What Is Google Analytics

Ever wondered about your website visitors -- where they come from and what they do on your website? Get all the answers for free with Google's comprehensive website analytics service that logs and presents detailed statistics about the people who visit your website. Google provides extensive tutorials for newbies while experts can take advantage of custom reports for more flexibility.

Key Features
1. Real-Time - Google Analytics logs and reports each page view within seconds, so you can see statistics about the people who are on your website at the current moment, including how they got to your website, where they are on your website and where in the world they're located.
2. Advanced Segments - Pick out a subset of your website traffic, such as purchasers or new visitors, to analyze the group in isolation. Then, compare the group with another segment of your website traffic.
3. Content Experiments - Bring out the scientist in you by creating different versions of a web page and testing which page is more successful in getting your visitors to perform a predefined action.
4. Ecommerce Tracking - By adjusting your tracking code, you can get a detailed look at your customers, their motivation for purchasing and their purchases. This information will help you identify your top products and effective marketing campaigns.
5. Flow Visualization - Flow charts help you visualize the paths visitors take through your website. It's especially valuable to know where your visitors leave your website during a path toward a potential conversion.
6. AdWords and AdSense Integration - Whether you have pay-per-click ads for your website with Google or ads on your website by Google, statistics on interaction with these components can be included in your Google Analytics reporting.
7. Site Search - Delve into the minds of your visitors by monitoring what they search for while they are on your website. This reveals directions for product or service development, and identifies navigation opportunities.
How It Worksr
When you insert the Google Analytics tracking code at the top of each web page on your website, the JavaScript is executed every time someone retrieves one of those pages. Using non-intrusive first-party cookies, Google collects anonymous information about the visitor and stores this data on their servers. All of the data is available to you virtually in real-time in your Google Analytics reports.

What This Means for Businessesr
Statistics aren't worthwhile to a business if they cannot be implemented. Google Analytics is your key to improving or increasing your return on investment (ROI). The tool allows you to monitor marketing campaigns and track metrics, such as revenue. Determine what's working on your website, and adjust your website design and content accordingly to increase conversions and make more money online with campaigns based on data instead of guesswork.