Short definition

Web analytics — collecting, checking, and interpreting data about website visits and actions to make informed improvements to performance and usability.

Also known as: website analytics, web traffic analysis.

Web analytics shows how visitors use a website: which pages they view, where they come from, and where they drop off. The numbers only become useful when they are tied to a question you actually want answered.

How does web analytics work?

A measurement script or server log records page views and events. Reports combine those signals into metrics such as visitor counts, sessions, and conversions. A privacy-conscious setup avoids cookies where possible, obtains consent where required, and only collects data for a clear purpose.

What does this mean for a small business?

You do not need a wall of dashboards. A handful of clear questions covers most decisions: Which pages generate inquiries? Which articles continue to attract visitors over time? Where do visitors leave? Combine analytics with Search Console data to understand organic search.

What should you watch for in web analytics?

  • record which events exist and what each one means;
  • exclude your own traffic and test events;
  • check consent and privacy obligations before collecting any data;
  • verify reports against actual test actions before relying on them;

How it relates to other website choices

Web analytics shows what visitors do after arriving through SEO and how they interact with a landing page. A desired action can then be tracked as a conversion.