What Is Web Analytics?

If you're serious about using your Web site to attract business and serve existing customers, you need to go beyond the simple traffic counter. Web site analysis tools can track the myriad ways people

Using these tools, you can discover:

• How many users visit your site, how many return, and how often
• How users are navigating through your site
• Where in the "conversion funnel" or purchasing process they're getting stuck and leaving
• What content your visitors are looking for, and whether they're finding it
• Exactly which form fields are driving people away rather than bringing them in

Site analytics differs from Web site optimization, which is the process of making sure your site is user-friendly. For more on optimization, read What Is Search Engine Optimization? To understand how site analytics can improve your business, read on.