Site Optimizer -

Here is a pretty good presentation from insights on the differences between two of the main free web analytics packages; Google Analytics and Yahoo Web Analytics:

http://www.slideshare.net/insightr/insightr-insite-comparing-free-analytics-visual

Interestingly, insightr rates Yahoo 78.8% to Google’s 52.7%, with the rating being on features and support.

As someone who at the mooment uses Google Analytics on a daily basis, the points that really stood out to me are:

• Google Analytics only integrates with Adwords and Adsense, whereas Yahoo API integrates with Adwords, MSN Adcenter (Bing) and of course Yahoo Ads.
• Yahoo allows 10 definable campaign parameters to Google’s 5.
• Yahoo offers basket and cart abandonment stats whereas Google doesn’t.
• It looks like Yahoo provides some basic user metrics info which is fed from their user registration database, which could be interesting.

There are a whole load of other differences, but the above have prompted me to apply for a Yahoo Web Analytics account, which I’ll test on one of my own affiliate sites.

I foresee Yahoo being a possible alternative option for agencies and companies currently using Google Analytics, or a paid analytics application, so this could be an option we offer to relevant agency clients who would benefit from the differing features.

If anybody has experience of the two different systems and can offer a comparison, please do comment.