Asymmetric uses a layered set of analytics and research platforms to monitor client performance, understand traffic sources, research keywords, and analyze competitors. This article documents each platform, its primary purpose, and how they complement each other.
Tip: Keep all of these platforms pinned as tabs in Chrome and set them to open on startup. Having them always available makes it natural to check in regularly as you work.
These three platforms are used to understand what's happening on a client's own website.
Purpose: Organic search performance — what keywords are driving traffic from Google search results.
Key limitation: Only shows organic keywords — no paid data.
Example (Crazy Lenny's): Most traffic comes from branded searches ("Crazy Lenny's"). Non-brand terms like "e-bikes Madison" appear further down the list.
Purpose: On-site behavior, traffic sources, and (for e-commerce clients) sales data.
Key limitation: Interface is dense. Requires dedicated time to explore — you won't know what you don't know until you spend time in it.
Purpose: The most readable and granular first-party analytics platform in the stack. Often easier to work with than Google Analytics.
Key sections:
| Section | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Real-Time | Active visitors in the last 30 minutes, their location, and behavior icons |
| Visitors → Visits Log | Individual session detail: pages visited, device, browser, location |
| Visitors → Locations | Geographic drill-down (country → state → city) |
| Behavior → Pages | Page views, bounce rate, time on page |
| Behavior → Entry/Exit Pages | Where users enter and leave the site |
| Acquisition → All Channels | Traffic source breakdown: direct, search, campaigns, social, referral |
| Acquisition → Search Engines & Keywords | Combined keyword data with visit counts |
Notable feature: The Visits Log lets you watch individual user sessions — you can see exactly which pages someone visited, how many times they refreshed, what device they used, and where they came from. This is powerful for understanding real user behavior.
Heat maps and session recordings are handled separately via Microsoft Clarity (free), not Matomo.
Mark's take: "You're going to learn that analytics.asymmetric.pro is some of the best data you'll ever see. It's easy to understand and easy to work with."
These platforms are used to research keywords and analyze competitors — both for the client and against their competition.
Purpose: SEO performance, keyword tracking, backlink analysis, and light competitor comparison.
Key limitation: Competitor analysis exists but is not Ahrefs' strongest feature. Use SpyFu for deeper competitive intelligence.
Example (Asymmetric): Ahrefs shows Asymmetric outranking all tracked competitors on organic keywords, with one competitor slightly ahead on organic traffic.
Purpose: Competitor analysis — specifically designed to show what competitors are doing in paid and organic search.
Mark's take: "All the rest of them, you're kind of looking in the mirror. SpyFu is really good for looking at competitors."
Purpose: Paid campaign management and keyword performance for active ad campaigns.
Key limitation: Only shows paid keyword data — no organic.
Tip: If campaigns appear missing, check for active filters before assuming they don't exist.
| Platform | Keyword Type | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Organic only | What's working in organic search |
| Google Ads | Paid only | What's working in paid campaigns |
| Ahrefs | Both (estimated) | SEO health, keyword tracking, light competitor view |
| SpyFu | Both (competitor-focused) | What competitors are doing |
| Matomo | All traffic | Detailed on-site behavior and acquisition |
| Google Analytics | All traffic | On-site behavior, e-commerce data |
Cross-platform insight: Organic and paid keyword data can inform each other. A keyword performing well organically might not need paid spend — or a high-performing paid keyword might be worth targeting for SEO as well.
When preparing to build or optimize a landing page for a client: