By Jeffrey Lye

Web analytics started up as tools to measure both the traffic and frequency of user interaction on websites. It has since been used in many other areas of expertise including SEO, Usability Reasearch, and marketing practices.

The following are some key points that help give context to 'web analytics'

Key benefits
- The ability to track users and usage
- Tracking conversion ratios of specific users
- Geo-targetting (based on IP origination)
- Helps in specific requirements for CPC
- Keyword 'campaign' tracking

Analytics package characteristics
Web Analytics
- Accuracy due to cache busting headers of page tag
- Advanced Client browser information - Language, Java version, screen resolution
- Overcomes the problem of not having access to the server log files
- Can track Web 2.0 applications such as Flash movies and AJAX
- Can track on page events and outbound links

Log File Analytics
- Captures Robot/Spider activity, useful for tracking click fraud bots
- The web server will always produce logs if the server is operational
- Log files capture web server errors and page redirects
- No vendor lock-in as you can load log files into any log analyser
- Possibility of a one off cost rather than monthly fee
- not reliant upon any 3rd party services, no potential downtime

Available Enterprise Solutions
- Webtrends
- mTracking
- Webalizer