Google Analytics

General Analytics Discussions

[MattyG]

I firmly believe that something will never be able to be done properly until it is understood. I am ,to a certain extent, able to use the google analytics functions and such but I am battling to understand how and why it works...

Is there anyone that can please take the time to explain in detail how and why google analytics works?

I think that by people reading and posting this topic will have a better understanding of google analytics and therefore will be able to have more effective adverts with lower cost and higher CTR...

[cgrantski]

The book Google Analytics for Dummies is pretty good at addressing this extremely broad topic.

[MattyG]

I'll look into this.. thanx

[cgrantski]

Depending on your level of knowledge in the analytics area itself, there are a number of books that will explain the underlying concepts and methods that are common to most of the analytics tools, including GA. I like "Web Analytics Demystified" but there are plenty of others.

[goodsite]

I don't understand google analytics well. It is different than what my log analysis shows.

[cgrantski]

Right, there are lots of reasons for that. The big one is that your site logs show spider activity and GA doesn't. The other might be that your GA tagging is incomplete. Seriously, a book or a long session going through GA's help area would make you a lot more comfortable with it.