Countly vs. Google Analytics

-
Google Analytics, though a great tool, isn’t the only option when it comes to web analytics. Some of the most notable alternatives are Adobe Analytics Cloud and Kissmetrics. Other options include Piwik, Clicky, Woopra, Open Web Analytics, and Countly. Here we will go over Countly and how it compares to Google.

(Countly, n.d.)
Countly

Countly is one of the many Google Analytics alternatives on the market. Countly offers a plugin-based platform for businesses to track “customer journeys in web, desktop, and mobile applications” (Countly, n.d.). Focusing analytics on mobile, web, desktop, and IoT, Countly is a qualified contender against Google Analytics. This service is available internationally and has two editions available for use, Community (free) and Enterprise (paid) (Countly, n.d.).

Relying heavily on plugins, Countly allows users the ability to get the most out of this tool. Plugins are created to effortlessly integrate with Countly and give the user better insights on any accessible metrics. User data is in full custody of the user through Countly, so creating these in-depth, customized reports is never a problem for the site. Besides plugins and data ownership, Countly offers data security and “industrial grade analytics and marketing” to users (Countly, n.d.).

In addition to these services, Countly offers free ‘courses’ on how to use the service and hosts a blog for consumers to learn more about Countly and the read about service updates. The Countly Forum is also accessible via Countly’s website and is where all users can communicate with each other about the service, unique customizations, and troubleshoot user/website issues (Countly, n.d.).

Community Edition vs. Enterprise Edition

The two levels of service offered by Countly differ greatly. Countly’s website offers a very detailed comparison between the two services, but there are several key differences to point out.

The Community Edition is free to any consumer wishing to use it and is made for smaller brands in need of a basic, easy to use, and free web analytics service. This edition is “self hosted”, offers “aggregated data”, and access to about 20 of Countly’s “basic plugins” (Countly, n.d.). Though this is the free version of Countly, users are still 100% in control of their data and can customize the service greatly to their benefit (Countly, n.d.).

In contrast to the Community Edition, the Enterprise Edition of Countly offers almost anything consumers need in terms of analytics, marketing, performance, and data mining. The Enterprise Edition is paid, made for larger brands in search of an advanced web analytics service. This version starts at $350/month and can adjust on an as-needed basis depending on the services requested from the user. Enterprise allows users access to all the site’s plugins, full visitor reports, enable push notifications, gain full product support, and view all consumer data (Countly, n.d.)

Countly vs. Google

In general, Countly and Google Analytics offer very similar services to consumers. Both offer free and paid versions – this makes them attractive to all consumers, from bloggers, to small businesses, and big businesses. Countly and Google have free “Academy” classes available to users, allowing them to learn more about the service and how to best utilize it for their needs. For the mobile user, both Countly and Google have mobile apps available for download that offer limited analytics services.

While there are similarities in the Countly and Google because they provide the same services, there are notable differences in them, as well.
  •  Countly is its own plugin-based service (Countly, n.d.). Google is well-known and works in conjunction with other Google products, allowing greater depth in results and capabilities in marketing (Google Analytics Solutions, 2018).
  • Countly boasts “100% data ownership, 100% control” for all services making data easy to use, whereas Google “provides limited APIs” and don’t always allow data to be easily used for reporting (Countly, n.d.).
  • Countly is built behind plugins that are all made to integrate with each other for user convenience and customization, even allowing users to create their own plugins. Google allows for customized reporting and plugins, but there are restrictions in what can be done with that data (Countly, n.d.).
Besides the major differences in each overall service provider, there are differences in each level of service provided by Countly and Google.

Countly Community Editions vs. Google Analytics:
  • Google Analytics allows integration of AdWords and other programs to gain deeper insights and use data directly through Google (Google Analytics Solutions, 2018).
Countly Enterprise Editions vs. Google Analytics 360 Suite:
  • Where Countly lists a starting price for Enterprise users of $350/month (Countly, n.d.), Google Analytics 360 Suite does not have prices listed and directs consumers directly to a salesperson (Google Analytics Solutions, 2018).
  • Countly allows full customization of the user’s dashboard to echo user branding throughout the service (Countly, n.d.).
  • Google Analytics 360 Suite integrates with other Google and third-party services to bring the user the best possible experience and find the best use of data possible (Google Analytics Solutions, 2018).
Which is Better?

I don’t believe there is one solid answer to which is better. As most topics we’ve covered, the best option is determined by the business and its overall goals. Both Google, Countly, and the countless other web analytics options are all similar in nature. Countly made its stance on how it’s different from Google very clear, despite the other capabilities being almost exact in nature. Unfortunately, when competing against a big name like Google, other brands need to advertise their differences because consumers are likely to side with the name they know and trust.

References

Countly (n.d.). Countly. Product analytics for your website. Retrieved from https://count.ly/

Google Analytics Solutions (2018). Analytics. Google Analytics Solutions. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/analytics/analytics/#?modal_active=none

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Web Measures: Clickthrough Rate

-
Clickthrough Rate Clickthrough Rate (CTR) is thrown around a lot in the world of analytics – but what does it mean and why is it important? The clickthrough rate is the ratio of consumers who see content and click it, hence ‘clickthrough’. CTR is important to digital marketers because it’s a concrete way of measuring how effective a brand’s content is performing. (Google, 2018). The CTR is found by dividing the number of clickthrough’s by the number of views (Kaushik, 2018). Measuring and analyzing clickthrough rate may seem like an easy task, but there’s more to it than it seems. The CTR is the perfect metric to measure ad text and descriptions; consumers clickthrough because the content is engaging. If the clickthrough rate is low, there are other factors that could be involved and should be investigated. The problem could be the text and descriptions don’t match the content the consumer is taken to or there could be a broken link. Conclusions shouldn’t be drawn until all fa...
Read more

I'm Thinking... ThinkGeek

-
Image
ThinkGeek (Geeknet, Inc., 2018) Geeks are notoriously collectors and ThinkGeek  is the go-to website for all geeky collector items. ThinkGeek prides itself “with creating and sharing unique and authentic product experiences that stimulate fans’ imaginations and fuel their geek core” (Geeknet, Inc., 2018). The online retailer is perfect for the geeky collector because they feature items not only by product type, but by fandom or interest – no matter how geeky or not the consumer is. The items on the site appeal to all geeky people, not just one age group or gender. The fandoms or interests range from cats to Star Wars to Tolkien and even to journaling, while the range of items is even greater. You name it and it’s probably on ThinkGeek: figurines, underwear, tools, games, office supplies, and much, much more (Geeknet, Inc., 2018)! But, how does one find ThinkGeek in the big world of the internet? There are several sites dedicated to selling geeky collectibles and v...
Read more