Google to move into web analytics with Urchin acquisition

Web analytics firms – providers of software that analyse website traffic and marketing campaigns – were hot property yesterday as Google and a private equity fund announced separate acquisitions in the sector.

The world's most popular internet search company agreed to acquire San Diego's Urchin Software for an undisclosed sum. Google said it planned to make Urchin's analytics tools available to website owners and marketers.

Google's vice-president of product management, Jonathon Rosenberg said: “We want to provide [them] with the information they need to optimize their users' experience and generate a higher return-on-investment from their advertising spending.”

Meanwhile, WebTrends of Portland, Oregon is to be sold to private equity fund Francisco Partners for $94m. The deal is expected to be completed in June.

Members of the WebTrends management team will be investing in the business alongside Francisco Partners. Greg Drew, currently general manager at WebTrends, will become president and CEO of the new standalone company.

WebTrends was originally bought by systems and security management firm NetIQ in 2001. Explaining yesterday's decision to sell, chief executive Chuck Boesenberg said: “[NetIQ has] spent the last four years honing our focus and consolidating our systems and security product lines.

“WebTrends employees have done a great job… but the web analytics business is not part of our system and security management business.”