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Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

pcmaffey.com

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Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#11

Post by notpushkin »

CharlesW wrote: post #6
notpushkin wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Came to say exactly this. I can read it if I try hard enough to scroll exactly as the author intended, but it feels super weird.

I thought it was neat, but scrolling broke at page 4 so I had to use the widget along the left edge to get to page 5.

To the author: may I suggest you make page order vertical instead, so it is more natural to scroll; and maybe just use CSS scroll snapping to achieve the similar effect? (Also, when I scroll past the final page I don't want to be redirected to homepage automatically :-)

The idea is neat, but the implementation is a bit too over-engineered and hard to use. Hope this helps change that!

https://css-tricks.com/practical-css-scroll-snapping/

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#13

Post by neovive »

Interesting thesis. When used as intended, web analytics should be only one input to an overall strategy -- not the sole driver for all decisions. But I can see how an organization with KPI's tied to web analytics will lose objectivity -- especially when someone's job performance is tied to the analytics. It's a slippery slope.

I love this quote at the end: "Caring about quality is the heart of craftsmanship. Until you're hooked into those outcomes, micro-optimizing the individual parts is pointless."

Perhaps, as we move towards a web dominated by AI agents, quality will supersede metrics.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#14

Post by josefresco »

I build websites for small business, and since the beginning have used Google Analytics. What used to be a valuable tool that I would eagerly tell my clients to utilize, has now become an overly complex nightmare I loathe to install and rarely recommend to my clients. I recently had a client ask to use StatCounter.com (my reaction: "they're still around?!?") and it was refreshingly simple, much like the original Google Analytics.

I'm sure the new GA is super powerful, but most people just want to see how many "hits" they got, what content is most popular, and where the visitors came from. Google would do well with a simplified Analytics service just for small business.

Once you go down the optimization route, if your Google Analytics isn't super valuable it's an easy bloat to eliminate.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#15

Post by kybernetyk »

josefresco wrote: post #14

I build websites for small business, and since the beginning have used Google Analytics. What used to be a valuable tool that I would eagerly tell my clients to utilize, has now become an overly complex nightmare I loathe to install and rarely recommend to my clients. I recently had a client ask to use StatCounter.com (my reaction: "they're still around?!?") and it was refreshingly simple, much like the original Goog…

I switched to plausible.io for my small business and couldn't be happier. Maybe take a look at them

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#18

Post by pcmaffey »

Thanks for all the constructive criticism on the pagination. It's an experiment I'm playing around with on my personal site (which is what they're for right?). Definitely sounds like I should have tested it on a few more devices, lol. Will work on a more readable view.

In the meantime, a few helpers:

- Scrolling "past" the end of the page will move to the next page.

- Left arrow, Right arrow will nav back and forward.

- On mobile, swiping will do the same.

- Space and enter key will nav to the next page.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#20

Post by posix86 »

josefresco wrote: post #14

I build websites for small business, and since the beginning have used Google Analytics. What used to be a valuable tool that I would eagerly tell my clients to utilize, has now become an overly complex nightmare I loathe to install and rarely recommend to my clients. I recently had a client ask to use StatCounter.com (my reaction: "they're still around?!?") and it was refreshingly simple, much like the original Goog…

plausible imo is the way it should be. Embed the script, done. Bonus: No cookies & cookie banner. They even have instructions on how to circumvent adblockers.
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