Occam's Razor

JULY 23, 2012

, and in this post I want to share a really, really simple framework for structuring web analytics consulting contracts. The Web Analytics Consultant Quandary. From what I understand, I would be creating a Web Analytic Report and giving my recommendations. What could be the other deliverable for a web analytic project?

Consulting 126

Consulting Analytics Reporting Measurement 126

Occam's Razor

APRIL 13, 2015

The 80/20 rule applies to our use of web analytics tools as well. I recommend that periodically you gather folks around you for lunch, pull up Adobe Analytics on the big screen in the conference room, let each person expose one hidden report or feature. Custom Dimensions: Deeper Unique-You Analysis. This hurts my feelings!

Analytics 156

Analytics Reporting Metrics Slice and Dice 156

Occam's Razor

JANUARY 12, 2015

And, are we tracking people, devices, web browsers or whoknowswhat? I led a discussion the other day with a collection of people who were brand new to the space and some who were jaded long-term residents of Camp Web Analytics. Notice I did not say standard reports, those barely cross the bar of data puking.

Analytics 151

Analytics Slice and Dice KPI Metrics 151

Occam's Razor

OCTOBER 4, 2010

Ask a famous blogger, a published author, a random twitterer or your mom how to succeed in web analytics, or how not to be a Reporting Squirrel. As if that was not painful enough, during the course of your employment the company made no actual decisions based on web analytics data. Then fulfill that need. It is a good answer.

Reporting 119

Reporting Metrics Sales Strategy 119

Occam's Razor

JUNE 25, 2012

For example, people are really shocked when they hear that even with no web analytics or advertising analytics tool on a site their behavior on the site gets automatically logged into server web logs. These server logs can then be used to do basic reporting using off the shelf software. Be careful! :)]. So, it is complicated.

Data Collection 131

Data Collection Advertising Metrics Reporting 131

Occam's Razor

FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Competitive intelligence, the "what else", is one of the core tenets of Web Analytics 2.0. The reason is simple: The ecosystem within which you function on the web contains mind blowing data you can use to become better. The software collects all the panel’s browsing behavior and reports it to the company running the panel.

Metrics 124

Metrics Advertising Reporting Data Collection 124

Occam's Razor

OCTOBER 22, 2008

The next stage in the metamorphosis of the popular web analytics tool. Along the way I'll share three different segments that you must have in your web analytics tool. Custom Reports! If you want to get really really good at web analytics segmentation I encourage you to read these two posts. Why Segmentation?

Analytics 105

Analytics Testing Reporting Metrics 105

Occam's Razor

AUGUST 6, 2007

It is quite likely that your company is spending tons of time, energy, and dollars on web marketing efforts yet conversion rates (or ROI) are stuck in the two to three percent range. It is almost instantly accessible in any web analytics tool. Web Analytics, CoreMetrics etc etc etc. Bounce Rate to the rescue! Instantly useful!

Metrics 121

Metrics Measurement Marketing ROI 121

Occam's Razor

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

And – so important – I want you to help me with your ideas of how we can do this impossible analysis better, in the complete absence of data :). The search queries by these users would hence be encrypted and not available to website owners via web analytics tools such as Omniture, WebTrends, Open Stats, Google Analytics etc.

Metrics 137

Metrics Reporting Key Performance Indicator Analytics 137

Occam's Razor

JULY 15, 2014

Yes, it does summarize data from many reports into one. Dashboards are no longer thoughtfully processed analysis of data relevant to business goals with an included summary of recommended actions. Here's another example: Those of you who've read Web Analytics 2.0 data analysis skills (you? And now, pull back.

Dashboards 160

Dashboards Key Performance Indicator Snapshot Slice and Dice 160

Occam's Razor

AUGUST 12, 2013

Multi-Channel Attribution Analysis. ~ I normally ask people to look at the Path Length report in the Multi-Channel Funnels standard report in Google Analytics (or equivalent tool if you are using SiteCatalyst or WebTrends or other web analytics tools). You can use the Top Conversion Paths report. Grab a Red Bull.

Modeling 162

Modeling Optimization Marketing Interactive 162

Occam's Razor

APRIL 10, 2007

They did not have any web analytics tool. My answer: Don’t implement a web analytics tool, implement a short website survey that would have just three questions. Web analytics is awesome (you do expect me to say that don’t you! : )), is has to be a critical part of your web strategy because it can yield great insights.

Measurement 121

Measurement Strategy Sales Analytics 121

Occam's Razor

JUNE 6, 2011

I got an email the other day with this simple question: "How do break into the world of web analytics?" There is a ton of excitement about web analytics. In our field specifically, good Web Analysts will continue to be in high demand, for any conceivable time period. But neither role is that of a Web Analyst.

Analytics 126

Analytics Consulting Statistics Marketing 126

Occam's Razor

DECEMBER 21, 2009

You know what is the one thing stopping you from finding truly actionable insights from your web data? Web analytics gems lie deep in the data and we spend our lives looking at the top ten rows of data. It does not matter which report you look at. Too much data from our web analytics tools. Affiliates. Products sold.

Metrics 94

Metrics KPI Reporting Visualization 94

Occam's Razor

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Here is a key difference between Reporting Squirrels and Analysis Ninjas: The latter almost exclusively leverage custom reports (powered by advanced segmentation) and the former flirt with one standard report and then another and then other and in the best case scenario pull only half of their hair out.

Reporting 98

Reporting Metrics Measurement Analytics 98

Occam's Razor

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

You see if you don't implement your links properly the person shows up to your site without any tracking parameters and thus fail to help your web analytics tool to put that visitor in the right source bucket. Missing web analytics tag from landing pages. They land on a page that is missing the web analytics tag.

Analytics 123

Analytics Metrics Data-driven Reporting 123

Occam's Razor

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

The single biggest mistake web analysts make is working without purpose. No going to web analytics conferences. I'm not an expert in the credit score reporting business. My favorite report is the Credit Report Card. Don't open Google Analytics or Yahoo Web Analytics yet! We work very hard.

IT 139

IT Measurement Marketing Metrics 139

Occam's Razor

APRIL 2, 2012

Included in the post are recommendations for measurement and data analysis. Often, though not always, they can also tease out causations between devices used during outcomes (five-second segmentation in say Google Analytics) and their media plans while focusing on customer analysis (not visitors, not cookies, not uuids, customers ).

Modeling 154

Modeling Advertising Marketing Measurement 154

Occam's Razor

JULY 18, 2011

You know, Analysis Ninja territory! So for our email campaign analysis let’s look at metrics using that framework. Most good email providers will do this automatically for whatever web analytics tool you use. Try different ones every now and then and see which one works best.]. Your company cross-channel outcomes data.

Metrics 138

Metrics Marketing Measurement Cost-Benefit 138

Occam's Razor

JULY 12, 2010

That's not including others I actively seek out around the web. Remember I am the creator of the 10/90 rule of investment in web analytics. Ok not boom overnight… but over the course of a few months the org started to be more data driven, because analysts we hired produced analysis. Simple right? More analysts.

Analytics 97

Analytics Measurement Metrics KPI 97

Occam's Razor

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

It also contains multiple tabs full of specific computations of revenue incrementality delivered for various analytical efforts (Paid Search, Email Marketing, Attribution Analysis, and more). I've typed in as many things as I could think about connected to having a web analytics practice (i.e. 400% ROI, not bad. Say you use Yahoo!

Analytics 143

Analytics ROI Marketing Modeling 143

Occam's Razor

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

There are three elements to our "big data" efforts, or unhyped normal data efforts: Data Collection, Data Reporting, and Data Analysis. The thing that is the difference between an organization that data pukes and the one that influences actions based on understandable insights. The last mile. Data presentation!

Visualization 145

Visualization Key Performance Indicator Dashboards Metrics 145

Occam's Razor

JUNE 8, 2006

I am often asked what we look for when we hire Web Analysts or what quality do good Analysts possess or how to measure if a resource that already exists is optimal or how to mentor / motivate / guide our more junior Analysts to propel them to become great Analysts. We all agree that reporting is not analysis.

KPI 94

KPI Measurement Statistics Metrics 94

Occam's Razor

MAY 21, 2007

It is perhaps a reflection of my belief that we already focus way too much on micro reporting on our websites, most of which is comprised of too much page level analysis. For my point of view on how to start your analysis please see this post: Getting Started With Web Analytics: Step One - Glean Macro Insights.].

Measurement 90

Measurement Analytics Metrics Testing 90

Occam's Razor

SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

My absolute favorite branding campaign of all time: Think Different. The web rocks!]. The data in the above report shows how frequently during a time period do the website's visitors visit the website. The above report shows the overall add to that number in this month but by segmenting my Yahoo! "Avinash

Measurement 130

Measurement Metrics Analytics Marketing 130

Occam's Razor

SEPTEMBER 7, 2010

We have a very long tail of data in web analytics. Tens of thousands of rows of keywords in the Search Report (even for this small blog!). Hence I have persistently evangelized the need for true Analysis Ninjas to move beyond the top ten rows of data to find insights. The Problem. But we need more. One more problem though.

Analytics 109

Analytics Metrics Reporting ROI 109

Occam's Razor

MARCH 25, 2014

It is the difference between plodding along, or winning big. Most of the time when I look at the dashboards and reporting efforts in companies, they are usually obsessed with one of these pieces or maybe even a couple. If you want to win on the web, you have to do both Own and Rent really well. Now measure like crazy!

Metrics 157

Metrics Marketing Strategy Key Performance Indicator 157

Occam's Razor

JANUARY 6, 2010

As we spring to action full of passion I wanted to share with you all a short list of things that will expand your little world of online marketing & web analytics. Change is hard, even if we know that we should be executing a multiplicity strategy to win in the web analytics 2.0 Their home page is a mess. That's sucking.

Analytics 99

Analytics IT Statistics Metrics 99

Occam's Razor

MARCH 26, 2008

Part of me is glad because my book and the Trinity strategy and the Web Analytics 2.0 Identify what they should be using 4Q and then using your Web Analytics tools to measure success. Most people don't get budgets for web analytics because all they are focused on is measuring what happens during a small % of visits.

Measurement 122

Measurement Analytics Metrics Optimization 122

Occam's Razor

OCTOBER 31, 2011

Data analysis is not easy. But there is something fundamentally wrong about this analysis. Four different segments are being compared (yea!), point difference is a waste of everyone's time. The best practice I recommend in Web Analytics 2.0 That is part of the joy. You are always learning. Found the problem?

Statistics 131

Statistics Testing Reporting Key Performance Indicator 131

Occam's Razor

MAY 19, 2014

The people who see the data will ask very different questions. Try different combinations above and you'll see how these two BFFs works very nicely together. Now when you report at a business/site level you can show that $54 mil in Revenue resulted in $40k in Profit. I recommend two different ones. What happened?

Metrics 160

Metrics Key Performance Indicator Analytics Marketing 160

Occam's Razor

JANUARY 4, 2021

Like you, I consume a whole lot of reports every day – company data, public data. Just yesterday I was quietly seething because none of visuals included in the report contained any context to understand if the performance I was looking at was good or bad. Even if the report has hidden gold. Sometimes repeatedly.

Reporting 113

Reporting Analytics Metrics Visualization 113

Occam's Razor

AUGUST 23, 2010

Every believer in Web Analytics 2.0 In as much, heuristic evaluations follow a set of well established rules (best practices) in web design and how website visitors experience websites and interact with them. Create a report of the findings. What Are Heuristic Evaluations? A heuristic is a rule of thumb. Get everyone involved!

Analytics 116

Analytics Cost-Benefit Testing Optimization 116

Occam's Razor

JULY 1, 2008

conversion rate (average as reported by shop.org) and you are dutifully reporting our revenue of $1 million as a result. Here's your online data: You are capturing the above information using your web log based or javascript tag based web analytics tool. Why should you care about measuring multichannel impact?

Analytics 116

Analytics Measurement Marketing Sales 116

Occam's Razor

OCTOBER 24, 2016

They base all computations in their standard reports on an awfully silly thing called last-click. Because the above picture actually looks like this… Suddenly most of your standard Adobe and Analytics reports are more than lying to you about the effectiveness of your marketing investments. I love this report.

Metrics 147

Metrics Marketing Optimization Modeling 147

Occam's Razor

MAY 14, 2012

It is sad that we spend so little time on brand analysis, primarily because 1. There are many different tools, both online and offline, that measure the elusive metric called brand strength. But (as every Analysis Ninja knows) competitive context (above) is good, but industry/category context is even better!

Measurement 129

Measurement Analytics Advertising Marketing 129

Occam's Razor

MARCH 7, 2011

There are seven courses in all: SEO, PPC, Social Media, Web Analytics, Conversion Optimization, Marketing Fundamentals and Online PR. At the start of each quarter I send a letter to the students enrolled in the web analytics certification course. Small, but substantive, difference. It really is a fun group.

Marketing 68

Marketing Analytics KPI Dashboards 68