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Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

analytics.blogspot.com

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Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#21

Post by chaosmachine »

eli wrote: post #17
chaosmachine wrote: post #14

Unfortunately, Google Analytics is becoming increasingly less accurate as more and more people begin to use javascript blockers and other privacy tools. This is especially a problem for sites with a high percentage of Firefox users, a significant portion of which are using the NoScript extension (it has almost 50 million downloads).

Well, that's true for all modern web analytics packages, no? Crunching Apache logs with AWStats is way more bogus given the ridiculous number of rogue bots on the web these days. Based on my (very simplistic) tests, very few users of my business-oriented site block ads or javascript, but I'm sute it depends on the site. Most of my users are stuck on IE, after all.

I guess I feel this pain more than most, since a lot of my sites are aimed at web developers.

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#22

Post by chaosmachine »

wysiwtf wrote: post #16
chaosmachine wrote: post #14

Unfortunately, Google Analytics is becoming increasingly less accurate as more and more people begin to use javascript blockers and other privacy tools. This is especially a problem for sites with a high percentage of Firefox users, a significant portion of which are using the NoScript extension (it has almost 50 million downloads).

And there are easy ways that Google could track people with javascript turned off. I always thought they would add this as a 'Pro' feature and charge money for that option. So you'd have to pay for the complete stats, most personal sites wouldn't care about non-javascript stats, while most commercial sites would gladly pay the fee.

It's probably in Google's interests to make better tracking available to everyone. But I think trying to avoid script blocking by using other means is only going to trigger a filtering arms race.

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#23

Post by tvon »

chaosmachine wrote: post #22
wysiwtf wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And there are easy ways that Google could track people with javascript turned off. I always thought they would add this as a 'Pro' feature and charge money for that option. So you'd have to pay for the complete stats, most personal sites wouldn't care about non-javascript stats, while most commercial sites would gladly pay the fee.

It's probably in Google's interests to make better tracking available to everyone. But I think trying to avoid script blocking by using other means is only going to trigger a filtering arms race.

The "other means" is providing a way to submit/process the web server log files.

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#24

Post by myth_drannon »

TJensen wrote: post #5

This seems like the real beginning of the end for Omniture. I interviewed with them once and their strategy for defeating Google in analytics was to just move faster. With Google's developer base, that doesn't seem possible.

Why only Omniture ? Bunch of others like TeaLeaf,Coradiant...

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#25

Post by jodrellblank »

tvon wrote: post #23
chaosmachine wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's probably in Google's interests to make better tracking available to everyone. But I think trying to avoid script blocking by using other means is only going to trigger a filtering arms race.

The "other means" is providing a way to submit/process the web server log files.

Google App Engine, you mean?

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#26

Post by tvon »

vulpes wrote: post #10
nixme wrote: post #2

iPhone app anyone? Might even be a nice addition to blog-posting apps to see stats on views, etc.

There are 2 iphone apps that already tap into google analytics. One is Ego ( http://ego-app.com ) and another is analtyics app ( http://analyticsapp.com/ ) Both not bad.

Also Touchlytics:

http://www.newstreetsoftware.com/touchlytics/

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#27

Post by tvon »

jodrellblank wrote: post #25
tvon wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "other means" is providing a way to submit/process the web server log files.

Google App Engine, you mean?

I don't mean Google App Engine, no. I'm not sure where you're getting that from, unless App Engine lets me upload my Apache logs into my Analytics account where GA will match up IP addresses to page views and whatnot... ? Not sure how it could since I'm not using App Engine for anything, even so I've googled around a bit for 'google app engine analytics' and I'm not finding any results about doing this for App Engine hosted sites either.

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#28

Post by jonknee »

chaosmachine wrote: post #14

Unfortunately, Google Analytics is becoming increasingly less accurate as more and more people begin to use javascript blockers and other privacy tools. This is especially a problem for sites with a high percentage of Firefox users, a significant portion of which are using the NoScript extension (it has almost 50 million downloads).

Well get back at them and use a bunch of non-degradable JS. Kidding... Sort of :)

Re: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched

#30

Post by greg »

greg wrote: post #13

Google analytics is installed on something like 40% of all sizable websites. What somebody should do with the API is link up the traffic flowing between those sites. Then you could tell how much value one site is delivering to another. You could create an affiliate network overnight.

Appears that some people agree with me here. Email me if you ever want to discuss more.
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