Hot on the heels of AnalyticsWP, the Solid team has released Solid Posts. Solid Posts provides post-level analytics and a “likes and sharing feature” (not WCAG compliant). The sharing feature aside, this reminds me of Parse.ly, but it is far less feature-rich.

A Comparison

Solid Posts and Parse.ly are tools designed to help users analyze and optimize their content, but they differ significantly in features, integration capabilities, and especially pricing.

Solid Posts

Solid Posts is a lightweight WordPress plugin that offers:

  • Basic Analytics: Tracks page views and read times and supports custom post types.
  • Ease of Use: Seamless integration into WordPress with a user-friendly interface.
  • Performance: Designed to be efficient without slowing down the site.

This plugin is ideal for WordPress users seeking straightforward content performance insights without extensive features.

Screenshot of Solid Posts

Parse.ly

Parse.ly, on the other hand, is an enterprise level, content analytics platform offering:

  • Advanced Analytics: Provides real-time data, audience segmentation, conversion tracking, and detailed reporting.
  • Integration: Compatible with various content management systems, not limited to WordPress.
  • Scalability: Handles large volumes of data, suitable for enterprise-level needs.
  • Support and Customization: Offers personalized insights, premium support, and custom data exports.

Parse.ly is tailored for organizations requiring in-depth analytics across multiple platforms.

Screenshot of a basic Parse/ly setup.

These are definitely “you get what you pay for” products, with Solid Posts ranging from $49 to $149 depending on the number of sites, and Parse.ly, based on traffic and users, coming in at a significantly higher, albeit unadvertized price (I think it starts at $1000 per month). If you want to give yourself or your client a nice analytics package, I would consider Solid Posts in conjunction with something like AnalyticsWP or, my preference, Independent Analytics.