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Is this question on- or off-topic:

Can Google Analytics tell me where in a country traffic is coming from?

Up for discussion: is this question more about using web sites or running a web site (i.e. more suited for a Webmasters' Q&A site)?

But please look over the question, discuss, and vote appropriately.

Sorry @chollida, I don't mean to be picking on your question.

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  • In light of the questions that we've been getting here, and how well the questions at Webmasters are doing, I think we should revisit this. (Certainly I'd like to reverse my votes.)
    – ale
    Commented Dec 3, 2013 at 4:33

2 Answers 2

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On-topic.

I would say it's on-topic as long as it's about the web app part and not how to integrate it with your site and stuff like that.

Also when it comes to Google Analytics, it is not a niche app. I mean who doesn't own a blog these days with GA tracking? Some of the advanced stuff might be for a limited audience, but I bet we can say that with most web apps.

We have also had questions about HTML validation and other apps not used by many.

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    I think there are just going to be some questions that could be asked on either site.
    – Rebecca Chernoff Mod
    Commented Aug 1, 2010 at 6:56
  • Better to include them on both than to risk excluding them on both. There's a difference between staying focused and being exclusionary.
    – ale
    Commented Aug 2, 2010 at 19:24
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Off topic.

Google Analytics is a web application itself.

The problem is, it's primarily used by Pro Webmasters for pro webmaster things.

This is the criteria we should use:

If we're talking about a web application that people use regardless of their job, then it belongs here.

If we're talking about a niche application that doesn't have a 'general' purpose, then it should go in the appropriate Stack Exchange site (in this case, on Pro Webmasters).

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    Disagree. There are plenty of hobbyist websites out there with Google Analytics. It certainly isn't just for "pros". Heck, that's one of its features: That it's easy for anybody to get on board. (Disclosure: I happen to have a question open regarding Google Analytics.)
    – ale
    Commented Jul 1, 2010 at 17:58
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    I see your point, but I think you're underestimating the average user's obsessive need for leaderboard, stats, "how many people saw my thing".. analytics might be somewhat mainstream. That said this is totally a grey area between Pro Webmasters and Web Apps.
    – Jeff Atwood
    Commented Jul 1, 2010 at 20:58
  • @Jeff Atwood As someone who spent hundreds of hours playing Battlefield 2 just so I could go to bf2s.com to see my stats, I get the stats thing. That's why I'm writing the StackApp. I love stats and there just aren't enough of them to satisfy my need for information porn. I just think that you can only use Google Analytics for a site you can inject JavaScript into -- hence a site you own hence making it a Pro Webmaster thing.
    – George Stocker
    Commented Jul 1, 2010 at 22:00
  • I can add the Analytics JavaScript to my Tumblr blog, and it would be a stretch to say I own that.
    – ale
    Commented Jul 2, 2010 at 14:51
  • Errr...ummm...I'd like to reverse everything I said above (and my vote). After seeing the Google Analytics questions we've been getting (and it has accelerated recently) I think by-and-large these belong on Webmasters.
    – ale
    Commented Apr 23, 2013 at 19:01

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