I personally love data and analytics tools.
But here’s the straight truth: you need a lot less than the analytics industry wants you to believe.
Most experts will try to convince you that you need an analytics tool for everything. More data is always a good thing, right?
I used to believe that myself.
Over the last few years, I’ve changed my stance on the entire analytics category. These days, I prefer to keep things as simple as possible. One or two tools is about all I need. Less infrastructure to worry about, fewer complexities to manage, and an easier system for teams to use and act on.
The Analytics Tools I Use
First, I get my main tool in place, which is almost always Google Analytics.
If I need a true enterprise product, I use Adobe Analytics.
I avoid installing any user analytics tools to start — too much effort required for too little value.
A few extra tools I use for specific projects
If you have a lot of user flows to improve, get a heatmap tool. The best is Crazy Egg.
If you’re making SEO a priority, get an SEO tool. I use SEMrush, but also like Ahrefs.
If you do a lot of conversion optimization and A/B testing, get an A/B testing tool. I recommend Optimizely.
Once you’re large enough that it makes sense to consolidate all your data into a single source of truth, get a real business intelligence function built out along with the infrastructure to support it.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’ve spent a decade mana… Read More