Web analytics is the process of measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of web data in order to understand how to optimize web resources.
The first free web analytics system was created in 1995. It generated reports from log files (server log, where all user actions on the site are recorded), and could also present data in graphical form. In the 2000s, websites became more complex and required a new way to collect information from pages. Javascript tags became this way of collecting info. JS code is installed on site pages. When the user loads the page, the code is triggered and all the information is collected in the database. One of the most popular web analytics systems nowadays – Google Analytics – was implemented in 2006.
The main purpose of web analytics is to collect and analyze data about site visitors in order to optimize or improve it. With this data, you will be able to identify the weak points of the site, find out about the audience and its needs, define the tasks that the site must solve, and draw up a plan to improve its effectiveness.
Web analytics helps solve the next problems (tasks):
In Google Analytics you can set up goals, get audience data, see effective channels and other data formatted into clear reports, but this cannot be called analytics.
Web analytics provides answers to the question and recommendations for improvement, while reports only provide data. Analytics helps to make forecasts for the future based on past and present performance. But the data in the reports is information about the past. In other words, the reporting system is an important part of web analytics, but not a replacement.
Web analytics products: Google Analytics, AT Internet, Adobe Analytics, Smartlook, Hotjar, etc.
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