Most Web site owners use Google Analytics to track their traffic and ad campaigns, but unfortunately, Google Analytics only gives part of the overall picture of a Web site. Google can show search keywords that landed visitors on the site, the country in which visitors live and even how long they spent on the site. However, Google does not provide a clear picture of how a site looks to social media, which is becoming increasingly important.

Many analytics tools exist, but most require you to sign up for their services. Site Trail does not require you to sign up, which means you can analyze not only your site, but your competitions’ as well.

To start, simply enter your Web site’s URL.

The very first information displayed is the site’s social media analysis. Site Trail shows statistics for all major social media outlets, from MySpace to YouTube. The paragraph at the top of the analysis details how often your site has been bookmarked with bookmarking Web sites and how often it has appeared in Google News and discussions throughout the Web.

The next section is an SEO analysis that shows indexed pages and backlinks for major search engines and directories.

The following section is a visitor analysis that shows the country of origin for visitors, as well as the amount of overall visitors and page views. However, we did find a problem with the analysis in this block. According to Site Trail, Online-Tech-Tips.com has no RSS subscribers, which simply is untrue. The misinterpreted data could be because we use Feedburner. Site Trail seems to have no recognition of Feedburner.

Site Trail then lists traffic analysis, which is based on Alexa, Compete, Quantcast and Technorati.

Some of the most interesting information appears in the next block: Revenue Analysis. SiteTrail estimates the approximate amount of advertisement revenue the site could earn per year, then calculates an overall worth.

From there, SiteTrail gives more data about everything from the site’s host to the colors used on the site. At the end of the report, you have the option to add an icon to your site showing its value.

If the information Site Trail provides is important to you, you can install a bookmarklet for Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer to take you straight to Site Trail’s analysis of whatever site you happen to be visiting when you click the link.

Site Trail is definitely an analysis tool worth using alongside your other favorite tools, even if all you do with it is analyze your competition. Every Web site analytics tool shows slightly different data—Alexa and Compete rarely even agree on traffic. Site Trail offers yet another perspective to consider in optimizing your Web site.

Via online-tech-tips.co