Recently in Web Analytics Category

On May 8, Google released a new version of Google Analytics. According to Jeff Gillis, member of the Google Analytics team,

"We've redesigned the reporting interface for greater customization and collaboration. This should make it easier for businesses and website owners to find and share the data you need to make informed decisions. The new version presents data more clearly and in context, so you can look at a single report to gain insights rather than having to pull up several reports to understand what action to take."

Jeff goes on to explain that this simpler, more intuitive version of Google Analytics is a response to growing demand for analytics tools from technical and non-technical users. He says,

"Today there are hundreds of thousands of Google Analytics customers, and web analytics has moved from being a niche function to becoming a mainstream aspect of the business for companies of all sizes."

This is good news, because it means B2B and B2C firms across all industries are learning how to take advantage of the Web's data power to hone their search marketing strategies and programs.

Does the new Google Analytics release live up to expectations? Josh Katinger of Accession Media says, "yes!" Josh points out that Google Analytics, which is free, is closing the functionality gap with pricey, high-end analytics tools such as Omniture. Like Omniture, Google Analytics can now segment customer traffic to help advertisers better understand customer behavior and develop more targeted--and thus more effective--campaigns.

Thanks to Google, not only is the SEM playing field becoming more level, the level is rising at the same time--a major reason why companies of all sizes keep shifting advertising and marketing dollars to search marketing.

Further reading--

Barry Schwartz at SearchEngineLand surveys the new territory.

From Timothy Seward at the Google Analytics Blog, a more detailed survey with many useful links.

Adam Ostrow at Mashable gives us an awesome list of 27 features that make Google Analytics is best of breed.

Chances are, a company that has any sort of presence on the Web is too busy thinking about the bottom line to devote much attention to Web analytics. But really, Web analytics boosts the bottom line, because it familiarizes you with the intricacies of how your customers found you and interact with your site. A lot of sites, tools, and services are currently available to help you understand your site’s key metrics.

Why use them?

It’s time to go beyond “hits”. So you know how many people visit your site--now what? Online competition makes it essential that you understand your customer’s actual online behavior when they visit your site—this understanding is crucial in knowing what truly works in driving customers to buy from or return to your site.

Kick your ROI up a notch. Simply said, a deeper understanding of the hows and whys enable you to make smarter marketing and promotional decisions.

In many ways an online business simply cannot afford not to look deeper into the mind of their online customers. Web analytics gives a birds-eye view and oftentimes instantaneous look into the cause and effect of how your Web marketing works—in the real world.

For more information you can check out WebTrends’ Web analytics 101 page.

Marshal Sponder has an interesting post on where Web measurement belongs in your organization.

In our last post we mentioned a fascinating statistic--

While 56% of marketers say the Internet is key to their business, only 15% of them actually measure results.

A common misconception about marketing is that it is all art and no science. In reality, most types of marketing programs are measurable to one degree or another. True, the ROI for a billboard designed to enhance brand recognition might be difficult to quantify. But at the other extreme, search engine marketing is highly quantifiable--one reason for its popularity and rapidly improving effectiveness.

There is no shortage of data available for analyzing Web site traffic, user demographics, customer behavior, and pay-per-click campaigns. To make full use of Web analytics, companies should employ techniques that drive the right kind of data. For example--

1. Newsletters always seem like a good idea, but how do you know if they work? Try sending out two versions in an A/B split test and see which one produces a higher conversion rate. Repeat the process with every newsletter release.

2. Use A/B split testing for PPC campaigns, creating multiple landing pages to test which message is more effective.
(When split testing, take care to change only one variable at a time. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to determine what caused user behavior to be different.)

3. For Web pages having a steady stream of fresh content, offer RSS feeds to encourage subscriptions (that can be tracked and analyzed).

4. Speaking of Web pages, make sure each one has a specific purpose, and as much as possible, only one specific purpose. If users hit a particular page with high frequency, it will be hard to determine why if the page contains several types of information.

Apply a little "scientific method" to the creative work of building Web sites and search campaigns. The customer insights you'll gain down the road are indispensable!

We mentioned in our last post that companies may not be fully aware of the power of Web analytics. As promised, here are some places to learn more.

Google Analytics now offers its program at no charge.

Statcounter, another popular provider, offers a free demo on its site.

ClickTracks, a third key player, offers a free trial and a good deal of useful information.

Read a thorough overview of the importance of Web analytics from the Web Analytics World blog.

This article from Digital Web Magazine runs through the nuts-and-bolts of Web analytics in easy to understand terms.

A recent post from Dianna Dilworth reveals this startling fact: While 56% of marketers say the Internet is key to their business, only 15% of them actually measure results!

Applying Web analytics to e-mail might be the next breakthrough. David Baker gives a look into the (near) future.

Other ideas or comments? Please let us know!

Need help developing a Web analytics strategy? Contact us today.

Web analytics has come a long way from the days when a Web site's traffic report consisted of page after page of inscrutable and largely meaningless data. Today's Web analysis tools deliver readable and meaningful information that enable companies to continuously improve site programming, site design, and search engine marketing (SEM) programs.

Besides being highly useful, Web analytics programs are getting less expensive all the time. In fact, Google Analytics, a major industry player, now offers its programs free.

Why then, do so few companies use Web analytics?

1. Unawareness. Some companies simply may not realize how much useful information is available to them--perhaps just for the asking.

2. Indifference. Building a new Web site is fun! Creating fancy new graphics and site applications is energizing! Studying large quantities of data, for many, is neither. If an organization lacks detail-minded marketing personnel, it may fall into the trap of launching exotic applications that never get cost-justified on the back end.

3. Not connecting the dots. Some organizations are well aware of Web analytics, and care deeply about measuring results. However, they may lack the expertise to convert site data into action. This is where the Whoast team can assist--by helping clients craft better Web sites and search campaigns with changes based on facts, not perceptions.

4. Inadequate resources. There are organizations where Web development is permanently on the back burner. When internal resources for Web marketing are limited, Web analytics tends to fall the bottom of a very long to-do list. Here again, a strong SEM partner can fill the gap.

Who is visiting my site? When are they visiting? Why are they visiting? Where are they from? Why are they leaving?

If any of those questions are on your mind, an exploration of Web analytic tools will lead to answers. In our next post we will share some helpful resources.