Comments on: Lies, damn lies, and Google Analytics http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/08/29/lies-damn-lies-and-google-analytics/ wake up and smell the copy Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:40:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ralph Sparkle http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/08/29/lies-damn-lies-and-google-analytics/comment-page-1/#comment-1253 Ralph Sparkle Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:51:51 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=288#comment-1253 In general, I believe, Analytics tools can only measure time on a particular page, if that visitor then goes on to visit another page on the site - as then there is a start and an end point to measure. This is why you have zero seconds for time on these pages. Which means these people probably read the article and you helped them defeat Word. Feel good about that. In general, I believe, Analytics tools can only measure time on a particular page, if that visitor then goes on to visit another page on the site – as then there is a start and an end point to measure. This is why you have zero seconds for time on these pages.
Which means these people probably read the article and you helped them defeat Word. Feel good about that.

]]> By: Tamsin http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/08/29/lies-damn-lies-and-google-analytics/comment-page-1/#comment-1147 Tamsin Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:38:51 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=288#comment-1147 This is really interesting - I'd love someone who knows about this stuff to comment. In previous jobs when I worked with a webmaster to look at site traffic using other web stat packages (in the olden days before Google Analytics) I was invariably told by them that stats about time on site were completely spurious and unreliable because the way that user sessions were cached and measured in different situations varied so wildly. It's only since encountering Google Analytics and working at iCrossing that I've seen so much attention paid to this data. Obviously, if it's accurate it's incredibly useful, but I've yet to have a good explanation as to why Google Analytics is able to measure this any more effectively than previous web stats packages. If anyone has any insight on this I'd be really interested to find out more. This is really interesting – I’d love someone who knows about this stuff to comment. In previous jobs when I worked with a webmaster to look at site traffic using other web stat packages (in the olden days before Google Analytics) I was invariably told by them that stats about time on site were completely spurious and unreliable because the way that user sessions were cached and measured in different situations varied so wildly. It’s only since encountering Google Analytics and working at iCrossing that I’ve seen so much attention paid to this data. Obviously, if it’s accurate it’s incredibly useful, but I’ve yet to have a good explanation as to why Google Analytics is able to measure this any more effectively than previous web stats packages.

If anyone has any insight on this I’d be really interested to find out more.

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