Google Analytics vs. Adobe (Omniture) SiteCatalyst – A Quick Comparison

I was recently contacted by a web analyst at a leading sporting goods retailer.  He was gathering opinions from industry leaders on the increasingly popular debate - Omniture vs. Google Analytics.

While both products provide the basic elements needed in any web analytics software, let’s breakdown what I shared with this individual which outlines the key elements most organizations need to make a decision.

Key Element	Our View	Winner
Software Cost	Google Analytics is a free product versus a pricing model from Omniture built on pageview volume and users.	Google Analytics
Implementation Time & Cost	One of the biggest reasons to use Google Analytics is the ease of implementation. The account creation and base code implementation process is very simple.  See our cost savings post for an industry leading consumer goods client.	Google Analytics
Speed and User Interface	Google Analytics user interface is far more simple to navigate and much more responsive.	Google Analytics
User Pathing	Omniture SiteCatalyst stores all of its web analytics data in a highly relational model that allows analysts to understand virtually any path a user takes through the site.  Google Analytics only tracks a before and after click path.	Omniture
Custom Tracking	Omniture SiteCatalyst outperforms Google Analytics ability to track custom measurement variables.  However, the implementation is very complex and very expense.  And the reality is that Google Analytics has rapidly evolve their ability to compete here at a much lower cost.	Google Analytics
Campaign Tracking	Google Analytics does a better job of knowing where inbound traffic to your website should be categorized and the implementation of tracking is much easier.  See our post on Campaign Tracking.	Google Analytics
Ecommerce Tracking	Omniture SiteCatalyst outperforms Google Analytics here because of it stores its data.  Pathing is an important part of high volume Ecommerce websites and Google Analytics has some room to grow here.	Omniture
Goal Tracking	Google Analytics wins here because of the simplicity in setup and implementation.  Omniture SiteCatalyst requires extra coding and increased implementation costs.	Google Analytics

By no means is this a comprehensive list however it is a high-level check list that makes Google Analytics the better choice for most organizations. 

At Alight Interactive, we specialize in both platforms and understand the strengths and weaknesses of each product.  We don’t get paid to say good things about either platform and enjoy having this discussion. Contact Us today for a free web analytics assessment and answer any questions you might have.