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Better Living Through Web Metrics. Kathy Farrell, Empire State College Melissa Meehan, Buffalo State College Ned Stankus, Hamilton College Maryann Stopha, SUNY Geneseo. Overview. Introduction What ARE “web metrics”? Why Use Them? Server Logs Other Data Sources Wrap-up. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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HighEdWebDev 2004
Better Living Through Web Metrics
Kathy Farrell, Empire State College
Melissa Meehan, Buffalo State College
Ned Stankus, Hamilton College
Maryann Stopha, SUNY Geneseo
HighEdWebDev 2004
Overview
Introduction What ARE “web metrics”? Why Use Them? Server Logs Other Data Sources Wrap-up
HighEdWebDev 2004
What ARE “Web Metrics”?
“Metric”: A measurement of a characteristic of an object or activity. The measurement is done using a consistent method, at consistent intervals, in order to assess, monitor and/or communicate information about the object or activity. Metrics may be quantitative or qualitative.
HighEdWebDev 2004
What ARE “Web Metrics”?
Web Metrics Metrics used to assess and monitor activity on a web site, usually to study how well the site meets its objectives. Sometimes also called "web analytics," although some writers make distinctions between metrics and analytics.
HighEdWebDev 2004
Why Use Web Metrics?
Monitor activity on the site Improve understanding of user behavior Identify and prioritize apparent problems Improve the site’s usability Help us test whether what we believe about the web
site is “real” Make decisions about the site based on data rather
than beliefs
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: The Basics
What is a server log? Why bother analyzing the server log? Common analysis tools
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: A Sample Entry
64.12.102.33 www.esc.edu - [16/dec/2003:00:04:09 -0500] "get /esconline/online2.nsf/eschome?openform http/1.1" 200 21691 "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=iso-8859-1&q=empire+state+college" "mozilla/4.0 (compatible; msie 5.0; aol 8.0; windows 98; digext)" 203 "" "e:/lotus/domino/data/esconline/online2.nsf"
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: Fields in the Sample Entry
remotehost: 64.12.102.33
rfc931: www.esc.edu
authuser: -
[date]: [16/dec/2003:00:04:09 -0500]
“request”: "get /esconline/online2.nsf/eschome?openform
http/1.1"
status: 200
bytes: 21691
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: Fields in the Sample Entry
referrer: "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en
&ie=iso-8859-1&q=empire+state+college"
user-agent: "mozilla/4.0 (compatible; msie 5.0; aol 8.0;
windows 98; digext)"
processing time: 203
cookies: ""
translated URL: "e:/lotus/domino/data/esconline/online2.nsf"
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: Common Analysis Tools
Basic results: What the logs can tell you, and how you can use the informationWebtrends example
Deceptive results: What the logs seem to tell you, but really don’t
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: Beyond the Basics
Configuring your analysis softwareignoring specific IP addresses
Extracting specific types of entries from the log “Homemade tools” Examples:
– Click-through– Comparing two navigation schemes– Search Queries (both successful and unsuccessful)
HighEdWebDev 2004
Log entry for a search query
129.44.6.222 www.esc.edu - [01/sep/2004:08:28:41 -0400] "get /esconline/onlinesi.nsf/index/?searchview&query=bookstore&searchorder=1&searchwv=true&searchfuzzy=false http/1.1" 200 38072 "" "mozilla/4.0 (compatible; msie 6.0; windows nt 5.0; .net clr 1.0.3705; .net clr 1.1.4322)" 640 "siteserver=id=7b9439c604c5ac4216387fe752447485" "e:/lotus/domino/data/esconline/onlinesi.nsf"
HighEdWebDev 2004
Top 10 “No-hit” search terms
July ‘04 August ‘04 September ‘04
10 business, management
and economics
14 accredidation 18 snl
9 accredidation 12 dpp 12 http and //sln.suny.edu/commons
9 business, management
economics
9 finacial and aid 12 onlinecourses
9 fasfa 9 www.coursespace.suny.edu 10 accredidation
8 finacial aid 8 calender 8 athletics
7 business OR and
management
8 life credits 8 finacial and aid
6 dpp 7 alfred adler 7 http://sln.suny.edu/commons
6 myrecords 6 aust 6 clepsydra
6 register for coourse 6 sat and scores 6 psycology
5 bps 5 basket 6 snl and commons
HighEdWebDev 2004
Server Logs: Limitations
Common problems with the data– Case-sensitivity– Others
Problems with the analysis software Tips for coping with problems
HighEdWebDev 2004
Break for Discussion!
HighEdWebDev 2004
Other Data Sources
Surveys Webmaster E-mail Usability Studies Focus Groups Help Desk Calls
HighEdWebDev 2004
Other Data Sources
Reasons to use them Examples Tips for developing them Limitations of these sources
HighEdWebDev 2004
Other Data Sources: Geneseo
Surveys– Geneseo Web Usability Survey
Webmaster E-mail Help Desk Calls
HighEdWebDev 2004
Other Data Sources: Buffalo State
Buffalo State’s Metrics Toolbox– Usability Studies– Focus Groups
HighEdWebDev 2004
Break for Discussion!
HighEdWebDev 2004
Wrap-up and Future Plans
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