Strategies for improving Web site performance Google Webmaster Tools + Google Analytics Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technologies and Research

Strategies for Strategies for improving Web site improving Web site

performanceperformance

Google Webmaster Tools + Google Webmaster Tools + Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics

Marshall BreedingMarshall BreedingDirector for Innovative Technologies and ResearchDirector for Innovative Technologies and ResearchVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt Universityhttp://www.librarytechnology.org/

AbstractAbstract

With the investments that libraries make in With the investments that libraries make in developing websites, it is critical to constantly developing websites, it is critical to constantly measure use levels, discern patterns and trends, measure use levels, discern patterns and trends, and spot hotspots and areas of strengths, as well and spot hotspots and areas of strengths, as well as areas that aren’t working like you anticipated. as areas that aren’t working like you anticipated. Google Analytics, a free service offering a very Google Analytics, a free service offering a very sophisticated approach to website analytics, sophisticated approach to website analytics, enables libraries to use methodologies well tuned enables libraries to use methodologies well tuned in the ecommerce arena such as action-oriented in the ecommerce arena such as action-oriented web development and search engine optimization. web development and search engine optimization. Breeding demonstrates how he uses Google Breeding demonstrates how he uses Google Analytics to assist in the management of sites Analytics to assist in the management of sites such as Library Technology Guides, the Vanderbilt such as Library Technology Guides, the Vanderbilt Television News Archive, and components of the Television News Archive, and components of the Vanderbilt University Library’s web presence. Vanderbilt University Library’s web presence.

ObjectiveObjective

Determine whether your web site Determine whether your web site meets its goalsmeets its goals

Are there usability issues with the Are there usability issues with the site?site?

Are parts of the Web site invisible?Are parts of the Web site invisible? Understand normal use patternsUnderstand normal use patterns Mode of constant improvementMode of constant improvement Action / Goal oriented changeAction / Goal oriented change

Enterprise approach to Enterprise approach to analyticsanalytics

Multiplicity of Resources to trackMultiplicity of Resources to track– Web ServersWeb Servers– OPACSOPACS– E-ResourcesE-Resources– DatabasesDatabases– RepositoriesRepositories

Important to track the flow of use among all the Important to track the flow of use among all the library’s Web-based resourceslibrary’s Web-based resources

Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-level Web sites and portals (University -> level Web sites and portals (University -> Courseware -> Library)Courseware -> Library)

Collection and MeasurementCollection and Measurement

Multiple techniquesMultiple techniques Server logsServer logs Third party collectionThird party collection

Web server logsWeb server logs

Web servers are routinely configured Web servers are routinely configured to record detailed information about to record detailed information about each request. Common elements each request. Common elements include:include:– File requestedFile requested– Date / time stampDate / time stamp– Status codeStatus code– Request directive (get, post, head)Request directive (get, post, head)– Referrer (where the user came from)Referrer (where the user came from)– User agent (browser and platform data)User agent (browser and platform data)

Exploiting referral dataExploiting referral data The query string component of the referrer The query string component of the referrer

can be parsed to reveal search terms and can be parsed to reveal search terms and other interesting informationother interesting information

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=september+11+television+archive– User typed “september 11 television archive” User typed “september 11 television archive”

in Google to find our sitein Google to find our site Important to study how users get to your Important to study how users get to your

sitesite [example: TV News Public Web queries vs [example: TV News Public Web queries vs

OpenWeb)OpenWeb)

Google Analytics DataGoogle Analytics Data

Does not use Web server logsDoes not use Web server logs Based on data sent dynamically Based on data sent dynamically

based on Google Web sitebased on Google Web site Complete URLComplete URL

– Including referral dataIncluding referral data IP / Domain of requestorIP / Domain of requestor Aggregated patterns of useAggregated patterns of use Personally identifiable data?Personally identifiable data?

Analysis methodologyAnalysis methodology

Go beyond simply counting pagesGo beyond simply counting pages Identify SessionsIdentify Sessions Categorize usersCategorize users Determine use patternsDetermine use patterns Measure interestMeasure interest

– Time spent on Web siteTime spent on Web site– Bounce rateBounce rate– Page overlay analysisPage overlay analysis

Move from measurement to Move from measurement to impact impact

Establish site goalsEstablish site goals Benchmark current useBenchmark current use Implement goal oriented Implement goal oriented

improvementsimprovements Measure impactMeasure impact Repeat as neededRepeat as needed (Example: enhancement of TV News (Example: enhancement of TV News

OpenWeb)OpenWeb)

Appropriate data filteringAppropriate data filtering Requests from indexing bots (crawlers) Requests from indexing bots (crawlers)

can skew statisticscan skew statistics Count user requests and bot requests Count user requests and bot requests

separatelyseparately Performance monitorsPerformance monitors Link checkersLink checkers Monitoring crawler activity is an important Monitoring crawler activity is an important

component of SEO and Web site component of SEO and Web site discoverability strategies.discoverability strategies.

Note: Different analytics products may Note: Different analytics products may involve different ways of counting bot involve different ways of counting bot traffic.traffic.

Resource DiscoveryResource Discovery

Few users begin with library Web Few users begin with library Web sitessites

How do users get to your site?How do users get to your site? Track performance of the Web site Track performance of the Web site

relative to major search enginesrelative to major search engines SEO – Search engine optimizationSEO – Search engine optimization

Web DiscoveryWeb Discovery

TV-NewsSearch Database

Search and Retrieval+ e-commerce request

system

TV News Web site

Web

Sucessful search Terms:“tv news” “vanderbilt tv archive”“vanderbilt television news archive”“news archives”

OpenWeb OpenWeb StrategyStrategy

TV-NewsSearch Database

Search and Retrieval+ e-commerce request

system

Generate 805,000+Static Pages

TV News Web siteOpenWebMirror Site

Web

Successful search Terms:All words and phrases in TV-NewsSearch Database

Implementation DetailsImplementation Details

Create OpenWeb mirror siteCreate OpenWeb mirror site– Static Web page for each database Static Web page for each database

recordrecord– Design each page to maximize content Design each page to maximize content

terms exposed to Googleterms exposed to Google– Funnel users to existing siteFunnel users to existing site– Not meant to be an alternative interfaceNot meant to be an alternative interface

Search engine optimizationSearch engine optimization

Strategy to make your site more visible in Strategy to make your site more visible in Internet search engines: Index > page rankInternet search engines: Index > page rank

Tune site structure and page content to Tune site structure and page content to maximize exposure in search enginesmaximize exposure in search engines

Systematic harvesting of pages from Web Systematic harvesting of pages from Web sitesite

Use of XML Sitemap API can helpUse of XML Sitemap API can help Monitor with Google Webmaster toolsMonitor with Google Webmaster tools Monitor with Google AnalyticsMonitor with Google Analytics Action-oriented incremental changesAction-oriented incremental changes

Sitemap ProtocolSitemap Protocol

XML specification for systematically submitting XML specification for systematically submitting URLs that represent a Web siteURLs that represent a Web site

Makes indexing more efficient but does not Makes indexing more efficient but does not affect PageRankaffect PageRank

SiteMap interface provides utilities for SiteMap interface provides utilities for monitoring how the site has been indexed with monitoring how the site has been indexed with some analytical information on terms used to some analytical information on terms used to find your Web site.find your Web site.

Originally proposed by Google, now used by Originally proposed by Google, now used by Yahoo, Microsoft and othersYahoo, Microsoft and others

See: sitemap.orgSee: sitemap.org

Webmasters ToolsWebmasters Tools

Submit SitemapsSubmit Sitemaps Monitor harvesting of sitemapsMonitor harvesting of sitemaps Robots.txtRobots.txt Keyword performanceKeyword performance

Google SitemapGoogle Sitemap

DetailsDetails


Sitemap DetailsSitemap Details


Top search queriesTop search queries


Sitemap.xmlSitemap.xml


Measuring Web Site UseMeasuring Web Site Use

Log-based toolsLog-based tools– Analog (basic / free)Analog (basic / free)– Web TrendsWeb Trends– NetTrackerNetTracker– UrchinUrchin– External perspectiveExternal perspective– Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics

Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics

Free tool available for measuring Free tool available for measuring Web site useWeb site use

Based on data sent from Web server Based on data sent from Web server to Googleto Google

No personally identifiable data No personally identifiable data transmittedtransmitted

Javascript snippet added to each Javascript snippet added to each pagepage


VisitsVisits PageviewsPageviews Trends over timeTrends over time ContentContent Traffic sourcesTraffic sources

Goal-oriented analyticsGoal-oriented analytics

Define GoalsDefine Goals Measure site performance through Measure site performance through

completed goalscompleted goals FunnelsFunnels


Selection MenuSelection Menu


DashboardDashboard


VisitorsVisitors


Two FactorsTwo Factors


Visitors by CountryVisitors by Country


KeywordsKeywords


Referring SitesReferring Sites


Content by TitleContent by Title


GoalsGoals


Goal ConversionGoal Conversion


EcommerceEcommerce

Questions and DiscussionQuestions and Discussion

Documents

Strategies for improving Web site performance Google Webmaster Tools + Google Analytics Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technologies and Research