While Google’s free analytics service may promise results without the cost, there is a price to pay to use their free service.
Google - the granddaddy of the Internet - has a reputation for providing website owners and operators with services that make their lives easier. From cloud-based file services to website development and tracking tools, there isn’t a part of the web that Google’s creepy-crawled across.
One of the top tools that Google offers for web developers and site owners is Google Analytics. With Google Analytics, websites can track a variety of statistics about their website’s performance - from daily traffic to specific pages to the type of device that a visitor used to reach your site.
The main selling point of Google Analytics is the price point: free. All of the data Google collects for you is yours to access for free - you need only connect your site to the Google Analytics machine to start tracking instantly.
However, is anything in this world truly free? Once you dig into Google Analytics’s true intentions, you will quickly discover that the service is anything but free. Here are five reasons that you shouldn’t be using Google Analytics on your website - and why a paid version may be the best way for you to boost your site’s effectiveness.
One of Google’s claims is that their data collection and reporting is anonymized - protecting users from site owner’s prying eyes. However, just because the data is anonymous to you doesn't mean that it’s anonymous to them.
Google Analytics collects user data in their own proprietary system that tracks data. This means that the anonymous data that you see is on full display for them internally. While that may not seem like a big deal to you, you will soon see why it is…
Wonder how Google can afford to make their analytics service free of charge? This feature is free because Google uses analytics data they collect to make money through sales to online advertisers and data companies. This means that the users who trust that your site is protecting them are actually being used to make money for someone else - whether or not they make a purchase on your site.
Ever wish you could learn a bit more about the data you are seeing in your analytics? Good luck with Google. While you can receive a dashboard of data on your site’s performance, it’s unlikely that you will receive helpful insights on why your statistics are performing as they are, or how you can boost your site’s effectiveness.
Ask any digital marketing agency, and you will be told the same thing: You need real data to make beneficial decisions for your company. With Google Analytics, your data is kept to the minimum of benefit - meaning that you can see how your site is performing without the data you need to adapt your site.
If you really want to make decisions that will help you grow and scale your company, don’t depend on Google to guide you forward.
A final reason why Google Analytics may not be best for your needs is it’s interface. When it comes to analytics systems, a program is only beneficial if you enjoy using it! With Google Analytics, the basic interface you receive can be hard to navigate and understand. Since you aren’t paying for the service, don’t expect Google to update their interface and dashboard to help make the data you see make sense! What you see is truly what you get.
Ready to ditch Google Analytics? With Anatagli, you can see the same level of data tracking that Google Analytics offers with the expanded access you need to make true business decisions.
With Anatagli, you can see accurate and effective data across your website with the comfort that comes with knowing that user data is protected from harmful practices. With an easy-to-learn database and all the analytics you need at your fingertips, you can build your web presence in confidence with Anatagli. Discover why so many website owners are ditching Google Analytics and switching to Anatagli today.
Want to learn more about Anatagli’s website analytics service? Visit us online today.
