Analytics and Stats

[JBloggs]

I have begun to wonder, other than which B&B directory to ax next, how useful having the analytics and website statistics is now. Can someone share a really good reason to keep an eye on this information? When I get some icky disgusting link to my site (sometimes 100 click thrus) I can never get it removed anyway... Now that links are being masked by URL shortners, it is nearly impossible to track them now.
Your Suggestions?
Your FeedbacK?

 

[swirt]

Analytics would be useful if you were ever:

• in the market to sell your B&B and need to demonstrate the effectiveness of your website.
• trying to compare one marketing technique to another (directory to directory, directory to print, directory to print ...)
• trying to evaluate time spent blogging compared to time spent facebooking, twitting or other goofing around.
• trying to evaluate a change of website design.
• trying to evaluate a change of booking engine (did one lead to more funnel abandonment than another)
• evaluating overall seo health and performance
• finding sources of negative or positive press

I can't think of a single good reason to NOT have analytics on your site...other than to just prevent you from obsessing about it.

 

[toddburme]

I rarely look at ours. Once you have done the heavy lifting it is more to see how some directories are doing lately like you said.

 

[OnTheShore]

What does Google Analytics provide that the server logs (or a Webalizer or similar analysis of the server logs) do not?

 

[swirt]

What does Google Analytics provide that the server logs (or a Webalizer or similar analysis of the server logs) do not?.

• Prettier reports (more user friendly)
• Less noise (more well-defined data)
• goals
• funnel visualization
• integration across facebook, twitter and other social stuff
• integration with adwords
• tracking of outbound links (if you set them up)
• tracking of other domains (useful if your blog is hosted elsewhere)

 

[Happy Keeper]

Ahhh...the passion

Even I, the website wizard who can barely figure out what half the terms mean, can attest to the sage wisdom and advice of our host. I think of my statistics as the, "there when you need them" assest that makes it feel like we have a marketing and research department.

 

[JBloggs]

From Scott at Brewster House and About the Inn
http://www.abouttheinn.com/2012/03/the-zen-of-google-analytics-for-innkeepers/

 

[Arks]

From Scott at Brewster House and About the Inn
http://www.abouttheinn.com/2012/03/the-zen-of-google-analytics-for-innkeepers/.

From Scott at Brewster House and About the Inn
http://www.abouttheinn.com/2012/03/the-zen-of-google-analytics-for-innkeepers/

I attended one of Scott's lectures in Little Rock. He really knows his stuff.