Marketing Logic

Ask.com gets snarky

I get questions all of the time about Google analytics. Many companies have opted for this service as, well, it’s free. You can’t beat the price.

I’ve always had hesitations about free analytics, and my main hesitation is someone else owning MY data. This is why I prefer weblog-based analytics. Sure, I supplement those with some JavaScript tagging, but ultimately, I rely on log files for many reasons. The first of which is that I own the data.

The next question is what happens if the free service stops being free – or even more, if it is simply not offered anymore? You are now without luck. It is any company’s prerogative to stop doing something that’s free. It goes against the business grain. (Remember Yahoo’s directory? Or, even Looksmart’s fiasco?)

When people skimp on their analytics, it shows me that they have very little understanding on the value of what analytics can bring. For a program that can potentially save and make you 10 times (or more) it’s cost within the first year, i think the price tag should not be an obstacle. Nor should the price tag of a good analylist, who will make sense of the data.

Ask.com’s blog takes a very humorous look at depending on free Google services. I also recommend adding the Ask Blog to your subscriptions. They have excellent resources, and highlight many of the new technologies and features.

And yes, I am primarily an Ask search user.