WebTrends
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[edit] What is WebTrends?
WebTrends is a Web Analytics tool to collect and present information about a users behaviour on a website, extranet, intranet, of whatever kind of web-solution resulting in page reloads* and action thru a browser.
[edit] About the tool
The idea behind WebTrends is to be able to present all possible data on all possible websites in the maximum detail and the highest reliability, with the largest possibility of customization. This in turn creates a tool which is extremely complex, due to the number of configuration parameters, and at the same time requires much from the administrator in terms of the correct syntaxes, Web and Internet technology knowledge etc. It also calls for a tool, which is quite resource demanding due to the requirement of being able to process extremely large (easily 2-4Gb of data/hour and above) quantities of data. The greatest challenge lies in presenting information understandable for the end-user. This is done thru a highly configurable report presentation interface, where it is possible to process, change, compile, customize and collect specific bits and pieces of information to a full picture, not presenting more than the necessary information.
[edit] Presentation of collected data
The log files are analyzed, and presented in WebTrends generated on-demand reports, thru a login interface, where access, data, and functionality can be customized.
The interface presents reports like top pages, referrers, search words, visitor information etc in detailed tables, with some drill-down options. The data is also normally presented in graphs, although these require Java runtime environment, and are not always as detailed as the "raw" table data.
There is basically no limit as to what data the users can request. The way the data is presented, can also be customized to a high degree, although some limits are applied due to the nature of the tool.
[edit] Practical uses
From a user perspective this is what you can use web analytics like WebTrends for:
- Benchmarking information about your site before and now
- Information about what happens on a site or a specific page
- Behaviour on the site, page or specific functionality
- Information about the traffic search engine refer to your site
- Some intelligence about the users of the website
- Tracking of news letters and external campaigns**
At the same time - and this is somewhat more interesting - you can use the tool to optimize the website. Here are a few examples: - In depth analysis on conversion scenarios like sales, newsletter subscriptions and other processes requiring user interaction.
- Information on most popular pages and their next and previous steps, giving you the ability to alter these to accommodate your targets.
- Double-check whether your search engine vendors are keeping their promises ;)
[edit] Collection of data
There are basically 2 ways of doing this:
[edit] Built-in Tracking / SDC
WebTrends can either collect data using its own collecting mechanism, (Smart Source Data Collector / SDC), where data is collected by implementing a 4Kb script on each page of the website, which then in terms collects a myriad of variables about the user like: - The page you are visiting - The page you just left (assuming you just entered the site thru a link, or came from a page within the tracking realm) - You revisit information (assuming you have visited the site before) - IP address - Country Code - Screen Resolution - Browser Version - Browser and Window Size - Java Script Support - Regional settings Among other information. This information is - assuming you support cookies and the type of tracking script, normally JavaScript - very accurate. Some information is close to 100% correct, while other types of information may vary.
[edit] Web Server Logs
WebTrends can use web server logs from pretty much every web server as long as its W3C compatible. This means, that you are not forced to implement client side tracking on you website, and you can start analyzing data right away. This also means - as most web servers log some data as default - that you can look into some historical data. The big drawback to Web server logs is inaccuracy and lack of sufficient information, unless you are analysing an intranet with authenticated usernames.
[edit] Current version & Brief version history
WebTrends is currently in version 8.0C (23 Jan 2006).
[edit] Prior versions
WebTrends up to version 6.0 was primarily regarded as a Log Analyzer. The tool could be installed on a computer, chew thru some IIS, Apache or whatever logs, and compile a report with the information.
Version 6 became more a hosted application - with a central server - analyzing logs on a scheduled basis and presenting the reports on a need basis thru a login interface.
WebTrends has undergone big changes in the application and the interface from version 6.x to version 7.x. The changes more visible to the user were a new more sleek interface. A ton more features. Support for new technologies etc. One of the main changes is the focus on Client Side tracking - primarily due to accuracy.
From version 7.5 (last 7 version) to version 8.0 there were only minor visible changes. Multiple features were modified, altered and in other ways improved. Some features were added.
* You can track solutions and sites which do not have page reloads, although the tracking is somewhat more advanced. ** Requires corporation from external systems, and specific configuration of newsletters and campaigns to accommodate WebTrends tracking.
[edit] Links
WebTrends official homepage: http://www.webtrends.com/
