Web Analytics

Web Analytics (including web analytics, web analytics, traffic analysis, traffic analysis, clickstream analysis, web tracking ) is the collection and analysis of the behavior of visitors to websites. An Analytic Tool investigated typically where the visitors come from, which areas are visited on a website and how often and for how long which sub-pages and categories are considered. In Germany the use of such tools for data protection reasons is controversial.

It is used mainly to optimize the website and to improve the achievement of objectives of the site ( eg frequency of visits, increase page views, orders, newsletter subscriptions ) are used. Fundamental distinction can be made between at Web Analytics evaluation method for permanent measurement of the site - effectiveness and methods for finding weak points in the site and opportunities for improvement (see Methods ). Besides a number of free products of approximately 150 companies offer solutions for Web Analytics.

• 7.1 Legislation
• 7.2 pseudonyms user profiles
• 7.3 personal reference of IP addresses
• 7.4 Clarification of the necessary data protection compliance
• 7.5 fines

Term

While globally largely the term Web Analytics has prevailed, is often the term ' Web Control ' is used in Germany as a synonym. The older term ' Logdateianalyse ' shares with Web Analytics an intersection (analysis of web server log files ), but can also Logdateianalyse with the analysis of other log files be meant. How ' Web Controlling ' has in Germany, the term ' Page Impression ' ( PI) differs from the internationally used ' Page View' (PV ) enforced. What is meant in each case, the retrieval of a page of an Internet presence through a human visitor ( no crawler, spider, etc.). Several individual page views are to a meeting together (Visit, visit). A visitor (Unique User or Visitor ) may visit a site in multiple sessions.

Objectives

Web Analytics is the analysis, optimization and control of processes concerning all Internet activities of a company. Web controlling tools allow a variety of indicators and evaluations regarding a website and related marketing actions useful to measure. Key figures in electronic trading relate to, for example:

• The effectiveness of individual advertising material ( eg banners, newsletter)
• The number of visitors to their web stores
• The proportion of visitors who attach something to the cart
• The percentage of visitors that complete the purchase process
• The average basket value

The goal is now to evaluate these figures and it generated statistics ( ROI, shopping carts, conversion rates, online sales ) to start and these results new marketing campaigns and optimize their own website accordingly.

Method for data collection

Are typically used for Web Analytics either the log files of the web server evaluated or used certain tags in websites for data extraction. Besides these two still exist to use methods that Web server plug-ins or network sniffer.

Server - based data: Logdateianalyse

The software for the operation of websites, called a web server such as Apache or MS IIS, typically produced a continuous log of all activities of the software. Served this at first mainly for recording and correcting errors in operation, you quickly discovered the possibility of using this log file to collect results on the popularity of the site, the frequency of page views and the activity of website visitors. Since these protocols are created directly from their own software, they show a true representation of server activities. To evaluate the protocols - pure text files, line by line, representing the activities of the software - the statistics software is commonly used, created, data, maps, and makes clear in graphics and tables.

Client-based data: Tags and pixel

Since about 1996, there is another, simple method for data collection: direct to the source code of the site itself are invisible mini images ( 1- pixel graphics ), so-called counting or tracking pixels integrated. A call these graphics can now stand for exactly one pageview. The pixel file must not reside on the same server as the actual content of the website. Thus, the collection, storage and evaluation of data take ASP service. In addition to the still -used 1 -pixel images is today Javascript code used by almost all solutions in addition to data collection. This ' Javascript tags ' are well integrated into the source code of the page, but may provide additional information about the polling client ( usually the browser ) collect - eg graphical resolution of the used monitor color depth, installed in the browser plugins etc. Newer Tools also allow the recording of mouse movements (Mouse tracking) or keyboard input from site visitors.

Other methods

For the network protocol analysis ( NPA Network Sniffer ), a special decoder between the webserver and the connection is used for the Internet. It now collects all the traffic in this network. When URL rewriting as a proxy between the web server and installs Internet that stores the traffic data in special log files and at the same time writes additional information ( session IDs ) in the URL. So-called hybrid method to process more than one data source at a time. In particular, the integrated evaluation of tag data and server data represents a particularly rich and reliable, but also time-consuming nature of the traffic analysis

Cookies

In order to assign a single page view a session and a session of a possibly recurring visitors, cookies are used usually. There is a heated debate on this subject, here is some on the side HTTP cookie directed. It remains that cookies are currently indispensable for professional traffic analysis that the ' visitors ' (not the single session ) is in the center of their attention. Alternative methods with Flash objects seem to lead out a niche existence. Unlike traditional cookies so that visitors can also be recognized if they use different browser.

Day vs. Logfile - Pros and Cons

Traffic analysis have to contend with strong distortions in the data. No type of analysis can claim to represent the actual traffic of a website truthfully.

In summary it can be stated that the client-side method in combination with 1 - party cookies, the most common and today - is the best - pragmatically. The data quality is strong enough to take on this duty based decisions. The cost of an equivalent reliable system based on log files ( and Cookies) in general are significantly higher and are most likely there in question, where a significant sensitivity of the data exists.

Methods

In general, let two application areas of web analytics distinguished:

1 regular monitoring of the effectiveness of the website and related campaigns

By the definition of indicators ( eg cost, revenue, conversion rate, page views per session, sessions per visitor ) the individual data of the analyzes can be condensed into meaningful information and put into a context of comparability: Course of sales over the year, costs per campaign conversion rate compared to a set destination, etc.

2 strategies to optimize the website

• Path analyzes help in finding particularly popular and unpopular pages in a site
• Segmentations help find other distinguishing certain groups of visitors ( eg visitors from search engine A compared with visitors from search engine B)
• Conversion paths ( Funnel ) assist in the measurement and optimization of defined sequences important page in the site
• Optimization of start pages or landing pages by rapid testing of small improvements and changes (A / B testing )

Software

A web statistics provides an evaluation of the browsing behavior of web site visitors. Here are evaluated in order to analyze the behavior of visitors to websites page views and unique visits ( engl. visit ). Essentially, Web statistics are based on an analysis of the log file (see Logdateianalyse ) of the server, but there are also other techniques ( detection by tracking pixels or with a JavaScript code that gives the count to a Zählserver ). In addition to the often graphically prepared statistics on arbitrary evaluation periods present web statistics further information ( technique of visitors, origin, special functions, behavior of visitors on the website), which go beyond the content of the log files and for example to be found under the term web tracking are. The web statistics usually encountered, however, then its limits when the user leaves the Internet and makes a phone contact. This so-called " media break " overcomes the meantime, the so-called phone tracking.

Countermeasures

Users of the World Wide Web can protect against an actual or alleged spying by web analytics at least partially. In addition to appropriate privacy settings in the browser are mainly browser add- ons such as advertising or tracker blocker widespread. Another method that is associated with loss of speed, is the use of alternative proxy networks to conceal its own IP address.

Legal admissibility in Germany

Legal regulation

The legal situation in the use of analytic tools is currently controversial in Germany. Legal impetus for the criticism is often to save the IP address and the use of cookies. The Federal Privacy Act permits the collection and storage of personal data only if this is explicitly allowed by any provision of law or there is a clear and prior consent of the user. Relevant here is the provision in § 15 German Telemedia Act ( TMG). Accordingly, personal data of visitors to a website without the consent of the user may only be collected and used, to the extent necessary to allow the use of business-like sites on the Internet and bill. The use of this data beyond the end of the user activity is not permitted unless the data " for the purposes of settlement with the users are necessary." According to § 13 German Telemedia Act ( TMG) European portal providers must ensure that " the personal data collected on the sequence of access or other use immediately deleted after the end of " be.

Pseudonyms user profiles

Service providers may for the purpose of advertising (eg settlement of ad clicks ), market research (eg survey of user interest to subsequently optimize web pages ) or for customizing the Telemedia (users designed, for example, the retrieval of a TV Create favorite genre, arrangement of the transmitter) user profiles, provided that the user does not withhold consent ( § 15 para 3 TMG) program website to his taste. Such a usage profile, for example, information about the timing of the site visit and the site visited included, but must not contain any identifying characteristics such as the IP address, but only a pseudonym. The profile must not be merged with other data about the bearer of the pseudonym (eg as part of a geolocation of the user). So that the user can exercise his right to object, he is to be no later than the beginning of the page to visit right to appeal. The data protection authorities keep a link under the name of "privacy ", which offers the information and the Opposition opportunity for beanstandungsfrei.

People respect of IP addresses

It is disputed whether the IP address of an Internet user in connection with the use of time is a piece of personal data. The District Court of Munich rejected the personal reference of a dynamic IP address, which had been stored by the operator of an Internet service, in a supplementary note ( obiter dictum ) from ( judgment dated September 30. 2008-133 C 5677 /08, MMR 2008 860). It was following some legal commentators ( Gola / Schomerus, § 3 para. 10), keeping the IP addresses only for " relatively" personal, so that the storing of IP addresses when content providers their transmission is permissible and only inadmissible.

The Amtsgericht Berlin -Mitte contrast, has adopted a personal reference, and it prohibited the operator of an Internet portal to store the IP addresses of its users over the duration of the use of process out ( judgment dated 27. March 2007 - 5 is C 314/ 06, DuD 2007 856-858, confirmed by the Berlin District Court, Judgement of 6 September 2007 - 23 S 3/07, MMR 2007, 799-800 ). The aid of further data as it is stored at about Internet access providers, the determination of the used Internet connection and its owner is possible. This was followed by the Administrative Court of Wiesbaden (acceleration v. 27. February 2009 - 6 K 1045/ 08, MMR 2009, 428-432 ). Also, the District Court Wuppertal sees the IP address as the piece of personal data. In other European countries, the Swiss Federal Administrative Court, the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court and the French Constitutional Court have affirmed the personal reference of IP addresses by reference to the applicable even in Germany European Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. Same opinion are the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Privacy Commissioner, the Privacy Officer for the Federal and State Governments as well as the data protection officer of all EU countries. The German Federal Court of Justice had not yet to decide the question, however, has recognized a "right to anonymity of the Internet user " in a decision made in 2009.

Clarification of the necessary data protection compliance

Who integrates as a German provider of an Internet service external services such as web analytics services in his offer shall be liable for compliance with the German data protection law (so-called order processing ). Especially with American companies operating in Germany, the user of an Analytic tools 4b paragraphs 2 should ensure compliance with the German data protection law by the foreign companies, because there is no German law similar data protection regulations in the USA ( see § § 11, and 3 BDSG). The storage or transmission of personal data is beyond the statutory licenses only with the consent of Internet users allowed (§ § 4, 4a BDSG). A consent must be "aware" take place (§ 13 II TMG) and must not violate § 307 II BGB. It is considered that there is an essential basic idea of the Telemedia Act to protect the user against a suspected loose logging its usage behavior. Differing consent clauses are therefore invalid under § 307 II BGB.

The Telemedia Act in Germany can be a processing of personal data pursuant to § 12 I TMG only if the user has previously agreed or statutory authorization exists. Through the use of external tools but the full IP address is usually transmitted ( a piece of personal data ) the visitor to a third party ( service provider). If the user has not previously consented, this is inadmissible, since no legal basis can be seen, which is to allow this.

On 26-27. November 2009 have ( Düsseldorf district ) decided the senior supervisory authorities for data protection in the non-public area of ​​some principles for dealing with Google Analytics and other web tracking method. After the supervisory authorities consider that personal data of a user without consent should only be collected and used, to the extent necessary to allow the use of tele- media and bill. The analysis of user behavior using full IP address (including a geolocation ) was allowed by the Personenbeziehbarkeit this data only with conscious, clear consent. If the absence of such consent, the IP address before any evaluation should be reduced so that a particular individual is excluded.

Fines

Against providers who violate the privacy laws mentioned above, the data protection supervisory authorities may impose fines.

The Berlin Data Protection Commissioner has now set up a special Bußgeldstelle in its authority to impose sanctions strengthened in the future. Image bloggers Stefan Niggemeier the logging of the IP addresses of users of its website has already been banned.