I am currently reading Chapter 4 of Avinash Kaushik’s book, Web Analytics 2.0 & its title goes, ‘The Awesome World of Clickstream Analysis: Practical Solutions’.
And it is truly an awesome world full of fascinating metrics out there. How wonderful would it be to know what the visitors are doing on your site, if your website is good enough to hold their attention and make them come back for more? But, can you really rely on one analytics tool to get all this information?
What does this chapter contain? In Avinash’s words,
“When people think of web analytics everything they think about is chapter 4, and yet you’ll find so many yummy treats here. The best WA report, segmentation, site search, SEO & PPC analysis, email, rich media, cookies, data sampling. . . . I am out of breath!”
You can read something about each chapter in Avinash’s Blog, Occam’s Razor
Finally, something you have been waiting for,
10 FREE WEB ANALYTICS TOOLS FOR PERSONAL / NON COMMERCIAL WEBSITES
CLICKY
STAT COUNTER
PIWIK
GOING UP
MINT
REINVIORATE
FIRE STAT
WOOPRA
BLOG TRACKER
JAW STATS
The above listed free web analytics tools are great for non-commercial & personal sites. One can easily monitor the website metrics with one tool. But, if you are inquisitive and plan on monetizing your website and each visitor matters to you, go on, track them with atleast three tools. Each tool offers something different and utilizing a mix of these tools will offer great useful insights.
Currently, I am monitoring my website statistics with Google Analytics and by the time you read my next post, I will have Clicky and Piwik Installed. Or Wait, Stat Counter and Fire stat? 
Spoiled for choices!! Aren’t we?
December 14th, 2009 at 2:28 am
I have been using clicktale for a while now and have found no need to find another web analytics provider as they are the most comprehensive continually updating and improving their product. For example the heatmaps – they have just launched a new feature – eye movmement heatmaps. What did we do before web analytics?!
December 16th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Great info. I will definitely try some of the ones I am not currently using and share this. Thanks for posting.
December 17th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Thank you so much for the very good and useful info Kittu.
Please do keep posting good information’s like this.
Regards,
Thanu
December 31st, 2009 at 6:47 pm
It seems odd that all these web analysis toos are for personal sites, when it is only business and commercial sites who would use them.