendations. It can only tell us what's going on in the web by data, and it doesn't tell us why this is happening, and how we can increase or avoid this happening again. These all need to be analyzed by people. So the answer to the Web analytics tool is "what is the value of analytics tools for analysts?" This article will analyze and contrast the differences between the different analytical tools and their value for the analytical work from 5 different aspects.

1 logical display of various indicators in the website

One of the most basic functions of web analytics Tools is to collect and present data, which are similar to the data tracked by different tools. But there is a big difference between these tools in the presentation of the data. The data appears as an indicator in different locations in different reports. Excellent web analytics tools display data in a logical way, rather than piling up data. This is also the first step that analysts use to determine whether an analytical tool is good.

The following is a comparison of the data presented by three different web analytics tools in search engine reports.

Baidu Statistical Search engine report

Baidu statistics in the search engine report, the system default indicators show a total of 5 indicators. The number of visits, visitors, IP, bounce rate and average length of visit. These 5 indicators, although we should pay attention to, but in the presentation still need to have some logic. Otherwise it becomes a stacked data. For example: Search engine most of the main source of traffic, we should be concerned about the first is the flow of different search engines, and search engine traffic can not be measured by the amount of browsing (PV). And the amount of browsing is an absolute value, a user browsing 10 pages and 10 users browsing only one page in the total browsing amount of data is the same. This value is not helpful in determining the quantity and quality of the search engine traffic. In addition, the number of visitors (UV) and IP number is two overlapping indicators. Early on we used IP to record visitors, but due to the limitations of the IP address. Most tools are now starting to use cookies to record visitors. The same indicator, different manifestations and data differences will cause confusion to the report viewer. As a composite index, it is meaningful to display the absolute value of the number of accesses.

CNZZ (Panorama) search engine report

The CNZZ (Panorama) search engine report shows 4 indicators, namely, search times, independent visitors, IP and key words. The arrangement of 4 metrics has some simple logic. The first three search times, independent visitors and IP can be seen as a measure of the amount of search engine traffic. And the key words can be seen as a measure of SEO indicators. But there are also some problems. For example, the first index search times, the name of this indicator is obviously wrong. Because as a third party web analytics tool, it is difficult to get search engine keyword searching times. I think it would be more accurate to change the "number of search arrivals" here. In the percentage of the search, the search engine as an important source of traffic, we need to measure the height of the whole station on the traffic contribution of different search engines, not just local. CNZZ (Panorama) and Baidu statistics have the same problem in the display of independent visitors and IP indicators. It's good to use just one metric to measure the same thing. Finally, the key word is indeed an important indicator, he can measure the Web site from the search engine to obtain traffic in the wide and healthy degree. But this indicator should be mainly for free search engine traffic, that is, SEO. At the same time, the number of key words and the previous indicators are not the same level of indicators. It makes more sense to put it into the segmentation reports of different search engines.

Google Analytics Search Engine Report

In Google Analytics's search engine report, a total of 5 indicators were presented. They are the number of visits, each page, the average site stay, the number of new visits and the bounce rate. The first metric is a measure of quantity, and the next four indicators are measured by confrontation. The presentation of the data in the report is very logical. The first thing we want to focus on is the search engine that brings the most traffic, and secondly we want to measure the quality of these flows. Because visitors each visit the site for different purposes, it is more objective to measure quality based on the number of visits rather than the number of visitors. At the same time, putting all the metrics of confrontation and the absolute value of the number of visits together makes it easy to grasp the point. For example, the traffic from Sogou in the above figure is very poor, bounce rate of 100%, but his access number is very low, only once. So we don't have to fuss over the high jump rate, and we can totally ignore it.

2 customizable and integrated with Web site business objectives

Can web analytics tools meet the needs of all Web sites? Because each site has different goals, the same is true for the needs of the data. Therefore, no one web analytics tool can meet all the analysis requirements of the site. But excellent web analytics tools can be customized to get as close as possible to the needs of different sites, such as: Tracking the way of customization, access to data customization, report presentation customization and so on. So how to combine the numbers in the analysis tool with the site goals is also the second step in measuring whether a tool is good or not.

Baidu Statistics Report Setup

In the report customization of Baidu Statistics provides a number of methods, such as: Target settings, traffic exclusion, designated advertising tracking, Cross-domain tracking and event target tracking and so on. These customization methods can basically achieve end-to-end data tracking and analysis of the entire Web site. At the same time, in the report Baidu statistics also provides a simple customization of indicators. Through these methods can basically achieve the combination of data and goals, to meet the needs of most web site analysis.

CNZZ (Panorama) Report Settings

Relative to Baidu Statistics, CNZZ (panorama) Customization function is relatively simple. Only provides a variety of flow exclusion filtering mode. For example: by domain name, IP address and referral domain name and so on. And does not provide the flow mark and the goal setting and so on important function. This will also not be able to complete the site End-to-end tracking and analysis work. These features are slightly inadequate for sites with ROI analysis requirements.

Google Analytics Report Settings

Google Analytics's custom functionality and flow-filtering capabilities are arguably the most powerful of the three tools. In addition to the flow provides a variety of filtering and rewriting mode, but also provides event-class targets, parameter filtering and other functions. GA provides multiple target settings and matching patterns in target settings. With the flow mark function of the front section Google Analytics can easily finish End-to-end analysis. In conjunction with the custom reports and advanced group functions in the Google Analytics report, you can output any mode of traffic report according to the site's target.

3 leading the analyst to find the problem in the data

Web analytics will ultimately require a person to complete, but if the tools can help with some basic analysis and excavation work, and help us find the problem is certainly very popular, because it reduces the analyst's massive duplication of work. At present, the most used method of Web site analysis is to subdivide and find out the problem by subdivision. Therefore, the ability to use a multidimensional degree of depth for the indicator is the third step in judging whether a tool is good or not.

Baidu Statistical Index Subdivision

Baidu statistics in the search engine report, the indicators can be 3 dimensions of the subdivision, respectively, search engines, keywords, and geographical dimensions. A three-dimensional breakdown can help us see some simple questions, which is helpful to analysts. However, in the actual work, the flow of the problem is often beyond our imagination, distributed in different dimensions. Therefore, Baidu statistics in the depth of the subdivision is not a problem, but in the breadth of the dimension can not meet the actual analysis needs.

CNZZ (Panorama) Index subdivision

CNZZ (Panorama) in the subdivision of the relatively simple, search engine reports can only be subdivided into the keyword level. and Baidu statistics compared slightly less. For ordinary personal webmaster basic enough, but it is difficult to cope with a number of complex analysis needs.

Google Analytics Metrics Segmentation

Google Analytics can complete 5 dimensional segmentation in search engine reports. And the index can complete the subdivision under any dimension. This makes Google Analytics has an advantage in terms of depth and breadth of the subdivision.

4 use of user-friendly indicators and descriptions

Indicators are the basis for web analytics. In Web analytics tools, Easy-to-understand metrics and descriptions Let us quickly understand what numbers mean. As most of the web analytics indicators are translated from English, it may be the name of most indicators have been agreed commonly known. So I don't see a very straightforward indicator in the tool. This also lets many new contact website Analysis Friend to study for a while, can begin the analysis work. But I still think that the name of the indicator should be more simple and easy to understand, more popular. Therefore, I also put the tool in the description of the indicators as a tool to determine whether the good of the fifth step.

Baidu Statistic Index Description

Baidu Statistics Report The description of the indicators is the best I think, because most of the indicators are consistent with industry standards. And in the browse volume and the number of visitors two indicators are also marked separately in English index abbreviation. This is helpful for the analyst to read the report again when the tool is replaced. Suggest other Chinese index can also mark English index abbreviation. Keep the metrics description in the report consistent.

CNZZ (panorama) Indicator description

CNZZ (panorama) The indicator description of statistics looks cluttered, with the Chinese index name and initials appearing in different locations in the report. Although it is a matter of detail, it is clearly not well planned. This seems to make the whole tool unprofessional and confusing for the new analyst. Similarly, the data and reports presented by such indicators can be confusing.

Google Analytics Metrics Description

As an English web analytics tool, all the metrics in Google Analytics are translated in English. Google Analytics can switch between Chinese and English versions at any time, so it's no harm to not provide English index abbreviations. It's worth mentioning that Google has a question mark next to each indicator, click on the logo can immediately see the definition of indicators and calculation methods. This is really great.

5 Professional and perfect service and technical support

Service and support is essential to every web analytics tool, and the perfect tool will also have problems, and the senior website analyst also needs to be familiar with the tools. So, the tool out of the problem is not scary, terrible is out of the problem can not find solutions and support. The analyst's time is wasted on solving the problem of the tool itself. Therefore, whether the Web Analytics tool can provide professional and perfect service and technical support is the fifth step to judge whether a tool is good or not.

Baidu Statistics Service and support

Baidu Statistics also provide help Center and the official blog to provide help and support. The problem is categorized in the Help Center, and an animated tutorial is provided to make the entire help and support services complete and in place.

CNZZ (Panorama) service and support

CNZZ (Panorama) counts as a billing tool that provides help center and telephone service. I used to call their questions. Feel the reaction speed is very fast. Simple questions can be answered immediately, and complex questions will be answered the next day.

Google Analytics Services and support

Google Analytics in China's services, although it is a free tool, but due to the professionalism of the tool itself, many features in the absence of professional services and support the situation can not be widely used.

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