After some research, I have found a wealth of tools that are available for you to analyze the performance of a website/blog etc. From a marketing perspective, this is so invaluable as you can make educated decisions based on factual data.
However, from a conspiracy theorist perspective, 'I always feel like somebody's watching me, and I have no privacy.' (I am sure you saw the Geico googly eyes or else remembered that horrible 80's song) On a more serious note, it really is a concern for me that people are able to maintain their privacy while accessing the information that they would like to learn. There is a systematic process tracking users behavior and sites visited. I love watching Forensic Files when they prove what someone was doing on their computer at the same time that something nefarious occurred. We think we are able to maintain privacy but in reality, there is little anymore - that is the price that we are paying for the instant access to information.
If you can afford it, Omniture offers excellent web analytics - via two key packages: SiteCatalyst and Discover. What I liked about their product is the focus on enhancing the mobile user's experience and an additional focus on tracking the use of Web 2.0 for marketing to customers.
Conversely, if you would like a solid, analytical package which is free, yes I said free, then look no further than Google Analytics. For my purposes, this can be the go to package for an entrepreneur, amateur blogger or moderate to large business.
Both will track the traffic to the website or blog and the set up of a Google Analytics account requires little extra effort. Reports are delivered in a dashboard setup with the ability to be modified for your preferences.
I have begun tracking this blog and will be working to add new features that will improve the number of people who are reading it.
More later,
CH
