That, in a nutshell, is why online is so incredibly effective. With the right tools and techniques, every marketer can monitor the success of their efforts and, even more importantly, is equipped with actionable insights that can deliver results! There are no exceptions - all online tactics are measurable.
It is worth getting your ducks in a row before starting, so that you can get the most out of your data and have clear direction for optimising.
Goals can be:
The conversion funnel is commonly referenced here - each step within the conversion process is analysed for an optimal conversion rate.
KPIs keep your efforts ‘in check' - allowing you to gauge how you are performing, for example:
A very useful function of online metrics, with the right planning and response mechanisms, is tracking offline campaigns alongside your online efforts. This contributes to an integrated view of your marketing efforts.
Google Analytics has become the most widely used tool for collecting data from a website. It's incredibly easy to use, has the highest data integrity and provides sophisticated analytics (and it's free!). No, this is not an ad for Google Analytics - it's simply an excited user who's overjoyed at how easy it is!
Before getting into the figures, you simply set up the date range you wish to analyse.
The data is then broadly set up into five main categories:
While the terminology of web metrics is daunting for some, the principles are no different to the analysis used by any marketer (read more about on measuring success online and Google Analytics).
This is where we go beyond the reports and get to true analytics. The data can be analysed to infer user behaviour and intent, outcomes achieved and user experience, as well as conversion ratios that can be addressed.
Testing to optimise user experience can demonstrate ways to influence user behaviour so as to enhance outcome successes. Testing is therefore critical and is quick and relatively easy to perform. That said, you need to test a significant volume to be representative of your audience. Types of testing include:
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Another very effective testing idea is:
Statistics are telling us that more and more companies are re-apportioning their traditional marketing spend and taking a stronger slant towards eMarketing. This makes sense for so many reasons - measurability being top of the list.
So, in closing, listen to your customers through the online data that is available and convert that data into real business value! And remember the mantra TAO: Track, Analyse and Optimise.