Too often companies mistake the data gathering process of web reporting for the insight discovery of web analytics. Instead of discovering the unknown, typical web analysis ends up being an exercise in predicting the predictable - a weekly report reaffirming what is already known:

There will be visitors…there will be visits…there will be pageviews.

That’s not to say there isn’t value in pure-play reporting. Being able to see and measure basic site statistics can provide a broad sense of how well particular online initiatives are paying off, or give general insight into the impact of your other online or offline strategies.

The web analytics process, however, is a constant state of discovery. It moves beyond predictable charts, graphs, and lists of mind-numbing data. Instead of asking “what”, the web analytics process asks “how” and “why”. It evaluates and seeks out intelligence that would otherwise go unnoticed amidst a sea of numbers, constantly exploring and moving to extract value from, and not just report on, your digital strategies.