This document discusses the importance of web analytics over web reporting and provides examples of how to properly segment data and create custom variables to gain meaningful insights. Key points covered include:
- Web analytics delivers next steps for businesses based on segmented data analysis, while web reporting just provides numbers.
- Proper segmentation using variables like visitor type, location, content viewed, and actions taken can reveal performance differences between groups.
- Creating custom variables at the visitor, content, and session levels allows more accurate tracking of metrics over time even as users interact with the site differently.
- Analyzing segmented data from campaigns can optimize future spending and improve performance by reducing investment in less effective campaigns.
2. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND Adapt or Die Marketing (Founder: 2009-present) NVI 2007-2009 Canalytics / Acquisio (now known as W.illi.am) 2007 Efundraising 2006 CARBON 60 DESIGN / Tchirts.com 2003-2005 Ebay Power Seller 2001-2002 EMAIL SPAM (2000: Hey, it was legal back then!)
3. AGENDA Why do you have a website? Website KPIs Dashboards and their mis-use REPORTS: The importance of drilldown Advanced segmentation Custom Variables Conclusion
6. Inform/Create Brand or Public Awareness User Interaction/Community Building Subscriptions/Free or Paid Memberships Generate Qualified Leads Online Sales Possible Desired Outcomes
7. What Tools do You Really Need To Track Your Desired Outcomes? Vs.
8. Have they been properly implemented? Complex Implementations and Non-qualified Staff Inaccurate Tracking =
12. Web Reporting Vs. Web Analysis Web Analysis: Delivers next steps for your business based on data. Web Reporting: Just numbers
13. Web Reporting Vs. Web Analysis Web Analysis: Delivers next steps for your business based on data. Web Reporting: Just numbers Web Analysis: Requires expertise and Segmentation and insight Web Reporting: Requires a computer and a printer
14. Compare KPIs between segments Visitor Type (logged in Vs Non-member, male vs female Referring Source (Type, Keyword, Campaign) Geographic locations Content Viewed (landing pages, English Vs French) Actions taken (Goal completions) Metrics (Bounce rate, Pageviews) Products (If eCommerce)
23. Most reports and graphs will now show both segments Not many sales in English as compared to French *All stats have been modified to protect anonymity.
24. Create Custom Variables at 3 levels Tag Visitor across multiple sessions Tag Content (Specific Pages) Tag Sessions (Login=True?)
25. Ideas to Tag at Visitor Level Once user is cookied they will never see this page again. Tagging user with a Custom Variable at the visitor level on first visit will track subsequent visit appropriately even though they have not chosen "Male" or Female". Tag all signups of a subscription membership so that they are tagged every visit
26. Another Idea to Tag at Visitor Level Once user signs up they will never see "sign-up" page again. The visitor is already converted. Tagging user with a Custom Variable at the visitor level on first visit will track subsequent visits as "member" even though they have not logged in or repurchased a membership.
27. Ideas to Tag at Session Level Tagging "log-in" vs. "not-logged-in" Are users tagged as "members" at the visitor level bothering to log in on each session? Is this alarming?
28. Ideas to Tag Content/Pages Tag author article pages with author's name: Who are the most popular authors? Which authors drive traffic to the site? Which author pages attract more user participation? Etc.
29. Optimizing Performance With Web Analysis In traditional marketing, 50% of your investment goes to waste. How do we know which half was not qualified? Segment and view differences of your KPIs. Reduce investment in less performing campaigns, increase spending in high performance campaigns
30. Use Demographic Info Whenever Possible Some advertisers like Facebook allow you to create campaigns through demographics (Gender, Marital status, Education level, etc.):
31. Use Demographic Info Whenever Possible Create campaigns with different demographics. Brainstorm potential demographic of your targets and create separate campaigns for each. So for example if you sell school supplies and you are having a "Back to School Sale," on computers, possible targets could include: Married Women aged 45-60 (potential mothers of High school and college kids) Married Men aged 45-60 (potential fathers of High school and college kids) Males and/or Females currently in College
32. Tracking Demographic Info with GA Tag your referral links from Facebook with the demographic information using Google's URL Builder: http://www.google.com/support/analytics/bin/answer.py?answer=55578
33. Compare Performance of campaigns Are married women with kids more likely to buy a computer than currently enrolled college students? If so, can how can you target married women outside of Facebook and through other advertising sources? Compare dates: Are college kids more "last minute" with their purchases? How can you leverage that for the next "back to school" season? Is there a difference between the male and female students?
34. Conclusion Stop Web Reporting. Do Web Analysis. Be creative: Segment. Don't be afraid to test and brainstorm new ways to drill down through the reports. Invest: If you're on the web, Web Analysis is a crucial part of your business. Not investing in the expertise and the tools can be costly. Have a plan to measure before launching a campaign Be Flexible and Move quickly: Your competitors have access to the same advanced tools. If you're not using them you'll be left behind.