I have a problem with web analytics.
The whole notion of a web visit as a rigid set of steps that users follow is incompatible with how we use the web today. Visitors browse around the site, taking their time, exploring and interacting. Occasionally, they complete some kind of action we want—inviting their friends, buying something, and so on.
For a couple of years, I’ve been thinking about web visits in terms of two fundamental building blocks: Places and tasks. If you look at your site as a series of places and tasks, you’ll think differently about how and what you should be watching.
