Web Analytics

Web analytics is the practice of analyzing web site traffic through the use of specialized tools to better achieve goals and understand usage trends.

Fast Facts

1. Free and for-pay solutions
2. Offline method: analyzes server log files
3. Online method: gathers data from code embedded on web pages
4. Related to search engine optimization

An Evolving Industry

Web analytics has been a concern of web site owners and managers since the general public began to use the World Wide Web in the 1990s. Originally, analytics was little more than tracking the number of impressions a particular web page received according to the web server's log files. This method was satisfactory when most web pages consisted of a small number of static pages.

Today, the World Wide Web is a dynamic environment driven, in part, by commerce. Demographic information and user practices are essential data for advertisers. A number of tools and services, both for-pay and free, have become available for individuals and business use.

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