NTEN uses Avectra's netFORUM as our CRM, and while we're generally happy with its capabilities, it's annoyed me for awhile that I couldn't track click-throughs from our messaging very easily. Then it hit me: use query strings to track clicks in Google Analytics. For a brief moment, I knew how Jon Bon Jovi felt when he rhymed "halfway there" with "livin' on a prayer."

I know some of you are already doing this: it seems so obvious to me now (and maybe I should spend more time reading Analytics forums). But I'll bet some of you aren't too sure what a query string is -- and when I searched for this particular trick, the very few people who discussed it only made veiled references -- so I though I'd write up a detailed look at how to track your click-throughs with a high degree of accuracy:

Garden Zomble by Design ToscanoAnalytics can be scary. Holly says they make her feel like a zombie after she spends hours down the rabbit hole with them. But we try hard to keep web analytics from being zombie-scary.

We want to help you to understand and use web metrics to make real impact with your website. The Ask The Expert session with Avinash Kaushik on Google Analytics last month generated more questions than could possibly have been captured in the one hour time slot. Avinash followed through and compiled answers to the questions that went unanswered in the session. You can read the responses and more on his blog.

Last week's Google Analytics webinar with Avinash Kaushik was a masterpiece -- informative, fun, funny and useful! If you were not able to join us, you can now get the recording and a nice list of resources from Avinash himself.

If you WERE able to join us, then you definitely want to check out a couple of additional resources. First, Beth Kanter has put together a fantastic primer on Google Analytics screencast for NTEN. It's a nice companion piece to the webinar and a great way to share web analytics with the less tech savvy folks in your life.

Second, I have to plug Avinash's book again. Web Analytics: An Hour a Day is getting rave reviews! If you've already read the book, be sure to share your opinion over on the Amazon site. I know Avinash would appreciate it.

What are visitors doing on your site? Where DO they come from? And what in the world does it all mean? Google Analytics can help you answer all of these questions, for free. As Katrin blogged a few weeks ago, the newsest version is incredible: beautiful and powerful, like a great first date. Of course, it's also like a first date in that it can be utterly confusing. With so many choices, so many possibilities, it's hard to know where to begin.

Never fear! We nabbed one of the most amazing analytics gurus out there for a webinar next week. Avinash Kaushik, Analytics Evangelist for Google and author of "Web Analytics: An Hour a Day" will present this webinar on Wednesday, June 20:

Google Analytics is undoubtedly one of the most powerful web analytics packages out there. NTEN wants to help you unlock the power of Google Analytics. In this hands-on webinar, Avinash Kaushik, Google’s Analytics Evangelist, will teach you how to use web analytics reports to understand the performance of your web site in terms of measuring progress toward your organizational goals, but also to help you understand who your web site visitors are, where they come from, and what they’re doing on your site. You'll leave the webinar with actionable tips and tricks you can use right away, regardless of your skill level.

> Register Today!

Google released a new version of its web stats application and it is beautiful. The interface is significantly revised and, thanks to Jeff Veen, formerly of Adapative Path and now a Google lead designer, and his team, usable, beautiful, and highly informative. The application is free to users and a must-have for non-profit web sites. Avinash Kaushik, one of our favorite bloggers on all things web stats, has a great post on his Occam's Razor blog that walks you through the major improvements. Read more.