Web and Social Network Analytics

Week 1: Web Analytics

The complete course material, please visit https://web-sna.gauss.world/week1.

Author: Dr. Zexun Chen

• ORCID: 0000-0001-7883-8573
• Email: Zexun.Chen@ed.ac.uk

Table of Contents

• Evolution of the Web
  • Web 1.0 - Static Web
  • Web 2.0 - Social Web
  • Web 3.0 - Semantic Web
  • Web 4.0 - The Future
• Web Analytics Overview
  • Objectives of Web Analytics
  • Tools: Google Analytics, Matomo, etc.
• Web Tracking
  • Cookies and Privacy
  • Web Logs and their Importance
  • Beacons for Tracking
  • JavaScript in Tracking
  • Packet Sniffing Overview
• Web Design Basics
  • HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Essentials
• Web Measurement Tools
  • Clickstream and Metrics
  • Funnel Analysis and User Journey
  • Heatmaps and Eye Tracking

Evolution of the Web

Web 1.0 - Static Web

• Time: 1990s to early 2000s
• Characteristics:
  • Static, read-only pages
  • Limited user interaction
  • Basic visuals

Web 2.0 - Social Web

• Time: 2000s to 2010s
• Characteristics:
  • Interactive and user-generated content
  • Social media and blogs
  • Privacy and quality concerns

Web 3.0 - Semantic Web

• Time: 2010s onwards
• Characteristics:
  • AI-driven, decentralised platforms
  • Cryptocurrencies and NFTs

Web 4.0 - The Future

• Anticipates hyper-personalised, intelligent web experiences.

Web Analytics Overview

• Understand website usage through data analysis.
• Objectives:
  • Measure user behaviour
  • Improve website performance
  • Optimise marketing initiatives

Web Tracking

Cookies

• Small text files used for:
  • Session management
  • Personalisation
  • User behaviour tracking
• Types: Session, Persistent, Third-party

Web Logs

• Automatically recorded server data, useful for:
  • Understanding user behaviour
  • Improving site performance

Beacons

• Invisible tracking pixels embedded in emails/websites.

JavaScript

• Tracks user interactions like clicks and form submissions.

Packet Sniffing

• Monitors network traffic for data analysis.

Web Design Basics

• HTML: Structure of web pages
• CSS: Styling of elements
• JavaScript: Interactivity and tracking

Web Measurement Tools

Clickstream Analysis

• Tracks user navigation and interaction patterns.

Funnel Analysis

• Maps user journey to identify drop-off points.

Heatmaps

• Visualise areas of interest and interaction on a webpage.

Eye Tracking

• Monitors user gaze patterns for precise usability analysis.