Top Web Analytics Tools
October 7th, 2006Web analytic tools have come a long way since log file analysis. Once Webtrends ruled the domain, but in recent years client side visitor tracking has come to the forefront and companies like Omniture and Google Analytics (formerly Urchin) are dominating. Omniture, in particular, has a very rich business optimization offering and is the leader in the enterprise market. Omniture’s Discover and Data Warehouse tools are what make them really stand apart. Google Analytics is the favorite in the free tools department and while it doesn’t have the depth Of Omniture, it is a fantastic tool for small sites and offers a lot of enterprise level features. I have worked a lot with a few of the tools including Webtrends, NetTracker, Omniture, Google Analytics and Webalizer, however, many new tools that track visitor behavior have appeared so I thought I’d take a look.
There are two main methods how Web analytic tools work: log analysis and client side tracking. From experience I can say that client side tracking is by far the best. There are very few benefits of log analysis. Here’s a list of prominent Web analytics tools.
Omniture
Provides real-time measurement and monitoring of a site’s key performance indicators via client side tracking.
Google Analytics
Free (for most) client side tracking with a easy to use user interface.
WebTrends
They have always been the leader, but it seems they got hung on log analyis and while they now offer both client side tracking and log analysis solutions they have fallen behind.
NetTracker
They positioned themselves against Webtrends and also got caught in the middle between Omniture and Google Analytics with not much room. Log based and tracking pixel solutions available.
WebSideStory
Omniture’s closest competitor. Great enterprise solution, but they don’t seem to have the pasion that Omniture has for their business.
The Webalizer
Free log based analysis that’s been around for a while and many hosting providers offer Webalizer with their hosting solutions.
Nielsen//Netratings
Nielsen have the name, but they didn’t have a product so they bought RedSheriff. Enterprise solution that falls short of Omniture and WebSideStory.
Opentracker
Opentracker is tracking pixel based. Not free, but inexspensinve. Has interesting live demo.
OneStat
Free stat counter.
DeepMetrix LiveSTATS
Recently purchased by Microsoft. Will most probably be offered free as a Google Analytics alternative. More to come!
ClickTracks
ClickTracks Appetizer - software, log based - is available for free.
Coremetrics
Has a partnership with IBM and offers an analytics olution tailored for WebSphere Commerce customers.
AWStats
Free, open source. An alternative to Webalizer.
Clickstream
Log based and tracking pixel solutions available, however, not on an ASP model so you host your own analysis software.
Other Web analytics solutions:
eVisit Analyst
IndexTools
SageMetrics
WebtraffIQ
MyBlogLog