Google web stats service applauded

The launch of a free web site traffic report service by Google has been welcomed by the newly-appointed Scottish co-ordinator of the Web Analytics Association (WAA).

Vicky Brock, of Highland Business Research and Scotland co-ordinator for the Web Analytics Association, welcomed this latest Google development, saying, “This is good news for companies keen to find out just how successful their website really is and it has the potential to benefit a whole range of businesses with a presence online – from small B&Bs to sophisticated e-commerce businesses.”

Brock points out that web analytics is a very young industry in Scotland. While the web is a great medium for measuring marketing activity and customer interest, only a minority of businesses are so far taking advantage of these information sources.

“The launch of a free product like Google Analytics has the potential to really open up the current approach to online activity, with more businesses – including the very smallest - able to see for themselves how they are performing. This means they will have the information they need to improve their marketing activity and website accordingly,” says Brock.

The Web Analytics Association launches in Scotland later this month – a reflection, they say, of the growing interest of businesses and public bodies in understanding and improving how their web sites are being used. 

The WAA is the worldwide professional body for those working in the web analytics industry and is dedicated to promoting the understanding of web analytics and developing the interests of those involved in measuring the success of online business initiatives.

About Notes:
Vicky Brock is a director of HBR, www.highlandbusinessresearch.com, a research and web analytics company based in Inverness. She is Scotland Co-ordinator for the Web Analytics Association and an Associate Instructor in web analytics for the University of British Columbia. She has provided web analysis, web strategy advice and Internet based research for clients such as HP.com, HP Europe, Yamaha and the UK Government.

The Web Analytics Association is a non-profit professional organisation dedicated to promoting the understanding of web analytics through education, advocacy, standards, research and technology. For more information, please visit www.webanalyticsassociation.org.

The Scotland Group of the WAA will hold its first meeting in Edinburgh on Monday 28 November, 6.15pm - 8.30pm. The meeting is open to all those working with web analytics in some form and provides an opportunity to network and find out more about the WAA. This event has been sponsored by Scottish Enterprise and will be held at Apex House, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD – for more information visit http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org/en/cev/?31