Google Analytics vs WebTrends
Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
I'm measuring my web traffic using 2 different services - and getting dramatically different reports. Google Analytics vs WebTrends: which should I believe?
The variance in the reporting is substantial, and each gives quite a different slant on reporting how well my web site is performing:
But why are contradictory trends reported even at a macro level by these two systems?
The answer, of course, is that each system is using different ways of handling cookies (deleting and non-acceptance), different ways of defining the word "daily", and indeed the use of different technologies like JavaScript. It's really for me to get a better handle on both packages and get a deeper understanding of what the statistics are saying to me.
If you want to learn more Stone Temple Consulting's 2007 Web Analytics ShootOut gives a very useful overview.
I also think it is time for a reality check, and a reminder that it still isn't possible to measure the effectiveness of other marketing campaigns like direct mail, radio ads or any of those quaint ways of marketing (!)
I will stick with running both web analytics packages, and together they will serve to validate each other's results and help me to test the quality of the data.
Why am I using both Google Analytics and WebTrends? To help advise clients:
I'm measuring my web traffic using 2 different services - and getting dramatically different reports. Google Analytics vs WebTrends: which should I believe?
The variance in the reporting is substantial, and each gives quite a different slant on reporting how well my web site is performing:
- Google Analytics reported twice the number searchers clicking through for the keyphrase "internet marketing training"
- WebTrends reported 12% more unique visitors
- Google Analytics says my visitors are primarily from UK, Ireland and Sweden
- WebTrends says my visitors are from UK, USA and unspecified European places
But why are contradictory trends reported even at a macro level by these two systems?
The answer, of course, is that each system is using different ways of handling cookies (deleting and non-acceptance), different ways of defining the word "daily", and indeed the use of different technologies like JavaScript. It's really for me to get a better handle on both packages and get a deeper understanding of what the statistics are saying to me.
If you want to learn more Stone Temple Consulting's 2007 Web Analytics ShootOut gives a very useful overview.
I also think it is time for a reality check, and a reminder that it still isn't possible to measure the effectiveness of other marketing campaigns like direct mail, radio ads or any of those quaint ways of marketing (!)
I will stick with running both web analytics packages, and together they will serve to validate each other's results and help me to test the quality of the data.
Why am I using both Google Analytics and WebTrends? To help advise clients:
- Google Analytics is free, whereas Webtrends is a service you rent, costing typically £20 per month plus setup fees
- Your data is confidential with WebTrends, whereas I'm sure Google are peeking at my data
Labels: Google, SEO, Toolkit, web design
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