Web Analytics
First browser and the World Wide Web (www) emerged in 1993, since then, log files helped to track web requests. Analysis of these log files helped to understand the interaction between a user and a website. This is the basic form of web analytics. In today's online world, users have options to share their experiences about web sites. Many researchers have developed different methods to evaluate these User Experiences. Web Analytics is thus, as a method helps to evaluate user behavior on the website. There are multiple usage of web analytics in the domains of health care, social networking, E-commerce, public policy and many more.
Key terms
User Experience
according to ISO 9241–210 standard has defined User Experience as a set of perceptions and responses of a user before, after, or during the use of a product, system or service.
Web Analytics
Web Analytics is the process of analyzing the behavior of a user when interacting with a website or a mobile application. For example, Indian Government uses web analytics for public policy affairs.
Metrics
Indicator(s) that help to measure and interpret the web site analytics. These can be as simple as no. of clicks on the web site pages and can be complex by combining set of metrics e.g. events engaging users from various locations.
A/B testing
It is an experimental technique to compare two versions of a
webpage, application, or email to decide which one is better.
Natural Language Processing
Applies artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to process micro texts (words, SMS, parts of speeches and writings) for useful insights. It is used in sentiment analysis, automation for customer support.
SEO
Search Engine optimization (SEO) is linking websites for indexing and faster searching e.g. Google uses pagerank algorithm for faster search of websites and related internet materials through key word search.
Tools and Metrics
This section gives you a brief about tools, metrics and application of Web analytics.
Tools
Google analytics, Adobe analytics, Mixpanel, Kopra, Open Web Analytics are some of the widely used analytical tools for analyzing web data. These tools are computer programs that help monitor web site and user engagement with the sites to generate meaningful information for decision making.
Metrics
Traffic, Number of clicks, Conversion rate, Bounce rate are some of the vital metrics used by web analytic softwares to report useful information for decision making. Number of users visiting the web site (traffic), conversion rate (users visiting the site take desirable action), Bounce rate (users leaving the web site) are important to understand user interaction with websites. Click through rate, Hits, Page views, Sessions, Visit/Session are some of the metrics used in web analytics.
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Application and Cases
Reaching to a large population for citizen welfare programs is one of the public policy application. Whereas, using the website to run election campaign, advertising campaign or brand selection for products launched by companies are some of the examples of using web analytics by business houses. Some of the successful cases are mentioned on the web analytical tools such as Google analytics have discussed range of cases from various business domains like Hotel, Gaming, beauty products.