• Natural Search and Mobile SEO , Monday, March 3, 2008 11:45 AM

Mobile search is still a relatively nascent field, but as Bryson Meunier highlights, there are a number of tools that mobile SEOs can use to track and analyze their client's mobile search traffic--and they go way beyond Google Analytics or any other Web analytics program that's hijacked for mobile.

"Traditional Web analytics either use JavaScript, cookies or log files to track users, and all of these methods can cause problems for mobile browsers," Meunier says. "Aside from the fact that data that results from these tracking methods is incomplete or inaccurate, it's not currently possible for mobile search optimizers using traditional analytics to see crucial data such as mobile keywords, mobile search engines or mobile conversions."

Mobile analytics solutions include Amethon, which offers an extensive list of metrics, from basic traffic data like pageviews, to mobile search engine rankings and keyword data. It may be best for large mobile content publishers, as Meunier notes that the platform necessitates "a certain level of commitment of resources that many small businesses might not be willing to make just yet."

There's also the recently updated Bango Analytics, which may be a smarter solution for small publishers. The fully hosted suite offers a variety of data on metrics like sales per mobile search engine and keyword.

Meanwhile, GetMobile Analytics by Quattro Wireless is included as part of the service provider's mobile site creator, and Mobile Visions' Mobilytics solution is on par with Amethon and Bango Analytics in terms of breadth of metrics. Best of all, it's free (in exchange for displaying a small text ad on the tracked site).

Read the whole story at Natural Search and Mobile SEO »