Webtrends

Webtrends is a private company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. It provides digital analytics, optimization and a number of other software solutions related to digital marketing. The company was founded in 1993, and is widely considered the first commercial web analytics solution.^[1] It provides services to approximately 2,000 companies.

Products

Webtrends offers a variety of web analytics products, services, and solutions which focus on the collection and presentation of user behavior data for websites and mobile device applications.

The core product, Webtrends Analytics, is available in both software and software as a service (SaaS) models. Over the years, Webtrends has released a number of SaaS solutions including Webtrends Segments, Webtrends Optimize, Action Center,^[2] Webtrends Streams^[3] and Webtrends Ads. In 2016, Webtrends announced it would release a new analytics product, Webtrends Infinity Analytics.^[4]

Data collection

Their software utilizes log file analysis and page tagging. Log analysis reads the files in which the web server records all its transactions. Via page tagging, parameter name-value pairs are appended (either automatically by a JavaScript "tag" or manual hand-coding) to the query string of a gif image which resides on a data collection server. When a visitor loads the page in a browser, the browser sends a request to the data collection server so that it may load the gif image. The data collection server receives the request and logs the parameters included in the query string of the gif image.

The software analyzes and organizes the captured data into reports for each configured 'Profile'. Reports are viewable by various means, most commonly through a web-based graphic user interface or a scheduled emailed export of the report in PDF or csv format. Collected data can also be viewed via raw log file delivery, REST and ODBC queries, and other solutions which utilize the Webtrends Data Extraction API. The web-based report presentation interface is highly configurable, allowing a Webtrends administrator to specify what information should be analyzed, where it should be presented, and to whom it should be available for viewing.

Corporate history

W. Glen Boyd and Eli Shapira founded the company in 1995 as "e.g. Software".^[5] In 1999 they took it public, raising $45.5 million.^[5] In 2001 California company NetIQ bought Webtrends for $1.1 billion in stock, then sold it to Francisco Partners four years later for $94 million.^[5]

On October 31, 2007, three corporate vice presidents and the CEO were asked to resign.^[6] Although there was initial speculation the company was to be quickly sold to its largest competitor, later reports indicated the change signaled a long-term move.^[5] In February 2014, the company hired Joe Davis as its new CEO.^[7] In May 2014, the company moved its headquarters to the U.S. Bancorp Tower in Downtown Portland.^[8] In February 2015, Webtrends Completed the worldwide rollout of Webtrends Explore, their ad-hoc analytics application.^[9]

In 2009, Webtrends launched a transit ad campaign revolving around whether or not cyclists should pay a road tax. The ad asked, "Should Cyclists Pay A Road Tax?".^[10] Both drivers and the cycling community reacted strongly to the ad, with strident opinion on both sides of the debate.^[11] The aim of the campaign was to demonstrate the ability of the company's Web analytics to track the resulting online commentary around the issue.^[11]

Acquisitions

Webtrends acquired ClickShift, an automated optimization solution in online advertising, in December 2006.^[12] ClickShift's technology was integrated into Webtrends' Marketing Lab suite, which includes its analytics and marketing warehouse products. The offering was re-branded as Webtrends Dynamic Search.^[13] In August 2008, the product was relaunched as Webtrends Ad Director.^[14]

Webtrends acquired Seattle based Widemile, a provider of multivariate testing and targeting on July 30, 2009. The product was rebranded and relaunched as Webtrends Optimize the day the acquisition was made public.^[15]

Webtrends acquired San Francisco based Transpond, a maker of social microsites and applications that can be distributed over the web or Facebook, on August 10, 2010. The product was rebranded as Webtrends Apps at the time of the announcement and was later rebranded as Webtrends Social.^[16][17]

Webtrends acquired Reinvigorate from Culver City, CA based Media Temple Ventures. Reinvigorate developed a real time analytics web solution with visit heat mapping technologies. The product was rebranded as Webtrends Reinvigorate ^[18] and later discontinued.^[19]

References