Usefulness of Google Analytics Reports

Google Analytics reports are extremely valuable in helping to show users the effect of search engine optimization on their particular website or blog. As a blogger, some key measurements that are useful for me would be the “Content by Title” and the “New versus Returning” features. The “Content” section will tell me exactly which posts are being read. It also displays the “Time on Page” and “Bounce Rate” columns which will let me know if a certain page is deterring visitors from my blog. The “New versus Returning” measurement should tell me if I have any fans out there. I’ll know how many people have read a certain blog post and gain an insight into how effective my overall content has been for these visitors.  These features allow me to easily judge the successes and fails of my blog and then possibly revise my content.  

Visitor Acquisition Efficiency Analysis Report:

A great report within Google Analytics, that I had the pleasure of creating, is the Visitor Acquisition Efficiency Analysis Report. This particular report allows users to review the efficiency and performance across all streams of traffic to a site, including blogs. These specific streams include: Paid media (PPC, Display etc), Earned media (Social Media), and Free media (SEO, Referring Sites etc). The fact that it shows all traffic sources is important in that Google Analytics users get to have one place to see how all streams are performing. By including the input metrics, administrators can see exactly how many sessions(visits) relate to the number of unique visitors and how many existing visitors compare to the number of new visitors. For marketers, this section is important in that they would be able to see if their marketing dollars were following visits from people who have already visited the site, versus prospects. Google Analytics users are able to set goals that also appear within this particular report where anyone who spends more than a certain amount of time on the site or views a certain number of pages will be displayed so it will become easier to determine how successful the site is and how many people are actually paying attention to the site. Last, administrators can see exactly how much business value was added, as this report can help with prioritizing one's focus. Users are able to quantify their Twitter earned media efforts to determine how many cents of extra value it yielded for every visit when compared to other social media sites' earned media efforts. One can also see how much it cost to get that particular traffic to the site. More often than not, paid media reigns first for marketers in terms of prioritizing goals for the site, but the "Cost" section of this report is very encouraging for users to get cost numbers and factor in “Cost per Conversion” or “Cost per Visitor” when making decisions to be the most effective (Kaushik, 2010). 

Audience Custom Report: 

This particular report can also be very valuable to the success of any website or blog. It is important to understand site's demographics so that one can possibly cater it to appeal more to these visitors. Within the report there is a “City and Language Overview” and “Keyword Targeting” metric. The “City and Language Overview” section of the report shows which cities and languages one receives the most visits from and makes the most money off of (Pratt, 2012). . It could be very surprising and insightful to possibly learn that the most profit is coming from those who speak languages that the site is not even translated in yet. The “Keyword Targeting” aspect of this report allows users to view the keywords that are used by each country and the language visitor demographic and determines how profitable they are for the site. This particular metric is good for refining one's keyword targeting (Pratt, 2012).  For myself, in particular, I could see which foreign languages my blog is most popular in and then translate it. In terms of link building, I could distribute the translated content for links to popular industry blogs in that particular language as well. 

Keyword Analysis Custom Report:

This may be one of the more valuable custom reports run within Google Analytics. It contains three components:  targeting, engagement and revenue. The targeting aspect is pretty simple and is a flat table report that places the “Page Title” and the “Keyword” that is sending it traffic side-by-side. A number of other metrics can be added to determine if users are actually targeting the right keyword on the right page (Pratt, 2012). For instance, one may be getting a lot of traffic for one particular keyword, but most of the people that visit the site are going other places and are not converting. This could lead users to perform some further testing and possibly changing which page they are optimizing for that particular keyword. The “Engagement” feature focuses on how engaging visitors are when they are visiting the site via a certain keyword. Traffic is great, but if it is not doing anything for the site, then it is no good. This report can assist in identifying problems and opportunities for keywords that have low/high engagement rates. The “Revenue” portion of the report shows exactly how much money a particular keyword is making for the site. It looks at the number of transactions, the revenue generated, and the per visit value of organic traffic for each keyword (Pratt, 2012). 

Social Sources Report:

This particular report is especially important in that it shows the networks and communities that visitors are using to engage with one's content. It also shows exactly how many people are interacting based on where they came from. All in all, it gives marketers a better sense of where they should be allocating certain resources. The “Activities Stream” tab allows marketers to get an interactive look at how their content is being shared on Google's social network. Businesses would be able to identify their top influencers. This tool is extremely powerful for marketers seeking to increase their engagement plans or identify brand advocates in that it gives insight into how the content is being shared across Google (Barone, 2012).  One can see who is initiating the conversations about the brand, what they're saying when they share it, and get direct access to these people. For instance, if I'm looking to build a list of brand advocates for an upcoming book that I have about to come out, I can go to the “Activities Stream” within Google and see everyone who is talking about me on Google. After selecting a post, I can view activity to be directed to the page where the mention occurred. Marketers can utilize the report to understand which networks contribute the most return on investment and to get an idea of the content that should be created for each (Barone, 2012). 

References:

Barone, K. (2012). Google Analytics Social Reports Provide Huge Metrics Edge. Retrieved June 24, 2012, from http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-measurement/google-analytics-social-reports-provide-huge-metrics-edge/. 

Kaushik, A. (06 December 2010). 3 Awesome, Downloadable, Custom Web Analytics Reports.Retrieved June 24, 2012, from http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/best-downloadable-custom-web-analytics-reports/. 

Pratt, T. (05 March 2012). Maximizing Google Analytics Insight for SEO with Custom Reports. http://www.seobook.com/maximizing-google-analytics-insight-seo-custom-reports. 

Google AdWords & Facebook Ads

Google still dominates the search engine sphere with their market share. Facebook, however, does not seem to be far behind. Google Adwords and Facebook ads hold similar functionalities; most importantly, their large audience. Both are primarily pay-per-click advertising channels, despite the fact that they both offer additional advertising options (Casey, 2011). Both offer free marketing tools, like Facebook Pages and Google Places, that do not require an ad buy (Casey, 2011). The two are also similar in that they both allow users to run campaigns that target specific market segments. 

In order to determine which platform is best for one's business, then the goal of the campaign must first be identified. This is because Internet users do not necessarily search Google and check their Facebook pages in the same way. Facebook ads may be a better match for building brand awareness or to relay a specific message, considering that the Facebook session usually lasts longer than your average Google search (Casey, 2011). This especially holds true if the message is also targeted to a specific, unique segment of viewers; for instance, those who watch a certain television show or belong to a specific group. This specific criterion, which is more people-oriented, would not be as easy with AdWords. 

When it comes to straight web searches, Google takes the advantage. They are more effective at driving clicks and conversions around certain products (Casey, 2011). People typically log onto to Facebook to check their pages, post photos, or update their status', while those who search on Google are have a more specific goal/product that they are looking for. If a business is in the videogame market, for instance, then it would make more sense to buy certain keywords, versus targeting these consumers on Facebook. 

Because Facebook holds lower click through rates than Google, their ads are more traditional, but with more precise targeting. Facebook ads seem to be better designed to build a brand or relay a certain marketing message over a longer period of time, whereas Google does a better job at reaching those consumers that are wanting to buy right then and there, which is why the click through rates are so high (Casey, 2011). Advertisers are able to secure their intent at the right time. In terms of usability, both platforms have been touted as having about the same level of complexity. Facebook may pull in an advantage just because most everyone is familiar with the interface. Google AdWords seems to be more challenging in that it offers so many features and functions that have to be learned and some smaller businesses may find Google AdWords overwhelming.

Google now seems to be offering more demographic-specific options through its Google Display Network. There is now more of an emphasis on retargeting, or behavioral marketing or remarketing, where ads are shown to users based on their past Web activity (Casey, 2011). The implication here are that these ads can actually follow the intended audience through the particular company's partner sites. In comparison, Facebook ads will stay within Facebook. Through Facebook, one specifies exactly where they went or what they like and on Google, it is basically inferred based on one's Internet behavior (Casey, 2011). 

 

 

 

 

References:

Casey, K. (28 September 2011). How To Choose Between Google AdWords And Facebook Ads.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/services/231602311?pgno=2. 

Content vs. Conversation

According to John Munsell, CEO of Bizzuka, If content is king, then conversion is queen.” I think that while both, content and conversation are important, it may ultimately be the conversation aspect that actually produces not just followers, but a community of loyal ones at that that will build a relationship with the brand. On the flip side, however, one cannot have conversation without the content so you do need both to co-exist. The emphasis comes in when considering which of the two to prioritize or place more emphasis on. Content is the initial feature that may attract one’s attention, but it is the conversation that draws them in and keep them tuned in to the site. Devaluing conversation can be detrimental to a brand, in that it is the conversation that ultimately drives and secures the sale. Valeri Montoni states that content should be one’s body language, as good content is a way for businesses to be useful and become attractive through both digital and social media. “People first need to believe, then they will support that belief in the way they behave-- and may eventually become ambassadors on your behalf,” she says (Maltoni, 2012). Content allows the opportunity to build an audience, attract customers through opt-in tactics. And develop advocates on behalf of the brand (Maltoni, 2012).

As much as a platform like Twitter is revered for its conversational abilities online and its ability to create “discursive, rather than simply distributive, relationships with news consumers,” several major news organizations are utilizing the platform as a means of distributing news informational content (Garber, 2011). According to a study released by Pew’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, thirteen news organizations were studied from print, TV, and radio and it was found that “mainstream news organizations primarily use Twitter to move information and push content to readers” (Garber, 2011). Of those studied, fully 93 percent of the postings provided a link to a news story on the organization’s website. A major concern with their methods is if news outlets’ need to be institutional is disrupting their ability to be conversational. The organizations from Pew’s sample, did exhibit some audience engagement were also the smaller outlets, and/or the outlets with a more explicitly political orientation. While 1 percent of The New York Times’ tweets aimed to gather information from followers during the week studied, 21 percent of Fox News’ tweets did. And while 2 percent of The New York Times’ tweets used hashtags that week, 50 percent of Fox News’ tweets did (Garber, 2011). Though it is not necessary for an organization like the New York Time’s to mimic the efforts of Fox, it does show that while distribution is great, conversation is even more important to connect people with organizations, and not just other people (Garber, 2011). Organizations like the New York Times tend to value content more so than conversation. There are several more companies out there now that will argue heavily the importance of dedicating ample time and resources to creating relevant, memorable content for visitors; however, they should also be understanding the importance of actually talking to the customers and having a two-way conversation. An important note for marketers or businesses to remember is that customers are people first and buyers second; therefore, they thrive on conversation to maintain their interest and continue coming back.

 References:

Garber, M. (14 November 2011). Twitter, the conversation-enabler? Actually, most news orgs

use the service as a glorified RSS feed. Retrieved June 8, 2012, from http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/11/twitter-the-conversation-enabler-actually-most-news-orgs-use-the-service-as-a-glorified-rss-feed/.

Maltoni, V. (2012). Brand Content Strategy: How to Build an Audience, Get Customers, Create

Advocates. Retrieved June 8, 2012, from http://www.conversationagent.com/brand-content-strategy.html.

Web Analytics as a Preventative Tool:

Web analytics is moving forward in such a way that it could eventually flag “risky behaviors” in time to actually do something about them, like substance abuse” (Harris, 2012). The question within the industry is: Can online metrics and models be used to capture certain trends in order to maintain a better handle on them? The idea behind the method is if online metrics could be utilized to capture certain trends in order to get a better handle on them. Dr. Niranjan Karnik, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago stated: "If we can see the wave unfolding, we can launch a preventive effort" (Harris, 2012). One example would be software that could raise a flag when teens attempt to search online for instructions on how to extract alcohol from hand sanitizer. It could also submit a warning when a teenager searches for something like the “cinnamon challenge,” which has gained large popularity recently, but is actually quite dangerous. The Internet over the years has accelerated the process of word of mouth and is now “illuminating” these bad ideas and transforming them as trends. As Sidneyeve Matrix, a Queen’s University media professor, put it, "If we can see the wave unfolding, we can launch a preventive effort" (Harris, 2012). 

I think that online measurement tools like Web metrics could be quite useful to this generation. Some of the challenges are that the trends are fleeting and one may not have sufficient resources to be heard, like a vibrant community of parents, young people, doctors and educators. Another potential challenge for this idea is that the data does have the possibility of being skewed, as someone that may be searching for, the “cinnamon challenge” video, for instance, may not necessarily be interested in learning how to actually perform the activity, but is looking for it merely for entertainment purposes (Harris, 2012).

Google web search queries can already be used to accurately estimate influenza-like illness percentages in each of the public health regions of the United States. They present a method of analyze large numbers of Google search queries to track influenza-like illness within a population. Due to the quick processing rate of search queries, their estimates have consistently been 1-2 weeks ahead of CDC surveillance reports (Ginsberg, et. al, 2009). Early detection like this could eventually become a necessary and important defense against future epidemics in the U.S. and other countries as well. Their estimated will allows public health officials to better respond to seasonal epidemics and allot certain resources to specific regions to provide extra vaccine capacity or to raise the proper media awareness (Ginsberg, et. al, 2009). Utilizing the web metric search queries is not designed to replace traditional laboratory methods that are already in place, but to potentially indicate a need for public health inquiry to identify the pathogens involved. With this method, though, demographic data cannot be retrieved. It should also be known that although the correlations are strong from the users’ search queries, the system is still susceptible to false alerts that may be triggered by a random increase in Influenza-related queries. For instance, an unexpected and unusual event, like a drug recall for a widely-known cold or flu remedy could create this type of alert (Ginsberg, et. al, 2009).  

Web Analytics & Its ROI

Return on investment is considered to be the ratio of the cost of advertising in relation to the profit that is generated from sales. This return on investment indicates the value to one's business gained in return for the cost of ad campaigns. Web Analytics can help one determine their ROI for both big and small businesses and help create more effective marketing activities through website tools. Tools that are free, like Google Analytics, allow businesses the capability to learn about and analyze their website traffic and get a first hand look at how their own customers are interacting with their websites (Patina Marketing, 2012). This will allow these owners to be able to focus more specifically on their primary goals, versus the "ancillary goals" that may tend to clutter the website or messages (Patina Marketing, 2012). The web is constantly evolving, along with the tools that are available for businesses that allows them to track changes to their website that could potentially have positive or negative effects on the ROI of all of their marketing campaigns and changes that are made to the site. Through Google's free version of Web Analytics, smaller businesses can start tracking the return on their marketing efforts to delve deeper into the trends and behaviours of their website demographics. Web analytics are able to answer: who is visiting the site; what they are doing while on the site; and why they leave or stay (Patina Marketing, 2012).  

Cajam Marketing is a full-service consulting firm that specializes in maximizing offline and online marketing initiatives through analytics. They put out a case study to explain how their use of Yahoo! Web Analytics helped to improve campaign ROI for some of their clients, both large and small. The analytics system helped the firm increase sales and visitor satisfaction, reduce marketing costs, and secure new insights on its website customers. Yahoo's web tools allow marketers to instantly segment near-real-time and historical data, and visualizes the data with advanced graphs to help marketers and website designers to uncover new insights. According to Kathy Gould, the CEO of Cajam, in relation to these web analytics tools: “After analyzing and optimizing our campaigns for a couple of months, we were able to lower our cost per-order by 38%,” she says. “We were also able to increase our number of orders by over 30% while spending less money” (Yahoo, 2012). Keyword analysis helped them to take multiple actions to improve performance, like identifying and stopping unprofitable keywords, changing keyword bidding strategies based on their profitability and adding additional keywords based on queries that customers were converting on. “Instead of only knowing which keywords converted to sales,” says Gould, “we now know what items our customers are buying for each keyword. This gives us insight into the profitability of each keyword, instead of just the number of orders” (Yahoo, 2012). All in all, web analytics software, such as Yahoo's or Google's provides the overall picture on website visitors, from the number of visitors, their demographics, and the exact path that they take while on the site. 

Every website should provide a tangible ROI. And through Web Analytics, marketers will now know exactly where their visitors are coming from, what keywords they are clicking on, and the specific search engine that they are using. For instance, if Google Chrome is more popular for a specific search term, then the marketer knows that he needs to concentrate his advertising budget on this particular search engine to increase traffic and increase sales. Marketers will be better prepared to write targeted ads and analyze web traffic in a way that will increase ROI and identify measurable objectives, while also calculating relevant marketing indicators. 

References:

Patina Marketing. (2012). ROI And Web Analytics. Retrieved June 03, 2012, from http://www.patinamarketing.com/google-analytics/web-analytics/.

Yahoo. (16 March 2012) Analyze This! Retrieved June 03, 2012, from http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ayc/casestudies/cajammarketing_ywa_casestudy.pdf.