Services analyze effectiveness of your company's Web sites

As with any marketing effort, the effectiveness of a corporate Web site must be gauged by measurable customer responses.

Direct customer feedback, focus groups and usability testing can provide valuable information, but a fundamental component of any Webmaster's toolkit is a solid Web analytics package.

Web analytics has evolved from buzzword status to describe an entire industry devoted to studying the behavior of Web site visitors.

Traditionally, Web site analysis was based on server logfiles - detailed information on visitors that is automatically captured by every Web server.

This method has the advantage that raw data already exists and it's independent of the users' Web browsers. Logfile analysis also captures information about page-loading errors and visits from search engine "spiders" that could be useful in site optimization.

'Page tagging' is effective

However, most current analytical packages use another data collection method, called "page tagging."

In this method, a small snippet of Javascript code is embedded into each page on a site. When the page is loaded, the code is executed and sends user data back to the Web analytics server.

This method allows collection of information not normally captured by logfiles. It also enables the analytics package to run on a third-party server. However, it's dependent on the Javascript capability of the user's Web browser. The best analytical tools use a hybrid of both methods.

If your company is looking for a good Web analytics package, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of vendors.

Determine needs

The first step is deciding what type of package suits your needs. Server-side packages are installed on your company's Web server, and typically involve an up-front cost that can range from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. Such applications may be included with Web server software, but they are typically not as full-featured as dedicated Web analytics products.

Client-side applications run on a desktop computer and store data locally, so reports can be accessed even without an Internet connection. These applications also require an up-front license fee.

Both server-side and client-side software may provide support contracts at additional cost. Hosted solutions run on the vendor's server and require a monthly subscription fee. In some ways, these are the easiest packages to manage, as they do not require software installation or maintenance. However, the monthly costs of a hosted solution can quickly add up to more than the up-front cost of other packages.

Analytical site services

Small businesses or those with relatively basic Web sites should check out Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics), a free hosted service. The service offers enhanced features if you purchase Google Adwords, and provides a convenient way to see if your ad campaign is getting the results you want.

Other big-name vendors include WebTrends, one of the few companies that survived the dot-com implosion in 2001, WebSideStory, and Coremetrics.

You can also download a detailed comparison of Web analytics vendors and methods from www.ga-experts.co.uk/web-data-sources.pdf.

Of course, having the reports is only half the battle. Acting on them to refine and improve your Web presence is the other half, and that's what makes a Web site truly effective.

Ken Doyle is principal consultant for Loquent LLC, a Madison-based company that offers technology training and consulting services.