Google Analytics is used by just about every major website in Australia, it is easily the most popular analytics programs out there. Now it is pretty much game over for all of the paid ones as Google have announced an API for this product.
Yes, companies pay a fortune to have Nielsen NetRatings code inserted and for them to tell the advertising world just how amazing their visitor numbers are (last count REA had nearly 5 million unique visitors to their site – which I will seriously question once REA get past 22 million).
However for the average Joe, Google Analytics is all they ever need to seriously measure their websites performance. If you can be bothered (and you should be) you can find out so much about the success or otherwise of your business by logging into your Google Analytics account or by setting your Analytics to send you a weekly report. [Yes, of course you must be registered and yes of course you must have the code set.]
Now Google has set their systems FREE and we are in for a world of fun. You can now get data directly from your Google and mash it together for your own purposes. This is what is great about API’s, you set the data free and you will be amazed at what is developed.
I am sure all of the property feed providers such HubOnline, MyDesktop and Portplus will integrate this data into their own systems in the near future. Already at launch Google has a number of examples. Here is an excerp from their blog article.
For example, how would you like to access Google Analytics from your phone? Now you can, with this Android application from Actual Metrics. How about accessing Analytics from your desktop? It’s here from Desktop-Reporting.
And if you’re interested in seeing how integrating Google Analytics can enhance your own business take a look at these examples. MailChimp has integrated Google Analytics into their email marketing platform and ShufflePoint® provides a service for adding Google Analytics data into PowerPoint® presentations. See how youcalc has created apps that allow you to mashup Google Analytics, AdWords, Salesforce.com and other enterprise data.
Check out more customer examples on our developer site. These apps demonstrate only some of the creative possibilities and we know you’ll discover other interesting ways to use the Analytics API.
I have long been scornful of Nielson and other ratings agencies because they only include less than 0.5% of the websites in their metrics. If Google really wanted to – they could release a FREE version of all of the website data across many industries and pretty much make this 1990’s business model redundant overnight.
In the meantime, have some fun with your data, play around and let us know some ideas that you think could be built with this data.
7 Comments
The Insider
I recommend using Google Analytics. It is installed on all of my websites and provides fantastic data.
You get more than just the number of visitors to your website. What browser they use, how they got there (referred, direct, search engine), keywords used in search, which sites referred users, most popular pages and more.
Glenn Batten
Some of the most powerful things with Google Analytics require a little bit more work setting up. These are goals and campaign tracking.
With these setup properly the value of Google Analytics truly doubles over a stock standard installation.
The best innovative use of Google Analytics I have heard of is integrating it with an IP Phone so that the phone system triggers calls to Google Analytics allowing you to track the return on investment of your online marketing. IP phone systems are effectively computers so getting them to do this should not be too difficult.
How it works is that you advertise different phone numbers on different sections of your website, different websites, other online and offline adverts. This means that Google Analytics can now tell you how many people viewed your page/ad and how many responded to it online, and how many people picked up the phone and called. This is an internet marketers dream.
Peter, this API.. is it only one way data transfer, only reading the data from your GA account, or does it allow you to inject data into your account as well.
Robert Simeon
Google are just a great experience – they continue to exceed expectations.
Glenn Rogers
Google are the only game in town, I hope they never fall into the wrong hands it would be tragic.
Just noticed MS profit down 32%, thats incredible, this downturn will be with us for a long time yet.
Paddy
So why don’t the portals all report Google Analytics data?
By the sound of it, many agencies and presumably franchise portals use this application. Wouldn’t it be good for everyone to be ranked in the same bucket by the same tool?
I am sure that they (portals) will cite the other features which NNR and Omniture provide.
However seeing that all we get from the portals are ‘record ub’s’ either at a state or national level, and NO information on the number of Searches, Sales Leads, Rental leads, Property Views , dare I raise it – the ‘Bounce Rates’… then citing NNR and Omniture really offer no value.
Not when Google Analytics offers an opportunity for comparison across the entire industry. All it takes is for people to cite Google’s stats.
snoop
google certainly could
Thier terms and conds pretty much allow them to do anything with your data.
Peter Ricci
Glenn, it seems the data is all one way (from what I can tell) . This is normally how these things start off. Accessing ones data base to read data is reasonably safe. Accessing ones database to add data – offers a world of worry and would be a very cautious next step for Google (if at all)