Free Tools with Big Potential
	Posted by Brandy Reppy at Feb 10, 2009 10:47 AM CST Categories: Technology

I'm not sure if you've heard or not, but it turns out the country is in the middle of an economic crisis. Every morning, we're bombarded with information about economic stimulus packages and layoffs. Naturally (and responsibly) we are all tightening our belts and gearing up for the unknown. Everyone is trying to do more with less, and undoubtedly it's a challenge.

We get questions and requests every day from organizations trying to figure out how to make the most out of the dollars that they have while still improving their online presence. Whenever this question comes up, I first and foremost suggest that they begin using Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools.

Most of us are likely familiar with Google Analytics. This is a free service from Google, and is relatively painless to install. This product tracks user activity on your site, and can give you visibility into trends with your web traffic. The info provided isn't the end-all, be-all of definitive quantitative data, but can certainly help to shine a light onto how users are using your site. And, for a free tool, it does provide some pretty thorough reporting and a nice interface.

The lesser known sibling of Google Analytics is Google Webmaster Tools. This may require a little more setup (you need to run a third-party sitemap tool on your site, and you also need FTP access to verify your site), but once installed, this tool can tell you a lot about your web presence. There is diagnostic information regarding errors and problems the Google crawlers (which index your site for the search engine), and problems with meta data like titles and keywords. There is also reporting on the statistical components of your site, like keywords and external sites that are linked to yours. Basically, this tool allows you to see how Google sees your site, and make adjustments based on that information. And, with the great job that Google does with documentation, it's pretty easy to learn the basics. This is an excellent tool for those trying to get a better understanding of their web presence, from search engines to referral links. Used in conjunction with Google Analytics, you're sure to gain some really valuable insight into how your site performs.

Those are my two favorites - free, fairly easy to install, and super informative. I'm sure there are other suggestions out there, and if you have others, please feel free to list them here and in the community. I'll be interested to hear what others are using to help make decisions!

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