Web Analytics Solutions: I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore

Howard Beale in the award winning 1976 movie classic “Network” was mad as hell and right now I’m feeling the same way. I just finished reading an article by Jennifer LeClaire in E-Commerce Times 03/28/06 entitled “Comparing Web Analytics Tools: Which Is Right for You?”. The article is well written and quite informative but it is missing one essential element that goes to the root of my frustration and why “I’m not going to take it anymore.”

Tracking and monitoring server logs is just one element of a total web analytics solution, yet it seems that this one metric has grabbed the attention of industry analysts and writers as the Holy Grail of web site research.

My frustration stems from the fact that every day I see articles much like the one I’ve mentioned that profess to layout the pros and cons of various web analytics tools, when in fact what these articles are all doing is simply comparing the differences between solutions that essentially do the same thing – track, monitor and report server log activity.

Well, I’m here to say that there’s far more to web analytics tools than offerings that track server logs. Bryan Eisenberg President of FutureNow Inc said it best when he reminded attendees at a recent Ad-Tech Impact event “behind every click is a person”. And no amount of server log analysis can tell you what’s going on inside the hearts and minds of your web site visitors. Those people have opinions and thoughts about their web experiences that no server log analysis will ever accurately reveal.

So wake up marketers. It's time to recognize that you are missing a big chunk of intelligence if you are relying strictly on your server log analysis to point the way for your ongoing web strategies and initiatives. You can start by adding listening tools to your research and web metrics arsenal. Do some attitudinal research focused on your web site visitors (yes, this is self serving, but at least I’m being upfront about it) or just start to take note of, and track the feedback you get from visitors to your site. You just might get a whole new perspective on your customer’s web site experience.