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So, you have a web analytics tool. You’ve done your research and you’re happy with the solution you’ve chosen. And you’re using your lovely web analytics tool as a campaign tracker. Only. That’s your one use. To see how well your campaigns are performing. But you don’t look at why their performance is at its current level. You just track them so that you have figures for Upstairs. Why?
This is a pet peeve of my own; people using web analytics solutions to track one landing page or to look at one report. Obviously, if that’s what someone would like to do, then more power to their elbow, but the vast amount of data and insight that is possibly being wasted by this under-usage seems like a tragedy.
What you don’t know if you track one landing page:
- what visitors did next (unless you have an exit link on the page to track)
- how to segment based on behaviour
- how to target based on behaviour
- how to improve your acquisition strategy
- WHY
CONTINUE READING…
I recently completed an Analysis Exchange project with Change for Kids and James Phelps. The purpose of the Analysis Exchange is to provide “on-the-job” training for those interested in web analysis while offering free analytical insight to non-profit organisations. Each project is made up of a triad of oozy giving; the student, who does the analysis; the mentor, who provides ongoing feedback and direction; the organisation – which benefits from gaining insight into current online efforts and getting recommendations for optimisation.
And the best part of all? It’s fun!
The process takes two or three weeks and begins with the goals for the project being determined between mentor and organisation. The student then steams ahead with an analysis based on these goals, tapping the mentor for advice and feedback along the way. At the end of the period, the findings are presented to the organisation and then everyone breaks for ice-cream before grading each other on their participation (a highly exciting back-to-school feeling). CONTINUE READING…
I recently finished reading Social Media Metrics: How to Measure and Optimise your Marketing Investment by Jim Sterne and it’s a thoroughly cracking read. It’s full of useful resources and case studies and observations on companies who have attempted to maximise their marketing potential by using social media (or soshal meedja, as we’d say in Ireland).
Chapters like “Getting the Message – Hearing the Conversation” may be especially important for those who are using social media because they think it’s the budget airline of marketing. I.e. you get the message out and you use the general public as sales reps and support teams (assuming you’re getting it right).
I indulge in some mild-mannered brand analysis and social “listening” regarding the product I work with (Yahoo! Web Analytics) and I have indeed found that being “heard” will assuage the fears or furies of most users of social media. For example, I can recall one Twitter exchange in which a customer was complaining about the user interface being down. Because I was looking out for tweets, comments etc, I was able to reach out and direct them to our status page and explain that we knew about the problem. The customer was delighted – which is great, considering that the problem still existed. But merely being heard and having the frustration answered made that customer feel better supported and less stabby-stabby.
I’ve also noticed that some people react to such reaching out with complete silence. I’m not entirely sure how to take that one. For example, if someone asks a general question and I answer it (in an official capacity from an official account) – it’s sometimes ignored. Is that “Don’t stalk me” or “I only speak to ‘real’ people” or “Well, I shouldn’t have had to ask in the first place”? It doesn’t give me sleepless nights, but I suppose it is human nature to look for a response in a conversation. Any theories? CONTINUE READING…
Here’s the scenario – Ben gets up in the morning and switches on the television. He sees an advert on the goodness of milk. The music in the background of the advert reminds him of an old advert from years ago about baked beans. He now wants baked beans. Then he remembers that it’s 6am and he doesn’t eat breakfast so he showers crossly, dresses grumpily and begins his day faceitiously (he’s not a morning person).
CONTINUE READING…
Do you use Yahoo! Web Analytics? Yes? How clever of you! (me? biased? pfff!)
Have you been using it since the days of IndexTools? Yes? How loyal of you!
Have you upgraded your tracking code to the latest version? No? Not sure? Well, let me help you out a little. CONTINUE READING…
My (rather dishy) other half is currently studying for a degree in psychology and issues of the magazine “The Psychologist” regularly arrive on our doorstep. The February copy arrived with an arresting yellow cover and the words “Read this issue. You will find it an engaging, informative and quality read”. I felt compelled to do as I was told and found a fascinating article by Hyunjin Song and Norbert Schwarz.
CONTINUE READING…
Last year, as part of a surfeit of general enthusiasm for all things WA-related, I entered the Web Analytics Association (WAA) Championship. This competition is a great idea and allows web analysts and wannabes to get their investigative hats on and get cracking on some analysis of the WAA site.
Not surprisingly, I did not win the grand prize of a free pass to eMetrics or a lovely top-5 badge for this blog, nor did I expect to. I entered for the fun of it and thoroughly enjoyed writing my entry, which you’ll find re-printed here. I did, however, feel that all entrants, bar the two winners were given a bit of a dressing down in the “ Fatal Flaws” list (the number of winners was reduced from 5 to 2 as a result of all the shoddy entries). I for one am quite convinced that I come under the “innappropriate tone” category… Now, before you read on and get all over-heated and upset, please remember that I am Irish and we are a facetious people. I can see how I might come across as scathing, but I just looked for more leadership and community from the WAA and to be honest, I think that the new-look site largely reflects many of the things I advocated in my entry. I hope no-one is insulted, that is not my intention. I’m merely reprinting for fun, frolics and a bit of mischief on St. Patrick’s Day. And you don’t have to list out the flaws to me – this has been done.
I’m, naturally enough, a believer in visitor tracking. I think it’s perfectly fair to try to understand the visitor experience in order to work on both improving that experience and to maximise a website’s profit/message potential. When I first began working in the industry and fully understood what kind of data could be collected, I remember finding it quite ominous and unsettling. Now that I know how the data is used, I don’t bat an eyelid. However, I think it is important to remember that the vast majority of visitors we track are those outside the industry – if you put yourself in their shoes, you see a much darker picture of targeting and analysis. But if education is all that stands between distrust and acceptance, why are we not trying to teach? Perhaps we should try a little visitor empathy, or “vempathy”. CONTINUE READING…
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