Google Analytics vs. Jetpack

Google Analytics and Jetpack are two of the most popular resources for businesses online. They work for bloggers and big business website engineers alike. But which program is ultimately the better investment and helps the most users? After all, though both products are free, training, and installation time count as a cost.

Pros and Cons of Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a pocket-sized business intelligence system. It gives you more data than you will probably ever use, but the available insights are essential for online businesses or businesses with key online attributes. This system is all about the details. You can look at bounce rate, the number of pages viewed per session, and the number of sessions per user. The layered data needed for thorough analysis of business plans and marketing strategies rests at your fingertips.

The most significant disadvantage of Google Analytics is complexity. Although lots of detail is good in most cases, brand new users may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. It's also a little tricky to set the program up, especially manually.

Pros and Cons of Jetpack

Jetpack is excellent for quick summaries. If you're on the go, don't need much data, and don't require specific information, it's an entirely functional option. It isn't complicated. The layout is incredibly simple.

It may be a little too simple, though. Where Google Analytics allows users to see the nuances of user behavior, Jetpack just reports overall totals. For instance, Jetpack can tell you how many hits your site got on a given day, but it cannot tell you how many pages users viewed it on average. Jetpack also comes as part of a more extensive program, so you may have to deal with a lot of extra functions you don't need or want. It's also limited to Wordpress.

Which is Better?

Ultimately, unless you are a new and uncertain analytics user, Google Analytics is the better choice. Summaries can be handy, but these tools much more useful when you can see the data behind them. Google Analytics gives users the tools they need to dig deep and create detailed, results-driven strategies.

Jetpack only works as a general tool. Traffic doesn’t always equal success, after all, but Jetpack simply isn’t designed to offer more than a general summary. It doesn’t get into the meat of the available data, and it tones down results to the point that it limits their effectiveness. There's still a role for it, of course, but in most cases, Google Analytics is a better solution. It would be easier to use Google Analytics selectively as a new user, then utilize more data as you grow more comfortable than to use, outgrow, and have to replace Jetpack.

Google Analytics is the best choice for anyone looking for a long-lasting product with the tools for detailed analysis. Jetpack works, but it is extremely limited compared to the competition. For users who only need basic data, Jetpack may be the easier option. Anyone looking to aggressively pursue expansion and improvement, however, needs Google Analytics.