Three Web Analytics You'll Meet in 2.0
Posted by Universal Ad at Sunday, December 30, 2007 11:13 AM and is filed under ANALYTICS,online,Marketing 
We haven't had a data-oriented article in a while so here's one from Multichannel Merchant about the next generation of Web analytics (or, in their words, Analytics 2.0). Are you as sick as I am of 2.0 being added to everything these days? Regardless, the article is an interesting take on where Web analytics is headed.
According to the article, the analytics packages are shifting their focus from reports to people, their actions & outcomes or, in other words, not just what happens but also why it does. This can make analytics an important part of the job for every marketer and merchant, not just for programmers and analysts. The main complaints about Web analytics reports are that they present "plenty of data but no clear course of action" and that there is a "lack of trained analysts (who can) extract value from the tools companies purchased."
Over the past couple of years several disruptive developments have occurred, starting with Google's introduction of free analytics and multivariate testing software. Other significant changes - Web 2.0 technologies (rich apps, RSS, etc.) have diminished the primacy of the page view and other key metrics (for example, entire visitor sessions can occur on a single page). Additionally, cookie deletion and Javascript breakage are still an issue.
Posted by Universal Ad
According to the article, the analytics packages are shifting their focus from reports to people, their actions & outcomes or, in other words, not just what happens but also why it does. This can make analytics an important part of the job for every marketer and merchant, not just for programmers and analysts. The main complaints about Web analytics reports are that they present "plenty of data but no clear course of action" and that there is a "lack of trained analysts (who can) extract value from the tools companies purchased."
Over the past couple of years several disruptive developments have occurred, starting with Google's introduction of free analytics and multivariate testing software. Other significant changes - Web 2.0 technologies (rich apps, RSS, etc.) have diminished the primacy of the page view and other key metrics (for example, entire visitor sessions can occur on a single page). Additionally, cookie deletion and Javascript breakage are still an issue.
The article then goes on to discuss what Web analytics 2.0 hold in store and how to go about extracting the maximum value from them. A quick summary (but do read the article for more details):
Figure out "the key business questions you need your Web analytics program to answer."
Run surveys to find out why your customers come to your site, what they do once they're on it, and how you can help them meet their goals (you can also run usability tests, follow-the-customer home studies, and heuristic site assessments.)
- Finally, go talk to the experts (Web analysts, preferably those who can see the big picture) who can translate the data into actionable insights and impactful next steps.
Posted by Universal Ad
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