| ecently revamped your firm’s website or are | | | | what kind of sales are being generated, how many |
| planning an online marketing campaign, but are not | | | | customers return, who are the prospects and so on. |
| really sure what you’ll gain in return? Website | | | | And from that, you can calculate the ROI of your |
| analytics is a science whose aim is to answer such | | | | campaign. |
| questions. | | | | On the flip side, website analytics may also tell you if |
| In this piece, we’ll take a look at the benefits of | | | | your competitor is inflating your advertising costs by |
| web analytics and ways to optimize its tools. | | | | repeatedly clicking on your “pay per |
| Bet you’re already thinking this is geeky stuff! | | | | click” banner! |
| But if we get rid of the jargon, website analytics simply | | | | How to make the most of your web analytics reports |
| means the study of the impact that a website has on | | | | Choose carefully: Identifying an appropriate analytics |
| its users. For example, what are the pages that most | | | | vendor is paramount. Check their credentials – |
| visitors spend time on? Which products sell best | | | | while there are lots of free sites, they might provide |
| online? Is the registration process a turn-off? | | | | nothing other than visitor counts. Quality suppliers offer |
| But that’s not all. Web analytics software can | | | | a basket of products – tailored to clients’ |
| provide a whole lot of information in fine detail, thereby | | | | specific business needs. |
| bringing valuable insight to marketers looking to refine | | | | Ask why: While analytics software can be a very |
| their online strategy. | | | | effective tool, it’s important to know how to |
| Things you can do using website analytics | | | | use the insight that is generated. That’s no |
| Understand visitor behavior: Monitor the number of | | | | different from say, a supermarket, where candy is |
| visitors and where they come from, understand how | | | | placed near the checkout, because experience has |
| they navigate your site and what keywords they like, | | | | shown that customers will buy it on impulse. |
| or get a feel of whether your site is meaty enough to | | | | Let’s assume for a moment that your analytics |
| hold their attention. An extreme example would be a | | | | report says that lots of people drop out before |
| study of visitor behavior on BBCi Search Service, | | | | reaching the “buy now” page. Could this |
| which found that 1 in 12 search terms were misspelled! | | | | be due to a technical error which makes the page |
| Study advertising effectiveness: The U.S. online | | | | unreadable on some browsers? Or is it just too |
| advertising market is booming, and set to cross US$ 16 | | | | cumbersome to complete a transaction? |
| billion 2009. That is almost twice what it was in 2004! | | | | Take a second opinion: It is a good idea to have your |
| Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself | | | | website analyzed by a professional (in case you |
| contemplating an Internet driven campaign. Website | | | | don’t have the expertise) to see if the analytics |
| analytics will enable you to find out how your website | | | | reports suggest the need for a change in site layout. |
| shows up in organic and paid searches, which banners | | | | Often, a format that facilitates intuitive browsing will |
| are being clicked on the most and which affiliate sites | | | | work better than a rich but intricate structure. |
| work best. It could also help you review the | | | | Know where you’re headed: Most important, |
| performance of different keywords and judge | | | | clearly define your website’s objectives. Do |
| whether you need to tweak those that haven’t | | | | you want it to provide information or prompt a specific |
| delivered. | | | | action? Are you looking to generate leads or close a |
| Evaluate online sales: Let’s face it! Your | | | | sale? The answers to these questions will determine |
| ultimate objective is to drive sales, and you’d | | | | the depth of your requirements. Only when |
| rather put your money elsewhere if your online | | | | you’re sure of where you’re going, will |
| initiatives are not turning the cash registers. Your web | | | | website analytics be a useful navigator! |
| analytics software will create reports that can tell you | | | | |