Forum Moderators: DixonJones
Thanks so much.
Patty
My take on this ...
log file analysis
Log file analysis = looking at the activity on your own web site. Useful for working out ...
* How people find your site
* Where visitors come from
* Which routes they take through your site
* How much they like your pages
* Any technical problems you have (errors, etc)
Cost = relatively inexpensive
click stream analysis
Click stream analysis = looking at the activity around your web site. Useful for working out ...
* Which sites your visitors go to after leaving you
* Traffic Market share + trends (how are you doing against your competitors)
Cost = loads of money!
There is a standard set of generic reports that all stats packages produce that can be considered basic log file analysis.
Beyond this basic analysis there are deeper more involved types of research that you can do.
One of those is click stream analysis which is also known as path analysis. This type of analysis tells you how people move through your site. Path analysis is somewhat complex because sites have many pages and each combination of pages is its own path.
Path analysis is a powerful tool because it can be used to help identify strengths and weaknesses in your website, and give you an idea of how your website is used.
I would say that segmenting users into different groups and looking at how they use the site is probably the most useful path analysis you can do. Only when you have an idea of the different types of customers that you have and how they use your site, can you start making informed decisions about how to improve your website.
This type of analysis tells you how people move through your site
Yep ... missed this aspect of it (slaps own forehead!)
Tracking traffic outside of your own web site is the expensive bit.
