A Brief Overview of Analytics

Although data analytics is a large field of study that comprises many sub-fields—including cognitive analytics for brain study and retail analytics for companies looking to maximize profits—most people in 2020 associate the term with the field of web analytics.

In this article, we’ll introduce readers to the concept of web analytics, why it is useful, and how it helps businesses reach more people and convert online interactions into opportunities to develop business.

Web Analytics

Web analytics, as the name implies, is the study of patterns in web traffic. The most basic unit of measurement used in web analytics is the traffic volume to a particular site. Website rankings are constantly shuffled by groups that monitor web traffic, most notably Google.

Raw traffic numbers are critical for gaining a favorable position on Google search pages. Research shows that nearly all Google users rely solely on first-page results to direct themselves to sites of interest. If you take a moment to reflect on your personal browsing habits, you’ll likely realize this is generally true. That’s why competition is fierce to gain a first-page position by gaming Google’s ranking system.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

In the digital era, key performance indicators (KPIs) are the gold standard for measuring the success of online marketing campaigns, customer outreach, and the effectiveness of content like videos in terms of how much return on investment (ROI) they generate for the company.

With the help of analytics to see who interacts with your site, what products or services they’re generally interested in, and how your company connected with the potential customer in the first place (via Facebook links, YouTube videos, or other social media platforms), you can become armed with the information you need to refine your future outreach for maximum effectiveness.

Web Analytics Tools

The internet is chock full of analytics tools. While some are free, many cost money. Some produce actionable, reliable reports that translate easily into action while others do not.

Google Analytics is far and away the most popular and most widely respected analytics tool. It’s also totally free. Since Google has an interest in aggregating as much data as possible, it is an open source for anyone who wants to know how their website is performing.

If you would like to learn more about the beneficial application of web analytics for your own business, contact us today.