Interwoven TeamSite Evaluation
Google Analytics Evaluation
Introduction
Google Analytics is a useful web analytic tool which is free to access and provides valuable information on a website. Google Analytics is flexible and easy to use to analyse traffic data (Google, 2011). An Information Architect can easily conduct needs assessment and evaluation of a website by using Google Analytics. Furthermore it allows user manager of a website profile to analysis the usage of a website and run regular reports to capture this information.
There are a number of functionalities available in Google Analytics which can allow analysis of a particular website. This is mainly through running a series of different reports and then exporting them through a variety of ways.
Chronological reports
One feature is the ability to run reports in different time frames such as day, week, month, and year as shown in figure 1. This can allow evaluation for a particular time depending on the site manager’s needs. Alternatively particular date range can also be selected. By selecting a particular time period it can show what pages are most needed. For example a section on library environment in a university library orientation website may be used heavily accessed at the start of semester.
figure 1
Dashboard
After selecting a particular date range and clicking on view report the main report will then display under the heading of dashboard with a series of reports accessible such as vistors overview, map overlay, traffic sources overview, and content overview. What is handy is that the user manager of the Google Analytics is able to export the dashboard information for an overview about the usage of website. Or alternatively they are able to access a particular report for more information.
Traffic sources overview
One important feature or report that is available in Google Analytics is traffic sources overview . It can show how users of the websites were able to access that particular website. The keywords used to locate the website and where the website was accessed from as shown in figure 2. The list of keywords are useful as they provide insight into what keywords users are searching to access the website which may help with classification or thesaurus terms used.
figure 2
Content overview
One of the most important reports accessible via Google Analytics is the content overview report. It breaks down what web pages in the website are the most popular and lists the number of users as shown in figure 3. This is valuable to the Information Architect as it highlights what pages are being accessed the most and which are the least assessed. This is an excellent needs assessment tool as it shows what information or content may not be need or what elements need to be improved upon.
figure 3
Exporting report information
Another excellent feature of the Google Analytics is the ability to save or export information so that the Information Architect can refer to this information later or collate usage information over a period of time. There are a number of ways information can be exported which include saved in PDF or to an excel document as shown in figure 4. Alternatively the users manager of the Google Analytics account can email reports.
figure 4
Conclusion
In conclusion Google Analytics is a useful information architecture tool to Information Architects for a number of reasons. This includes the ability to collate usage over a period of time, find out how users are accessing the website, analyse what pages are being used the most or the least, and the ability to export any usage information required.
References
Google. (2011). Google Analytics. Retrieved 21 May, 2011, from http://www.google.com/analytics/index.html