How to become a Web Analyst from Scratch
What a web analyst should be able to do, the pros and cons of the profession, and where to level up from scratch to a junior specialist.
There are dozens of Internet professions today. Specialists are increasingly moving into a narrow specialization, honing their skills in a certain direction: programmers are focusing their efforts on Java, copywriters are opting for UX… Web analytics is the case when you need to master the widest possible range of tools, being able to work equally well with several channels and data groups.
We tell you how to become a web analyst from scratch.
Fundamentals and goals of web analytics
Web analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing statistical data about visits and site visitors to optimize the operation of the resource and ongoing advertising campaigns.
For this you need:
- Determine the target audience. In particular, those parameters that are important for business (for example, gender, age, place of residence, and so on).
- Ensure the collection of the required data array.
- Conduct an analysis of behavioral factors and prepare conclusions to improve the work of the portal.
- Based on the analysis, optimize the site, if necessary, changing the structure and adding specific blocks.
Web analytics is purely applied. By itself, it cannot increase website traffic or conversion. The data generated by web analytics tools are numbers that require deep analysis and follow-up.
The main goal of web analytics is to detect problems that prevent the site from developing, and offer the most effective solutions in the optimal time and with minimal investment.
Responsibilities of a Web Analyst
A web analyst is a specialist who collects and analyzes information about site visitors and their behavior. To study it, it uses different data collection systems (the most popular are Yandex.Metrica and Google Analytics), highlights parameters that are important for a particular business, interprets them, and, based on this, gives recommendations for improving the portal.
Thus, the duties of a specialist include:
- install and configure analytics systems on the site;
- optimize traffic tracking from contextual advertising;
- finalize and, if necessary, create new reports and analytics systems;
- analyze the obtained indicators and give clear recommendations for optimizing the work of the portal.
These are the main tasks of a web analyst, but, as a rule, the list is much longer and depends on the specific case. A web analyst helps a business understand the audience and improve the effectiveness of online advertising. Without it, it will not be possible to identify problems on the site, attract new subscribers.
Web analytics tools
Conducting an analysis, on the basis of which recommendations will be made to improve the operation of the portal, involves the use of various analytics tools. The main group is data collection and visualization systems. The most popular among them are Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica and Power BI. The main indicators of web analytics are obtained using these services.
A free Internet service for evaluating site traffic and analyzing user behavior. It helps to receive reports, videos of visitor actions, track traffic sources and evaluate the effectiveness of advertising.
Google Analytics
An analytical service of the Google search engine that collects statistics about site visitors after installing a special counter on it. It has functions similar to Yandex.Metrica and together with it allows you to get the most complete picture of user behavior on the site.
Microsoft tool for data visualization and analytics. It transforms incoherent sources of information into visual and interactive graphs and tables.
Pros and cons of being a web analytics
The specialty of web analytics has a number of undoubted advantages:
- Demanded digital profession: the demand for those who know how to work with data is growing.
- Low competition: there are not many qualified web analysts, so with the right level of training, it will not be difficult to get good jobs.
- High salary: we are talking primarily about experienced professionals, but even a novice web analyst, as a rule, earns at least 40-60 thousand rubles a month.
However, the profession of web analytics has its downsides.
- Businesses rarely need pure analytics: as a rule, a specialist is expected not only to provide recommendations on how to improve the operation of the resource, but also specific actions, for example, site promotion, contextual advertising settings.
- As in any profession, analysts with work experience are especially valued, so you have to be patient and gain skills.
- It is difficult to master the profession of a web analyst on your own – you need paid courses. Well, this is not so much a minus as a real condition for obtaining high-quality knowledge.
How much does a web analyst earn
Internet specialties are the rare case when wages do not depend much on the place of residence. For example, a web analyst from Ivanovo may well receive a Moscow salary – nothing prevents him from working with capital companies and taking on higher-paying projects.
The main starting point is the level of training and experience of a web analyst. As we have already said, even a novice specialist can count on 40-60 thousand rubles per month. Those who have several projects and soft skills behind them get much more. According to HeadHunter, the average salary of a web analyst with at least a year of experience is 80,000 rubles per month.
Web Analyst Skill Levels:
- junior. Most often he solves simple problems, for example, working on parts of the project, which are then combined. Growth usually occurs within a year, during which time the employee receives the necessary skills to solve multifaceted tasks and minimal experience.
- Middle. Usually has experience sufficient to solve typical problems, can explain his actions, knows how to work in a team. Understands the scale of the project, can perform complex tasks, including administrative ones.
- senior. He has experience and skills, “fine competencies” that allow him to participate in system design, make decisions that affect the overall infrastructure. Knows and can do more than most colleagues.
And good news for beginners. According to RealHR , in the first quarter of 2021, the average salary of junior web analysts increased: 80,459 ₽ against 71,839 ₽ (before tax).
Where to study web analytics
There are two ways to become a web analyst from scratch – on your own or by taking special courses / getting an education in an online school. Mastering the profession of a web analyst on your own is difficult: we are not always able to choose really worthwhile training material. In addition, without practical tasks and supervision from experienced mentors, training can take a long time, and some mistakes will be repeated again and again.
It is much more effective to study web analytics in an online school. There you will receive not only theoretical training, but also practical skills. Consider a web analytics training program using the leading educational portal GeekBrains as an example.
How is training at GeekBrains
The training lasts six months and is conducted in a convenient online format. Knowledge is given gradually: first the basics, then advanced tools. Weekly webinars, practical assignments and a final project are waiting for you.
The main curriculum includes several courses. Mastering a new profession begins with a preparatory block and an introduction to web analytics. After that, it is proposed to study the full toolkit for working with basic data. First of all, we are talking about Yandex.Metrica, Google Analytics and UTM tags. Also in the main program:
- working with events and setting up ecommerce (HTML, Google Tag Manager, JavaScript, GTM, Enhanced Ecommerce),
- comprehensive study of traffic (contextual and targeted advertising, SEO basics),
- data visualization with Google Data Studio and Power BI,
- interactive video course on SQL,
- development of a self-written system of end-to-end analytics.
For those who want to level up hardcore, we also offer a course on the basics of Python , a programming language that no serious analyst can do without. This course is not included in the main program, but you can take it in parallel.
5 reasons to choose GeekBrains
1. Versatility
Web analytics training at GeekBrains is suitable for both beginners and those who already have an idea about metrics and their analysis. After graduation, you will have a job as a web analyst, you can also become a digital analyst and marketing analyst.
2. Current knowledge and skills
GeekBrains regularly updates the training program and takes into account the wishes of employers for web analytics skills. Students will be able to add the final project to their portfolio.
3. Dynamic
The course program includes 112 hours of educational content and 68 hours of practice. The course consists of video lessons and webinars – this approach helps to better absorb the material.
4. High expertise
You are trained by analytics leaders and experts in data, advertising campaigns and user interfaces. They will share case studies, review homework assignments, and answer questions.
5. Official ID
After successfully completing the course, you will receive an electronic certificate of the established form and a certificate of professional development, which can be attached to the portfolio and shown to the employer.
If you want to become the best specialist, learn from the best practitioners in the country .