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What is Web Analytics Software?
Software is a collection of computer programs that makes the computer perform whatever task or tasks that is designated by the designer of the program. Web analytics software is specifically designed to collect, measure, analyze, and report information from web sites and servers. The owners or managers of the sites and servers can use web analytics software to find out information about who is visiting their sites, how often the sites and servers are being visited, and when the peak hours of visitors are occurring. This kind of software can also provide much more in-depth information about sites and servers, depending on the specifications and requirements of the operator.
Types of Web Analytics Software
There is off-site and on-site web analytics software. The off-site versions of web analytics software do not limit the user to owning or maintaining a website; this software monitors trends in the Internet environment as a whole instead of focusing on the data for one site. On-site web analytics software is pretty well described by its name; this software collects information only from visitors to the site or server that the individual owns or operates. On site software provides key performance indicators and statistics about the sites that the software analyzes data from.
Additionally, web analytics software is available in open source, hosted, or proprietary versions. Open source software is typically free and allows users to see and modify the source code for anyone interested in using the software. Examples of open source web analytic software include Open Web Analytics, CrawlTrack and Webalizer. Proprietary software is purchased and licensed for use by either individuals or businesses; examples include Mint and SurfReport. Hosted web analytics software, commonly known as Software as a Service, is probably the most commonly used; examples include Google Analytics, Yahoo! Web Analytics, and Webtrends.
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