Website analytics. We all know we should do it, but it can be challenging to know where to start, what data to trust and how to use it to your benefit. Without the proper website analytics tools, it’s nearly impossible to get the data you need. So rather than letting you spend valuable time looking for the right resources, we’ve compiled a list of super helpful website analytics tools (in no particular order) so you can hit the ground running!
1. Google Analytics
If the name doesn’t give it away, I’ll tell you right now: this is a big one. If you have a website, you should have Google Analytics — simple as that. What’s not so simple is what you can do with this tool.
Google Analytics gives an amazing amount of data on website traffic, individual page performance, user behavior, device-based data and so much more. You can link it to other tools to help streamline reporting and use it to build audiences of valuable site visitors. All of that and more in a free tool!
There’s no excuse not to have Google Analytics, so get on it.
2. Google Search Console
We know it’s starting to seem like we’re a little biased, but I assure you that this really is another must-have website analytics tool.
There are all sorts of things that you can learn from Google Search Console, including what keywords are driving traffic to your website, which pages have errors that need to be fixed and where internal and external links are on your site. It also allows you to submit your sitemap directly to Google to be crawled, which is especially handy if you’ve just made some important updates.
3. HubSpot
We know, we know, HubSpot is more than a website analytics tool, but it does offer some pretty bad-a** website data and reporting capabilities.
It has your classic page performance, traffic source report and campaign performance reports, but what makes HubSpot stand out is that it enables you to make your website and your marketing campaigns talk to each other.
HubSpot allows you to associate a multitude of different metrics with each marketing campaign or initiative you have running and presents all the data in a digestible way. Obviously we could go on and on about why HubSpot is a great platform (we are a diamond-level partner after all), but maybe you should just find out for yourself!
4. Hotjar
When it comes to creating a user-friendly and efficient website, Hotjar is your go-to tool. It helps you monitor user behavior, from click behavior to scroll depth, so you can make strategic decisions about what to put on your website and where to put it. UX? check!
5. Crazy Egg
Attention A/B testing enthusiasts: if you want to be able to easily compare and contrast different versions of your website, this is the tool for you! Set goals within the platform and test versions of your website with specific metrics in mind.
6. Kissmetrics
Kissmetrics is kind of like a paid version of Google Analytics on steroids. It goes a bit further in terms of funnel based reporting and segmentation to help marketing campaigns be more successful. If you’re willing to cough up some cash for this tool, we know you’ll get some great insights.
7. SEMrush
If you’re at all SEO-inclined, you’ll be like a kid in a candy shop with this tool. It offers in-depth info on organic keyword rankings, technical error identification, position tracking and backlink assistance. It also offers a powerful keyword and backlink gap tool to compare strengths and weaknesses in terms of keywords and backlinks. Our very own SEO team uses this tool on a daily basis!
8. Leadfeeder
This is a highly integratable tool that uses Google Analytics to find and alert you of leads when they visit your website. It can identify companies that visit your site and show you how they interact with your content, helping you make strategic decisions around where to put your marketing calories.
9. Moz
Yet another website analytics tool for all our fellow SEO-enthusiasts out there! Uncover technical issues, track keyword performance, complete new keyword research and more with this powerful tool. They also offer valuable information on your domain’s authority, and that of your competitors, which is handy when you decide to take on a backlinking project. There are also free tools available in case you’re not quite ready to break out the credit card.
10. AlexaRank
Many tools offer a competitive analysis, but none quite as in-depth as this tool. It offers a visually pleasing dashboard to show you exactly how you stack up in comparison to your competitors on various metrics such as keyword rankings, traffic metrics and target audiences.
The Takeaway
If you’ve gotten to the end of this (admittedly non-exhaustive) post, you probably don’t need to be convinced that website analytics is important for all strategic marketing and website decisions, but we hope it helped get you started down the path to website analytics enlightenment!
