FoxMetrics vs. Google Analytics - What You Need To Know

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Google analytics is great.  It’s a free, analytical tool (with free online training) that can easily be applied to almost every website measuring most activities, including demographics, of any visitor you would want to track.  Why would you need anything else?? 

There are so many web analytics tools currently in the marketplace that offer what Google Analytics offers.  Most of the time, these tools come with a price.  This post will analyze one of the Internet’s top web analytics tools and their use in this generation’s data-driven marketplace. 

FoxMetrics 

Founded in 2012, FoxMetrics is a web analytics firm that offers services focused on tracking individual customer data in real time.  Their software is designed for small to mid-sized businesses with reports that integrate with select, internal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software (e.g. Salesforce) (Technology Advice, 2015).  The tool creates live profiles for each customer that visits your site. 

FoxMetrics AND Google Analytics (The Similarities)

Both Google Analytics and FoxMetrics provide users with real time reports that track a visitor’s 30 minute session as they are looking at your website.  Before going any further, I can already hear you asking, “So what?  Why would I want to use real time data?”  Well, as a matter of fact, real time data can be helpful in a variety of specific ways: (Gray, 2015)

1.     Troubleshooting and testing the effectiveness of UTM parameters (i.e. tracked tags added to a URL) and created events (i.e. actions performed by your customers)

**ProTip: In order to “discover what your visitors do inside your page and reduce your bounce rate”, Boyce advises that you use events to track customer actions that “really matter to you, be it signup for your newsletter, checking out your video or other in-page activities” (2014). 

2.     Monitoring temporal campaigns, and the activity/conversations they create, as they unfold.

3.     Identifying and strategically positioning your trending content.

4.     Run A/B tests of new features on your website (however, only for high-traffic sites)

In addition to real time reports, both FoxMetrics and Google Analytics measure user data, specifically demographics, visits, events along with page views, customer events, unique visits, visitors, files, bounce rates, exit rates and all other important web analytics (FoxMetrics, 2015)

FoxMetrics VS. Google Analytics (The Differences)

While FoxMetrics and Google Analytics share many of the same reports, FoxMetrics offers it’s customer’s more precise, real time measurements. 

More Precise

FoxMetrics is more precise and they don’t hesitate to advertise it.  According to FoxMetrics, their software “should be used to track the data that really matters and actionable with precise metrics. If you wish to track traditional analytics such as page views please do not hesitate to do so, you are more than welcome - we just encourage you to use other packages that were intended for that purpose such as Google Analytics”(2015).   The only reason your business should pay for FoxMetrics is if they want to get more intimate with real time reports and micro segmenting visitors. 

Visitor-centric

FoxMetrics is organized around the customer, aka, your websites visitors.  Their tools allow your business to “track what your customers are doing on your website in real-time” as well as each “customer life-cycle including where they are clicking, what e-mails they are opening, what products they are purchasing, and more.” (Sparks, 2014).  Furthermore, FoxMetrics allows your business to seamlessly connect select CRM and email platforms to their web analytics tool.  The end product is a “thorough report showing the actions of your user's while they are using your application” (Sparks, 2014). 

Support

FoxMetrics offers and encourages it’s customers to use their 24/7 support center accessible online or via phone (however, phone support is for the high-rollers only).  It’s 24/7 support includes detailed articles available for search within their website along with free email support for every plan.  Google Analytics, on the other hand, offers video tutorials in addition to written support via Google’s support center.  While they don’t offer easily accessible support via phone, their support is quite extensive. 

Mobile Tracking?

FoxMetrics is very vague in explaining whether or not their tool can track data within mobile applications.  Google, on the other hand, offers Google Analytics specifically for Mobile Apps.  This tool is free to use and looks to be very helpful for those who wish to measure their mobile data.  If you have any experience using Google Analytics for Mobile Apps, please leave a comment below describing how it makes you feel and whether or not its effective. 

Price

Of course, we all know that Google Analytics is free while FoxMetrics is available for a fee.  Different metrics can be accessed within different plans ranging from $20 to $120 (FoxMetrics, 2015).  Full access to all FoxMetrics benefits are available for Enterprise users at custom pricing. 

Is it Worth it?

If your website has high traffic and tracking individual customer actions is on the top of your priority list (in line with your KPIs), FoxMetrics can be a useful tool for you.   While FoxMetrics positions itself as an affordable option for small businesses looking to track real time data, small businesses may find that specialized real time reports aren’t as effective for them.  Nevertheless, even FoxMetrics encourages their customers to use Google Analytics alongside their tool for even more effective results.  

Can you find any other tools that provide top-notch, real time analytics?   Feel free to share your thoughts on the effectiveness of real time reports below. 

References:

Boyce, P. (11 August 2014).  Why Your Google Analytics Bounce Rate is Wrong.  Woorank Blog.  Retrieved from http://blog.woorank.com/2014/08/why-your-google-analytics-bounce-rate-is-wrong/

FoxMetrics. (2015).  FoxMetrics Documentation.  Retrieved from http://foxmetrics.com/documentation

Gray, C.M. (2015).  The Marketer’s Guide to Real Time Reports in Google Analytics.  KISSMetrics.  Retrieved from https://blog.kissmetrics.com/real-time-reports-google-analytics/

Sparks, C. (11 March 2014).  10 Great Social and Web Analytics Tools.  Search Engine Journal.  Retrieved from http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-great-social-web-analytics-tools/90629/

Technology Advice. (2015).  FoxMetrics: About FoxMetrics.  Retrieved from http://technologyadvice.com/products/foxmetrics-reviews/