Table Of Content01_053852 ffirs.qxp 8/10/06 9:56 PM Page i
Google® Analytics
Mary E. Tyler and Jerri Ledford
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Google® Analytics
Mary E. Tyler and Jerri Ledford
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Google®Analytics
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Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-05385-0
ISBN-10: 0-470-05385-2
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Tyler, Mary E., 1970-
Google Analytics / by Mary E. Tyler and Jerri Ledford.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-05385-0 (paper/website)
ISBN-10: 0-470-05385-2 (paper/website)
1. Google Analytics. 2. Internet searching—Statistical services.
3. Web usage mining—Computer programs. 4. Internet users
—Statistics—Data processing. I. Ledford, Jerri L. II. Title.
TK5105.885.G66T95 2007
658.8’7202854678
2006020710
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From Jerri: To Beckie, who believes in me enough to take the
first step herself, and for Connie, who never stopped cheering . . . ever.
I love you both!
From Mary: To Jim Roberts of Carnegie Mellon University, who taught me
to teach. To Lorrie Kim, who said, “This is too good to keep to yourself.” To
Jerri Ledford, my co-author and mentor, who said, “You can do this.” Again.
And again. And again. And for Mom, because there aren’t enough words.
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About the Authors
Mary E. Tyleris aprofessional technology journalist and a former software and
web developer. She specializes in Open Source, enterprise software, intellectual
property, motorcycles, and anything Macintosh. Tyler has three daughters, four
cats, one small, fluffy lapdog, and a spouse in the career military.
Jerri Ledfordhas been a freelance business-technology writer for more than 10
years, with more than 700 articles, profiles, news stories, and reports online
and in print. Her publishing credits include: Intelligent Enterprise, Network
World, Information Security Magazine, DCM Magazine, CRM Magazine, and IT
Manager’s Journal. She has also written a number of books. When not writing,
she divides her time between Mississippi and Tennessee, hiking, gardening,
playing with electronic gadgets, and spending time with friends and family,
who refer to her fondly as “tech support.”
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Credits
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Techbooks
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Contents
Introduction xv
Overview of the Book and Technology xvi
How This Book Is Organized xvi
Who Should Read this Book xviii
Tools You Will Need xviii
Moving On xix
Part 1 Basic Analytics 1
Chapter1 Why Analytics? 3
Short Answer (for underlings) 3
Slightly Longer Short Answer (for your boss) 3
Long Answer (for you) 3
If Analytics Are So Great, Why Don’t We Have Them? 4
Now That We Have Analytics, What Do We Do With Them? 5
What Analytics Is Not 6
Chapter2 Analytics and AWStats 9
AWStats 9
AWStats Browser 10
AWStats Dashboard 11
Summary 13
People and Not People 14
In Summary 21
Chapter3 Oh, No! More AWStats! 23
Yes, There’s More 23
Monthly History 23
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Description:You know you need to analyze the success of your Web site, but how? Do you even know what to look for? Is there a tool powerful enough to help you evaluate your marketing efforts, products, and services, but simple enough to use if you're not a propeller-head?Google Analytics is that tool, and this