Google Analytics
by Ryan - November 14th, 2005 11:31 am
Here in the SEO department, a continual problem arises as new clients come in the door. Many of them host their websites elsewhere and do not have access to log files or to a cost effective piece of log file analysis software. As any good seo or internet marketer should know, log files are like a website’s own little gold mine. Pieces of valuable information can be pulled from these logs on an ongoing basis.. if the logs are not made available to us, we begin working at a disadvantage.
Now, thanks to Google.. we seem to have a top notch solution to this problem. Google Analytics has been annouced and has literally shocked the internet marketing world. We all knew big G bought Urchin software a while back and there was specualtion abound as to how they were going to utilize this aquisition. But, now we know for sure. Google has made one of the most superior pieces of log file analysis software out there, available to all for FREE! That’s right, no cost to you. Previously a license for this awesome software ran about $600 – $800, for use on one domain. Now it costs nothing, for use on as many domains as you need. Just add a little bit of javascript to your website and your good to go.
Way to go Google. For any of you wondering why they would do such a thing, Google does have alterior motives. Google smartly realized many of their advertisers and publishers had this problem and never actually took a look at their logs. Which meant right off the bat, any site in this situation was not realizing its full potential (and if you think about it.. if an advertiser isn’t reaching its full potential, then Google is not profiting off of that advertiser as much as they could be). By taking the initative and providing a free service to access and analyze website use, Google is essentially providing their advertisers and publishers with the valuable information they need to make themselves AND Google more money. Not to mention the fact that Google will now have tons of user behavior existing on their servers to use for their own benefit down the road (any website that signs up will essentially be giving Google access to all of their user behavior information, since this is a Google hosted solution).
Either way.. this was a great move on Google’s part, unless of course your company develops log file analysis software and charges for it.. Then you’re probably not going to like this announcement.
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