5 ways to improve your web analytics

5 quick ways to improve your web analyticsJim Hazen, capstrat

November 17th, 2010

The narcissist slide

Jim HazenCapstratAnalytics Director @hazenjjhazen@capstrat.com

Topics we shall explore

1.Have a reason to exist2.The fallacy of averages3. Illumination of segmentation4.Measuring ‘engagement’5.Beyond the short-term success

If you have no objective, than any measurement will do

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Your business gets paid for outcomes not page views. Measure accordingly!

Does your current report look like this?

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#1: Have a reason to exist

Scenario 1: You own an online jewelry store

Objectives:

1. Sell more stuff2. Make a profit3. Increase

average order value

4. Generate repeat purchases (lifetime value)

Notice how time on site or page views aren’t listed?

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#1: Have a reason to exist

Scenario 2: You run a non-profit website Objectives:

1. Increase volunteers

2. Grow donations3. Communicate

news and opportunities

Metrics:

4. View the contact us page

5. Volunteers6. Online donations7. Newsletter

subscribers

There are a million things you can measure but only a few that can change the business.

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#1: Have a reason to exist

Scenario 3: You run a structural engineering consultancy

Objectives:

1. Increase sales leads

2. Promote products and services

Metrics:

3. Leads4. Downloads of

product sheets5. Visits that read

key content

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Averages hide the distribution of behaviors. Don’t rely solely on averages in your analysis!

#2 : The fallacy of Averages

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Does your current web analytics

report look something like

this?

#3 : The illumination of segmentation

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#3 : The illumination of segmentation

Compare segments and drill underneath what content these visitors view to create more targeted marketing efforts.

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#3 : The illumination of segmentation

Types of Segmentation to try:

• Geography

• Traffic Sources

• Behavioral – viewed certain content

• Achieved Goals vs Non-Achievers

• SEO vs Paid Search

But what if my goal in life is ‘engagement’?

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#4 : Measuring “engagement”

First question….

What the hell is engagement?

“Engagement” is not a metric, it’s an excuse – Avinash Kaushik

Σ(Ci + Di + Ri + Li + Bi + Fi + Ii) – Eric Peterson

My take?

No standard answer to engagement, its unique to each company/website.

So what are some ways to do this?

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#4 : Measuring “engagement”

1. Segment on Site Behaviors: Create custom segments by piecing together metrics around Page Depth, Loyalty, Visit Duration, and Recency.

Problem is you have define what is ‘good’.

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#4 : Measuring “engagement”

2. Create a Micro-Conversion scoring: Give values to each of the small micro-events on your site that you think are valuable.

You have to define what each conversion is worth.

Stolen from Omniture blog

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#4 : Measuring “engagement”

Now you have a quantifiable way to evaluate ‘Engaged’

Create segments and see what they’re doing.

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I got the conversion, I’m done right?

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# 5: Beyond the short-term success

Don’t just stop at the conversion on your website. Measure the lifetime value.

Best way is to integrate with your CRM.

Web analytics tool of choice CRM tool of choice

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# 5: Beyond the short-term success

Create a unique identifier on your lead form/order confirmation that is passed to your web analytics vendor as well as your CRM system.

Lead form

pageTracker._setCustomVar( 1, “Lead-ID", “LEADID-123456", 3

Set a Custom Variable for your web analytics:

CRM

CRM record with LEADID-123456

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# 5: Beyond the short-term success

The common identifier allows you to link the 2 data sources together to understand:

• What happens to the lead once it goes into the backend?

• What are the touch points that leads to a sale?

• Do these visitors purchase more in the long run?

• What sources of traffic/tactics generate the best customers?

• What content leads to better leads?

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Questions & Potentially Answers

Thanks and enjoy your day!

Twitter: @hazenjEmail: jhazen@capstrat.comGoogle: “Jim Hazen”