Comments on: Google Analytics is Killing Your Website http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/ Building traffic and driving sales for Small Business and Bloggers since 2003. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:29:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: joearchery http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-2368 joearchery Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:52:23 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-2368 Brad, Thanks alot! I always thought Google Analytics should be used more than just a click counter. I love it but am not an expert at it... I believe Google really has so many tools. You've just boosted my Enthusiasm.. Brad, Thanks alot! I always thought Google Analytics should be used more than just a click counter. I love it but am not an expert at it… I believe Google really has so many tools. You've just boosted my Enthusiasm..

]]> By: Genetify: A free, open-source alternative to Google Website Optimizer for Split Testing http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1488 Genetify: A free, open-source alternative to Google Website Optimizer for Split Testing Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:25:19 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1488 [...] Website Optimizer on my Tools I Use list, and as an additional tool to help with your analytics in Google Analytics is Killing My Website, but it looks like there is a new player on the [...] [...] Website Optimizer on my Tools I Use list, and as an additional tool to help with your analytics in Google Analytics is Killing My Website, but it looks like there is a new player on the [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1139 admin Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:23:28 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1139 Haha. I'm just giving you a hard time. Thanks for keeping me on my toes. -Brad Haha. I’m just giving you a hard time. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

-Brad

]]> By: Mobile Analytics and the Spyware Discussion http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1132 Mobile Analytics and the Spyware Discussion Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:12:43 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1132 [...] analytics service and reporting engine to draw conclusions out of the collected data. Some people argue that the analytics are not all actionable or do not lead to any actions, but Google is the most [...] [...] analytics service and reporting engine to draw conclusions out of the collected data. Some people argue that the analytics are not all actionable or do not lead to any actions, but Google is the most [...]

]]> By: Chris Peters http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1131 Chris Peters Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:27:06 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1131 Ha, I figured you'd hate me after I wrote that. I'm really a sarcastic asshole. I'll put on my troll hat proudly. Good to know about the intended audience. But the problem is that if someone doesn't understand Analytics, then how are they going to understand to set up GWO. ;) People need to be hiring smart and talented guys like yourself more often. We shouldn't be teaching clients how to do _everything_ themselves. This reminds me of the moral of the story of this short film by Coudal Partners: http://www.coudal.com/cghfilm.php Enjoy. :) Ha, I figured you’d hate me after I wrote that. I’m really a sarcastic asshole. I’ll put on my troll hat proudly.

Good to know about the intended audience. But the problem is that if someone doesn’t understand Analytics, then how are they going to understand to set up GWO. ;)

People need to be hiring smart and talented guys like yourself more often. We shouldn’t be teaching clients how to do _everything_ themselves. This reminds me of the moral of the story of this short film by Coudal Partners:

http://www.coudal.com/cghfilm.php

Enjoy. :)

]]> By: admin http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1130 admin Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:52:12 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1130 Ha. I love that- "Written diarrhea". Chris: I'm glad to hear that if someone wanted to pay you (or me) to explain how to make Google Analytics work for their site that you could eventually get them to understand it. Put that on your resume, your promotional website, and open with that line at the bar on the best looking gal. Good for you. Personally, I consider any piece of software that requires hours of tutorials, consulting with someone like you or me, or a 400 page book to operate... well that's way too complicated. I'll bet you're against wheel chair ramps in public places too, because "You can walk up the stairs just fine". Alright, well maybe that was taking it a bit far. You sound like a smart guy but you have to realize that this article was written for the common man, not for web-savvy consultants like us. Ha. I love that- “Written diarrhea”.

Chris: I’m glad to hear that if someone wanted to pay you (or me) to explain how to make Google Analytics work for their site that you could eventually get them to understand it. Put that on your resume, your promotional website, and open with that line at the bar on the best looking gal. Good for you.

Personally, I consider any piece of software that requires hours of tutorials, consulting with someone like you or me, or a 400 page book to operate… well that’s way too complicated.

I’ll bet you’re against wheel chair ramps in public places too, because “You can walk up the stairs just fine”.

Alright, well maybe that was taking it a bit far. You sound like a smart guy but you have to realize that this article was written for the common man, not for web-savvy consultants like us.

]]> By: Chris Peters http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1120 Chris Peters Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:46:22 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1120 Written diarrhea. Way to misinform readers about Google Analytics. If you set up Goals, Campaigns, and Revenue tracking, you have something that's more powerful than just Google Website Optimizer alone. Both tools are excellent; you just need to know how to use them. Saying that small business owners don't understand GA is a cop-out, when you clearly don't know how to use it yourself. That's YOUR job. You say, "I love to help people drive traffic." I say, "I love to help people drive business results." There is a big difference. While you're leading your clients down the dead-end of getting on page 1 of Digg.com, the harbinger of high bounce rate, I'm helping people grow their businesses. Written diarrhea. Way to misinform readers about Google Analytics. If you set up Goals, Campaigns, and Revenue tracking, you have something that’s more powerful than just Google Website Optimizer alone. Both tools are excellent; you just need to know how to use them.

Saying that small business owners don’t understand GA is a cop-out, when you clearly don’t know how to use it yourself. That’s YOUR job.

You say, “I love to help people drive traffic.” I say, “I love to help people drive business results.” There is a big difference. While you’re leading your clients down the dead-end of getting on page 1 of Digg.com, the harbinger of high bounce rate, I’m helping people grow their businesses.

]]> By: admin http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1112 admin Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:55:16 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1112 Many thanks Joshua. I always meant to check out Crazy Egg but never felt like paying for analytics. Yet another way that Google Analytics has jaded me! Haha, Brad Many thanks Joshua. I always meant to check out Crazy Egg but never felt like paying for analytics. Yet another way that Google Analytics has jaded me!

Haha, Brad

]]> By: JoshuaNTaylor http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1111 JoshuaNTaylor Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:40:50 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1111 I'll go with that :) I think your point was well taken that if you just look at it briefly, you aren't getting what you should out of it. It definitely takes a little more work. Side note, CRAZY EGG is amazing. (and yes, you still have to know how to use that data too). Good post I’ll go with that :)
I think your point was well taken that if you just look at it briefly, you aren’t getting what you should out of it. It definitely takes a little more work.
Side note, CRAZY EGG is amazing. (and yes, you still have to know how to use that data too).
Good post

]]> By: admin http://www.bradleyspencer.com/2009/google-analytics-is-killing-your-website/#comment-1110 admin Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:06:29 +0000 http://www.bradleyspencer.com/?p=464#comment-1110 Joshua, You are certainly in the majority of readers who thought the same thing about my aricle. I'll admit the title is baity. But the meat & taters of this article is that GA is too damn complex for most (like 85% at least) of the people who use it. Hell, I think it's overly complex and I work with it day-in-and-day-out. If you are a small business owner with a website for your bistro or something, then you don't have time to learn how to use Google Analytics. You just want something that works the way you want it immediately. It's not that Google Analytics CAN'T do it, it's that making GA show what webmasters should be focusing on takes some skill and forethought that other analytics don't. -Brad Joshua,

You are certainly in the majority of readers who thought the same thing about my aricle. I’ll admit the title is baity.

But the meat & taters of this article is that GA is too damn complex for most (like 85% at least) of the people who use it. Hell, I think it’s overly complex and I work with it day-in-and-day-out. If you are a small business owner with a website for your bistro or something, then you don’t have time to learn how to use Google Analytics. You just want something that works the way you want it immediately. It’s not that Google Analytics CAN’T do it, it’s that making GA show what webmasters should be focusing on takes some skill and forethought that other analytics don’t.

-Brad

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