Site Stats on Steroids

Is your Web site serving its purpose? To find out, you need to analyze factors related to what the site is supposed to do. Site statistics give you raw numbers, but Web analytics are like site stats on steroids. Analytics crunch those raw numbers into meaningful metrics — information you can use.

If you read our first book on Google Analytics, you already know what this tool can do and why that matters. (If you didn't, don't worry; there's an overview here, too.) This edition shows you what's new in version 2.0, helping you uncover specific details and use them like never before.

• Master basic analytics and Web statistics concepts

• Set up Google Analytics 2.0, choose the filters you need, and explore goals and goal-setting

• Learn about new features that enhance analysis, including cross-segment reporting and drilldown content

• Take control of Google Analytics with customizable dashboards and date ranges

• Examine every aspect of the available reports, including visitors, traffic sources, content, and goals

• Discover the specific reports suited for e-commerce sites and how to use them

• Maximize the integration of Google Analytics with Google AdWords

• Boost your use of Regular Expressions, write your own filters, and quantify your goals

• Shows readers how to use the FREE Google Analytics service to analyze and improve the quality of their Web content; it covers the latest release – Google Analytics 2.0
• Explains the concepts behind analytics, how to set up Google Analytics, how to choose goals and filters, how to read Google Analytics reports and graphs, and how to use that information to improve Web site performance
• Includes more in-depth information for an audience beyond beginners, including advanced tips and suggestions on how to get more from the reports that Google Analytics makes available to Webmasters, filter management, search engine marketing, content performance, and more


Is your Web site serving its purpose? To find out, you need to analyze factors related to what the site is supposed to do. Site statistics give you raw numbers, but Web analytics are like site stats on steroids. Analytics crunch those raw numbers into meaningful metrics—information you can use.

If you read our first book on Google Analytics, you already know what this tool can do and why that matters. (If you didn't, don't worry; there's an overview here, too.) This edition shows you what's new in version 2.0, helping you uncover specific details and use them like never before.

• Master basic analytics and Web statistics concepts

• Set up Google Analytics 2.0, choose the filters you need, and explore goals and goal-setting

• Learn about new features that enhance analysis, including cross-segment reporting and drilldown content

• Take control of Google Analytics with customizable dashboards and date ranges

• Examine every aspect of the available reports, including visitors, traffic sources, content, and goals

• Discover the specific reports suited for e-commerce sites and how to use them

• Maximize the integration of Google Analytics with Google AdWords

• Boost your use of Regular Expressions, write your own filters, and quantify your goals

Mary E. Tyleris a contributing editor at OSTG/NewsForge, the world's largest source of daily Linux coverage. She's a former software and Web developer who specializes in Open Source, enterprise software, intellectual property, and anything Macintosh.

Introduction.

Part One: Basic Analytics.

Chapter 1. Why Analytics?

Chapter 2. Analytics and AWStats.

Chapter 3. Yes! More AWStats.

Part Two: Setting Up Google Analytics.

Chapter 4. Getting Started.

Chapter 5. The Settings Dashboard.

Chapter 6. Filtering Your Data.

Chapter 7. Using Analytic Goals.

Chapter 8. AdWords Integration.

Chapter 9. Advanced Topics.

Part Three: The Dashboards.

Chapter 10. The New Dashboard.

Chapter 11. Setting Date Ranges.

Part Four: All Reports: Visitors.

Chapter 12. Visitors Overview.

Chapter 13. Visitor Trending.

Chapter 14. Visitor Loyalty.

Chapter 15. Browser Capabilities.

Chapter 16. Network Properties.

Chapter 17. User Defined.

Part Five: All Reports Traffic Sources.

Chapter 18. Traffic Sources.

Chapter 19. AdWords.

Chapter 20. Additional Traffic Reports.

Part Six: All Reports: Content.

Chapter 21. Content Overview.

Part Seven: All Reports: Goals.

Chapter 22. Goals Overview.

Part Eight: All Reports: E-Commerce.

Chapter 23. E-Commerce.

Chapter 24. Product Performance.

Chapter 25. More E-Commerce Reports.

Index.