Best Web Analytics Plugins for WordPress platform

Already have a WordPress blog and searching for the best Web Analytics plugins? - Well, in this post I want to introduce to you a few Web Analytics plugins that I think are the most useful ones. Before I mention those WordPress plugins, you probably want to know why you actually want to use such plugins? There are a few types of web analytics plugins for WordPress: one that integrates a part of the system in WordPress admin and other plugisn that only embeds the code inside the pages that you want to track (aka. Tracking code). Whether it's a JavaScript code or one pixel image tracking code, Web analytics plugins will help you integrate Analytics software quicker and have better control over the implementation. For example, I use Google Web analytics in many of my blogs. I had a few options:

• Manually embedding the tracking code in my theme files
• Utilize hooks of my custom theme to embed the tracking code
• Use a plugin that will automatically embed the tracking code

There are advantages and disadvantages for every one of those techniques. Let me explain.

Manually embedding the tracking code in the theme files

In order to embed the tracking code in your WordPress site pages, you will need to get an access to those theme files. WordPress by default gives you the option to view and edit those files. Alternatively you can access those files via FTP or a Web FTP via cPanel or any other server management panels. The problem with this method is that in some cases, you won't have write permissions set for those files. That means that you will be able to view those files within WordPress but won't be able to save them (overwrite the original file). If you do have write permissions set, you can save the file. If you have e shared server, you can access your panel and apply Unix CHMOD write permissions to those specific files/folders where the theme files resides. I did it and it worked great.

Utilize hooks of custom themes to embed the tracking code

This method is probably for advanced users who have experience with working with PHP code. Although the implementation is not that hard when you come to think of it as a non-programmer person. Let's take Thesis theme for example. By default, Thesis has support for many hooks. One of those hooks is a hook that is responsible for controlling the HTML code that will be embedded in the footer or the header of your pages. You can even a customize code that will embed the code only on specific pages. Some people don't recommend this method for non-programmers. The reason for that is that if you edit the files like that, you can break the template of your site and worse, you can put your site offline.

Use a Plugin that will automatically embed the tracking code

Probably the most popular method due to its simplicity and ease of implementation. On advantage of using a plugin is that you can change your theme and not worry that the code won't be in your pages. Installing the web analytics plugin is very easy too. You can install plugins directly from WordPress administration section. All you need to do is to just activate the plugin and follow the instructions on how to configure it correctly. Simple! Another advantage of using a WordPress plugin for embedding a Web Analytics tracking code is that some of those plugins actually give you advanced features for viewing, modifying and managing your web analytics account within WordPress admin. Cool! OK, now we know that Web Analytics plugisn are the easiest way to embedding your tracking code, let's see what are the best WordPress Web Analytics plugins out there.

Best WordPress Web Analytics Plugins

Maybe best is not the right word because many probably search for a specific plugin that integrates your current web analytics SaaS/Software with WordPress. There are two type of plugins in General:

1. Standalone Web Analytics plugins - these are plugins that are meant to be used only with WordPress and save the traffic data in your WordPress database
2. 3rd Party Plugins - plugins that embeds the tracking code and transfer the data to cloud services that stores that data. So most of them are intended for just embedding the code and that's it

Here is a list of the most popular web analytics plugins for WordPress:

1. Google Analyticor - the most popular plugin that allow WordPress webmaster to install the necessary JavaScript code in your pages. It also utilizes widgets to display the traffic data. It supports GA latest async tracking method, viewable traffic stat within WordPress admin, support for outbound link tracking, event tracking and much more. It's updates frequently to support the latest versions of WordPress (currently 3.2). More than 1.3M people have downloaded this plugin.
2. StatCounter - A very popular traffic analysis plugin from StatCounter.com. Provides real time traffic data about your visitors that visit your blog. It supports many advanced options, including a map.
3. Personyze WordPress plugin - provides an easy web to embed Personyze tracking code. Personyze is probably the best web analytics and site personalization tool out there. Although a paid service, it gives you complete behavioral targeting set of tools that will help you no just track visitors, but actually increase your site conversion rate! - Of course you will do most of the analytical and personalization work inside Personyze, but believe me, it's worth the effort - Highly Recommended. Period! - After all, it's not about the plugin, it's about what you get from using it. Did I mention that it's in real time, supports A/B and multivariate testing too.
4. WP SlimStat - A lightweight yet very powerful real-time. It will write the data in your WordPress DB (6 total tables will be creates). If you are worried about your database getting too large - 10,000 hits take just 1.4 megabytes of DB space. It's a very popular plugin for people who want a self hosted web analytics solution, rather than working with a third party solution that the data is being stored on their hosting environment.

There are many more plugins. Just search for the terms "traffic stat", "web analytics", "statistics", "stat", "tracking" in WordPress plugin directory and you will find a large range of useful plugins for tracking website visitors.