Why are you still using that old thing?

You’re almost certainly running Google Analytics on your website. But have you ever stopped to question why? Most likely it’s down to one of the following:

Because it’s free.

If so then you might want to question the wisdom of choosing a solution that monitors your website, analyses your online efforts and essentially directs and evaluates all of your digital activities based on price.

Because it’s already there.

You really don’t have time to find a new solution, set it up, start collecting data and give up all of that precious old data. It would be a poor investment of your time, and you couldn’t possibly pay someone else to do that for you. Right.

Because it’s the standard.

Is that how you run other aspects of your business?

Because it’s easy to install and use.

Analytics is no easier to install than any other solution. And while it used to be easy to find what you were looking for in a short amount of time, the new and constantly changing interface nicely destroyed that particular strength.

Because it’s easier to stick with the devil you know.

This one is probably the most common reason for most people continuing to use Google Analytics, but we you don’t want to admit it.

Because Google have conquered the market and destroyed their competitors.

As good as Google are at conquering markets, they’re also quite good when it comes to serving up solutions. Try a search for alternatives to Google analytics for example.

If you’re still stuck for reasons, you might also want to consider the following:

1 – A poor interface and rampant feature-bloat have resulted in Analytics becoming a major black-hole of time and productivity. Ask yourself how much time you spend in Analytics a month, and what you have to show for it.

2 – I love Google and most things that they do – I’m even wearing a Google cardigan as I type this. (See? That much.) But I’m getting uncomfortable as to how much Google know about all of us. It’s bordering on worrying. (Brit-speak for “starting to scare the crap out of me).

3 – The dominant product of every market at some point begins to rest on their laurels. They become too aware of the reasons that most people are continuing to remain with them, so they start to get complacent. Their competition, on the other hand, are hungry and desperately eager to please. Now may be a good time to try them.

Note: This isn’t an attack on Google Analytics as such. This is history repeating itself. The once-mighty King becomes complacent, lazy and starts to indulge his whims. Sooner or later someone will come for his crown.

Are you going to follow the gout-ridden King of yesteryear, or the brave new contender for the throne?