Mobile web analytics tools
One area that's pretty under-developed on in mobile internet right now is mobile analytics - being able to track and analyse traffic data on mobile sites, from mobile devices. You can always check the server logs but there's not really anything like Google Analytics available for the mass market of sites. It is difficult to track visitor numbers or referrals from other sites let alone do conversion tracking (because you can't serve up javascript on mobile web or something). However, there's a few different solutions out there and here is a quick run-down of them. I'll update this list if we hear of any more - let us know if we've missed anything and your experience of trying to track traffic on mobile web.
Bango was one of the pioneers in the mobile web with its micro-payments system and they are now moving into lots of new areas including analytics. At the moment, Bango analytics is focused around tracking traffic through a specific hyperlink - you set up the link and then track the links through it. This is great for:
- tracking link exchanges with partner sites
- checking if mobile toplists are sending you the traffic they claim (you register with a Bango link)
- checking traffic internally e.g. exactly how much of the home-page traffic is going to particular sections
- tracking mobile advertising campaigns
The system isn't so good for tracking total visits or page views - Bango are apparently working on a system to do this. You can use the Bango system for free up to a certain traffic level and it has a nice admin console. Great to see Bango offering this up in a way that lets the smallest mobile site owners and developers to use it. Well worth signing up to, even if you use another analytics service already as the Bango system is great for tracking external links.
Wapalizer isn't that well known for some reason which is surprising as it does a great job of tracking internal site analytics. It is focused around giving you page views over time and gives you loads of breakdowns e.g. Manufacturers, Operators / ISP, Geographic, Device models, Device resolutions and Platforms. Great statistics/ management console. It works with the use of a small tracking image on the page (see below).
In theory the image can slow the page load down but wapalizer seems very reliable and it doesn't seem to cause any big problems.
A few people say that it doesn't track page views that accurately but it's "good enough" and 100% free. A great combination with the bango service.
This service promises to nail the mobile analytics problem with a system that will give you a proper visitor count and track referers (woo!). Nice looking screenshot below:
They seem to be investing a lot of money and time in developing a reliable, scaleable service with other advance features like goal tracking and ad campaign management. The only problem is that they are currently in beta and we can't get on the program - probably a big waiting list to be fair. Definitely worth signing up to the beta.
If you sign up to serve admob ads you get access to the stats in their console/ dashboard. This can tell you quite a bit about internal traffic based on the tracking of the ads served. You can get a breakdown by geography etc.
Admob have also been good about publishing stats about the market based on the aggregate data - you can get a pdf on their site.
Toplist counters!
This final one is a bit crude but can be effective - lots of mobile sites out there run on very lightweight technology and counters can work ok. Basically, you sign up to a mobile toplist site and get a counter off them linking back to their site. Here's a couple of examples below:
These little mobile widgets can give you visitor numbers, page impressions and device, geographic breakdowns. Not bad!
Don't forget to let us know any others we've missed.
What are google analytics doing about mobile? Surely it's only a matter of time before they release something ?
Posted by: Sidewinder | 04/27/2008 at 11:39 PM
Ahhh it's nice to be a market leader and have imitators try and keep up, imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery.
Being first to market in October last year we are in a position that since having launched Amethon Mobile Analytics there have been 6 other vendors who have now launched mobile analytics applications in one form or another.
They all have their strengths and weaknesses (check out an independent review by Bryson Meunier of Resolution Media http://www.brysonmeunier.com/the-mobile-seo-s-guide-to-mobile-analytics if you want a list of vendors).
It’s important to point out that Amethon are still the only vendor to use Wireline Capture – so we see 100% of the traffic from the cellular phone browsers to the mobile content webservers, importantly this also means that there is no additional ‘weight’ added to the content pages through the use of page tags or pixel beacons which whilst not an issue on desktop analytics is a heavy burden on limited mobile bandwidth.
It's great to have more competition from Admob but as was discussed at the New York Mobile Monday panel earlier this week the real issue with using an advertisers networks analytics is you are then stuck with them. You are tied to relying on their platform to tell you how much money you spent with them, and you are also not able to track alternative competing ad network providers.
It's a great solution when it's free but free always has strings in one form or another.
If you want a truly independent view on what's happening with your mobile content come over and check out www.Amethon.com
Regards,
Dean Collins
www.Amethon.com
Dean.Collins@Amethon.com
Phone: +1 646-240-4043
Posted by: Dean Collins | 04/30/2008 at 05:34 PM
Thanks for mentioning Mobilytics. We have spent a lot of time and money making Mobilytics the most scalable, accurate solution available.
We are officially out of beta as of today and have opened up our registration form. Feel free to sign-up and evaluate us directly against Wapalizer, Bango, AdMob and Amethon (if you want to install a server...)
It will be instantly clear which solution is the most accurate, easy to use analytics package for mobile.
Thanks Again for the mention!
Greg Harris
http://www.mobilytics.net
Posted by: Greg Harris | 09/30/2008 at 10:53 PM
Mobilytics provides accurate visitor statistics, and detailed information about the phones they use and their capabilities.
With Mobilytics there is no need to install servers or software. Simply place our tag on each page your site, and our fully hosted system will provide the information and reports you need to make vital business decisions.
Posted by: mobile weather blackberry | 06/27/2009 at 01:29 AM