Google buys Urchin stats

I just came across this article.

http://news.com.com/Google+to+buy+Web+analytics+firm+Urchin/2100-1024_3-5644364.html?tag=nefd.top

So are they going to try and put Urchin into the hands of the masses?

 

Not sure how I feel about that. Then they will have access to everything.

 

wow, they are buying everything on the planet. Is MS next ?

 

if they aren't buying them, they certainly are trying to become the MS of the internet.

 

i wouldn't mind, i love most of their services.

 

Wow. Hopefully urchin will come out below that 895 price point. I tried the product, loved it, but I just can't justify it.

 

That is what I also thought.....even free I know it is too much.

 

i hope so

 

i use urchin on one of my sites, and AWstats side by side. i really like the urchin layout and graphing features, but the search engine keyword section doesn't have the exact same data as AWstats. Urchin shows less phrases then my AWstats.... does anyone else notice this?

 

I noticed this too, which is why i stuck with AWstats and didn't use Urchin very often. Then our host took off urchin so I haven't seen it since.

Not to say that urchin is bad though. It seems like Google will market this to advertisers thus the new Urchin will have AdWords/AdSense stats built in.
Just a theory though.

 

it must be the hardware goog owns, maybe they saw it as a profitable company they could run cheeper with goog hardware. wonder what else they will buy if this is the bent they are on.

 

What is the big deal here, Google needs this to help track ADSENSE and ADWORDS and many other programs.

 

Oh, you are loving this aren't you AC?

 

Chachi, all these companies are the same, IBM, M$, G$ &Y$ are all data mining companies and will all do the same things

 

the big picture is that google will now be using these tools to gain more statistical data from their users. they'll be able to see and analyze advertising trends, search phrases, conversion rates, pages clicked, linking trends, other search engine traffic, spyware, cloaking etc....combine this with their knowledge of search engine algorithms and some crazy changes will be made.

i'm pretty sure that this might not be the greatest thing for us webmasters...just my opinion.

also, i wonder if they will just use it for their adwords and adsense users or if they will be offering to the general public for 'free'. if they offer it for 'free' like site-meter they can sell advertisng, and in essence, collect TONS more statistical data.

 

Webmasters can do the same thing if they can afford it.

www.websidestory.com

 

Or build it yourself

 

Sure thing Chachi, I will have it done by Sundown

 

As soon as I read the news about Google and Urchin, I could totally imagine some of the speculation that would be going on in the webmaster forums. So I headed right over to some forums to read the buzz. Sure enough, I was right.

I blogged about it here and will be adding commentary throughout the day. Here are few comments and a link to one of the official news stories.
http://affiliate-blogs.5staraffiliateprograms.com/

Note: Gave kudos to the members of this forum and to Shawn for running it. See what I said about you guys!

 

For me Urchin was better for tracking 'conversions' v.s. 'leaks', AW is great for SEO for the reasons mentioned above.

If you have clients, or bosses to report to, Urchin report charts and bars make you look like a real winner.

(hmm...I'd like to ask about opinions on other traffic logging software, like how to track visitors movements through out their site visit. GREAT data for improving stickiness and conversions...but I don't want to hijack the thread...and I can't think of a good catagory to start a new one...oh...what a delima... )