web site performance an analytical approach for benchmarking and tuning

Web Site PerformanceWeb Site Performance

An analytical approach for An analytical approach for benchmarking and tuningbenchmarking and tuning

ObjectiveObjective

Determine whether your web site Determine whether your web site meets its goalsmeets its goals

Is the Web site usable?Is the Web site usable? Are parts of the Web site invisible?Are parts of the Web site invisible? Understand normal use patternsUnderstand normal use patterns Mode of constant improvementMode of constant improvement Action / Goal oriented changeAction / Goal oriented change

Enterprise approach to Enterprise approach to analyticsanalytics

Multiplicity of Resources to trackMultiplicity of Resources to track– Web ServersWeb Servers– OPACSOPACS– E-ResourcesE-Resources– DatabasesDatabases– RepositoriesRepositories

Important to track the flow of use among all the Important to track the flow of use among all the library’s Web-based resourceslibrary’s Web-based resources

Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-level Web sites and portals (University -> level Web sites and portals (University -> Courseware -> Library)Courseware -> Library)

Web server logsWeb server logs

Web servers are routinely configured to Web servers are routinely configured to record detailed information about each record detailed information about each request. Common elements include:request. Common elements include:– File requestedFile requested– Date / time stampDate / time stamp– Status codeStatus code– Request directive (get, post, head)Request directive (get, post, head)– Referrer (where the user came from)Referrer (where the user came from)– User agent (browser and platform data)User agent (browser and platform data)

Example Web logExample Web log

Raw data for analysis processRaw data for analysis process

2006-06-20 05:01:43 129.59.150.105 GET 2006-06-20 05:01:43 129.59.150.105 GET /index.pl - 80 - c-69-250-131-/index.pl - 80 - c-69-250-131-199.hsd1.md.comcast.net Mozilla/4.0+199.hsd1.md.comcast.net Mozilla/4.0+(compatible;(compatible;+MSIE+6.0;+Windows+NT+5.1;+SV1;+.NET+CLR+1+MSIE+6.0;+Windows+NT+5.1;+SV1;+.NET+CLR+1

.1.4322).1.4322) http://www.google.com/search?http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=september+11+televisihl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=september+11+television+archiveon+archive 200 0 0 11752 200 0 0 11752

Exploiting referral dataExploiting referral data The query string component of the referrer The query string component of the referrer

can be parsed to reveal search terms and can be parsed to reveal search terms and other interesting informationother interesting information

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=september+11+television+&safe=off&q=september+11+television+archivearchive– User typed “september 11 television archive” User typed “september 11 television archive”

in Google to find our sitein Google to find our site Important to study how users get to your Important to study how users get to your

sitesite [example: TV News Public Web queries vs [example: TV News Public Web queries vs

OpenWeb)OpenWeb)

Analysis methodologyAnalysis methodology

Go beyond simply counting pagesGo beyond simply counting pages Identify SessionsIdentify Sessions Categorize usersCategorize users Determine use patternsDetermine use patterns Measure interestMeasure interest

– Time spent on Web siteTime spent on Web site– Bounce rateBounce rate– Page overlay analysisPage overlay analysis

Move from measurement to Move from measurement to impact impact

Establish site goalsEstablish site goals Benchmark current useBenchmark current use Implement goal oriented Implement goal oriented

improvementsimprovements Measure impactMeasure impact Repeat as neededRepeat as needed (Example: enhancement of TV News (Example: enhancement of TV News

OpenWeb)OpenWeb)

Appropriate data filteringAppropriate data filtering Requests from indexing bots (crawlers) Requests from indexing bots (crawlers)

can skew statisticscan skew statistics Count user requests and bot requests Count user requests and bot requests

separatelyseparately Performance monitorsPerformance monitors Link checkersLink checkers Monitoring crawler activity is an important Monitoring crawler activity is an important

component of SEO and Web site component of SEO and Web site discoverability strategies.discoverability strategies.

Resource DiscoveryResource Discovery

How do users get to your site?How do users get to your site? Track performance of the Web site Track performance of the Web site

relative to major search enginesrelative to major search engines SEO – Search engine optimizationSEO – Search engine optimization Few users begin with library Web Few users begin with library Web

sitessites

Search engine optimizationSearch engine optimization

Systematic harvesting of pages from Systematic harvesting of pages from Web siteWeb site

XML Sitemap APIXML Sitemap API Tune pages to maximize exposure in Tune pages to maximize exposure in

search enginessearch engines Monitor with Google Webmaster toolsMonitor with Google Webmaster tools Monitor with Google AnalyticsMonitor with Google Analytics Action-oriented incremental changesAction-oriented incremental changes

Google SiteMapsGoogle SiteMaps

XML specification for systematically XML specification for systematically submitting URLs that represent a Web submitting URLs that represent a Web sitesite

Makes indexing more efficient but does Makes indexing more efficient but does not affect PageRanknot affect PageRank

SiteMap interface provides utilities for SiteMap interface provides utilities for monitoring how the site has been indexed monitoring how the site has been indexed with some analytical information on with some analytical information on terms used to find your Web site.terms used to find your Web site.

Webmasters ToolsWebmasters Tools

Submit SitemapsSubmit Sitemaps Monitor harvesting of sitemapsMonitor harvesting of sitemaps Robots.txtRobots.txt Keyword performanceKeyword performance

Google SitemapGoogle Sitemap

DetailsDetails


Sitemap DetailsSitemap Details


Top search queriesTop search queries

Sitemap ProtocolSitemap Protocol

Sitemap.xmlSitemap.xml

Sitemap ProtocolSitemap Protocol

Measuring Web Site UseMeasuring Web Site Use

Log-based toolsLog-based tools– Analog (basic / free)Analog (basic / free)– Web TrendsWeb Trends– NetTrackerNetTracker– UrchinUrchin– External perspectiveExternal perspective– Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics

Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics

Free tool available for measuring Free tool available for measuring Web site useWeb site use

Based on data sent from Web server Based on data sent from Web server to Googleto Google

No personally identifiable data No personally identifiable data transmittedtransmitted

Javascript snippet added to each Javascript snippet added to each pagepage


VisitsVisits PageviewsPageviews Trends over timeTrends over time ContentContent Traffic sourcesTraffic sources

Goal-oriented analyticsGoal-oriented analytics

Define GoalsDefine Goals Measure site performance through Measure site performance through

completed goalscompleted goals FunnelsFunnels


Selection MenuSelection Menu


DashboardDashboard


VisitorsVisitors


Two FactorsTwo Factors


Visitors by CountryVisitors by Country


KeywordsKeywords


Referring SitesReferring Sites


Content by TitleContent by Title


GoalsGoals


Goal ConversionGoal Conversion


EcommerceEcommerce

Questions and DiscussionQuestions and Discussion

web site performance an analytical approach for benchmarking and tuning

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