Depending on the size of your Web infrastructure, the amount of information these products return ranges from a lot to "Help, I'm drowning." Turning this deluge into actionable data will fall to you and your end users. But, as we explain in "Analyze This," the rewards can make it all worthwhile.
Our parent company, CMP Media, was in the market for a new Web analytics service, so we set up a joint review: We did our usual battery of Real-World Labs tests on services from IBM, Intellitracker, Manticore Technology, NetIQ, NetRatings, Omniture, ThinkMetrics, Watchfire, WebAbacus and WebSideStory. In addition, CMP Web analytics manager Emily Sunderman and her staff filled us in on CMP's requirements, assisted with our tests, met with vendors and offered us some real live guinea pigs, er, end users. We tested all 10 services on CMP's live Web sites, gathered feedback from users, and applied the requirements that are being used to purchase a companywide solution.
In "Inside Information", we give you Sunderman's and our analysis of the entries. Overall, we were pleased. Our winner, Omniture's SiteCatalyst, beat out WebSideStory's HBX On-Demand Web Analytics by a nose; we think both should be on anyone's shortlist, along with NetIQ's WebTrends and IBM SurfAid. Those looking to host their analytics in-house will want to pay special attention to WebTrends, which is available as both a product and a service.
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