"Tracking Website Traffic with Google Analytics"

"Tracking Website Traffic with Google Analytics"
By Merle http://MCPromotionsPress.com

In March of 2005, Google stepped in and purchased asoftware company named "Urchin". They made softwarewhich helped website owners track and analyze theirsite traffic. Rumors flew as to what Google had in store for their new found property.

Now they have renamed and released it as a free service,called "Google Analytics". Former Urchin users paid about two hundred dollars a month for something nowbeing offers to millions of users at no charge.

So what is "Google Analytics" and why should you care?It's used to track site traffic and will tell you things like how many pages were viewed, keywords usedto find your site, and what visitors do when visitingyour website.

A single account can track up to 40 different websites.Not only can you track your Google Adwords campaigns,but all of your other online marketing programs too.Such as email ads, banner advertising and your otherpay per click campaigns. It automatically imports yourAdwords cost data so you can track the effectivenessof your Adwords campaign. This is powerful informationand if you study it you'll find out what is and isn't working with your website, and your advertising campaigns.

Now before you disregard Analytics as a "freebie"service not worth your time and effort, think again.It's a full featured, powerful package with over 80 reports and many advanced features. It's easy to useeven for a beginner marketer.

Google has also partnered with a third party design firm called "Zaaz" to give the option of a paid service with additional features such as behavioral analysis, accuracy audits, site optimization, A/Btesting and other related services. They provide consulting, training and assist you in deciphering all of the information you get with Google Analytics.For more see...http://www.zaaz.com/default.asp?pageID=googleanalytics

If you already have a "Google Adwords" account you can sign up for Analytics from within the Adwordscontrol panel. Just look for the "Analytics Tab".If you're not an Adwords user you can sign up athttp://www.Google.com/analytics Unfortunately rightnow you'll have to wait. The service proved sopopular shortly after the launch, new sign upshave been temporarily suspended. You can go to thispage http://www.google.com/analytics/sign_up.html and leave your email address to be notified whenGoogle begins taking on new customers again.

Once you're registered you'll be given some Javascript code to paste onto the web pages you wantto track. If you don't use Adwords you'll have tokeep it under 5 million pageviews a month. If you'rea small business that should be pretty easy to do.Adwords users are allowed unlimited page view tracking which is another benefit of being aGoogle pay per click user.

There's a lot of buzz online as to what Google willbe doing with all of this new information they'llbe collecting. Some good, some bad and those concernedwith privacy believe you'll be letting Google know abit too much about your business stats. Either way,you'll want to take a look at it. If you don't havea way to currently analyze your website traffic,this is definitely a serious package to consider.If you do have a service already in place and arepaying a monthly fee, switching to Google Analyticswill help decrease your monthly expenses an put more money back in your pockets where it belongs.

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