Google's new analytics setup looks impressively slick. That data, on the other hand, goes right through to big GG themselves, so all of you e-commerce nuts with cloaking, pop-ups, low conversion rates and short average visit lengths best beware.
I suppose this is the logical step from the Urchin purchase last Spring, but I wasn't expecting it quite so soon. Since I haven't had time to check the other SEO blogs this morning, I'm probably a few hours too late (who knows, I may have missed it last week and be days too late).
Why do I recommend staying away?
It's my opinion that Google is going to attempt to use the analytics data in the SERPs and while they may eventually get it right, my guess is that some folks are going to take the brunt of the data collection fallout in the SERPs. Why be a fall guy? Unless you are confident that your stats will show Google your site rocks, let some other e-commerce store or ad pushing site be the guinea pig. Of course, if your site does kick *ss, go for it. Show Google you deserve to be at the top with those hour long visits and 12% conversion rate. Who knows? Maybe they'll kick you up a notch.
This a genius bit of product pushing, though:
Free.
Google Analytics gives us an opportunity to invest in our advertisers and everyone else who wants to create quality content on the web. Instead of spending money on web analytics, you can focus on creating targeted, ROI-driven marketing campaigns, and on improving your site design and content.
My guess is that a lot of webmasters are going to be tempted to move away from their existing $50-$500 a month analytics over to Google. The 'plex is about to have a lot of data on their hands.
It is scary. It will pick up a lot of business. It will give google great insights into web traffic. They will monitor on a daily basis, volume from yahoo and msn. They will have a better understanding of your web traffic then you have.
Big Brother is watching!
This is a stand as SEO’s that we can make. Just say no! Google is going to far on this one. This trap may result in the re-birth of print media. I for one have a cut off point to Adwords, and this khan will escalate cost, make no mistake about it. I will take more of the dollars I spend in advertising to print media if I have to. Google may be responsible for the print media comeback if this pans out. SERP’s will be contrived and controlled by the rich and shameless, so that stockholders can receive their Christmas bonus. I don’t know how everyone feels on this, but this might be the most obvious finger in the face to the SEO community that I have ever seen on the part of Google. And as for Matt to pitch it like a Timeshares Salesman, who has a 200 AVP and is on the bottom of the wheel, is sickening.
D
Can we have an input on integrating Google analytic for the year 2012 ???
I particularly found the Matt Cutts blog entry to be slick google marketing for the tool. His conversation is chatty, he deflects around the privacy issue, he sells hard on the free aspect of this knocking all other tools from the "I'm to cheap" perspective.
Until today, I bought into the Matt Cutts is helping us perspective. no more. He is out there selling the service.
Think of the implications of Google having in depth info on thousands of web sites; paths through the site, how sites obtain conversions, access from other se's. The links that drive the most traffic directly into the sites.
Its TOO much information. It is scary.
Dave
we've all seen this one coming for a while now...
Evil, evil. Not like eating guinea pig in Peru evil, but... y'know.
It looks like a great free offer and is very tempting but as i am a google hater that has even removed the google toolbar to keep my dta to myself i will have to thank google but say no thankyou.
Although i think i will try it on at least one of my sites that i dont care about just for research in how it works.
After reading lots of comments on different forums and web sites, I feel like that I made a big mistake registering at Google Analytics. I only had their code on the home page, just to test it and quickly removed the account and code after reading comments here. Hope I made the right decision.