By now, most companies are aware that there is a discussion about their brand going on. They also know that they can track and monitor this discussion via a wide variety of tools such as Radian6, Techrigy’s SM2, Twitter Search, Twitalyzer, Social Mention, and many more. The question now is, “What should I pay attention to? Which metrics will actually tell me something about my business?”

Certainly not easy questions, but some trends have evolved that help indicate whether you’re effectively promoting your business online and if you’re being showcased in a positive light. Here are some metrics to watch regularly. Read more…

Social Media, Web Analytics Blogging, Ecommerce, Internet Marketing, Social Media, Web Analytics

THE CHALLENGE
Assist a top-notch interactive agency with redefining the information architecture and user experience of a major global corporation’s flagship website, integrating the content and functions of multiple external sites, and designing over 400 screens within an aggressive timeframe. Read more…

Molstad Consulting Case Studies Expert Review, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting News, Prototypes, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Wireframes

Released in October of 2008, advanced segments for Google Analytics did more to bring the free tool up to speed with established paid tools like Omniture and Web Trends than any other single previous feature.  It gives users the ability to define audience segments quickly and easily, and then apply those segments to any report in Google Analytics.   The result is vastly more actionable reports.

Now you can quickly know:

• The percentage of “branded” search engine traffic (visitors who reached your site by searching for you by name) and their specific activities
• The traffic sources that are delivering quality traffic such as those that demonstrate engagement or directly convert
• The top content viewed by members of a specific audience segment such as visitors from California or New York, new visitors or repeat visitors, paid search or organic search visitors, or those driven via a specific email blast.
• The behavior of visitors who access your site via an iPhone or other mobile device
• The most common actions taken by those who access the site directly
• The most popular products across each key audience segment mapped to traffic source or landing page

The above is just a small sample of what can be revealed.  Examples of criteria used to set up a segment might include, page title, organic keywords, paid keywords, internal search terms, network location, campaigns, entry page or exit page, product categories or even individual product purchases.

Fully utilizing advanced segments provides true context to your data so you can easily evaluate your site’s ability to communicate to and convert specific groups.  It should be among the first steps of any web analytics initiative.  Your segments should be regularly reviewed and updated to take into account new abilities to more clearly identify a segment.  However, when updating segments, be sure to keep track of when those updates took place and factor this in as data totals may shift up or down.  For instance, adding a new traffic source to a segment can markedly increase visit totals.

Start using advance segments today and watch your reports take on a whole new meaning.

Internet Marketing, Web Analytics Google Analytics, Internet Marketing, Web Analytics

APIs (Application Programming Interface) have a way of turning things on their head and shaking things up.  When you open up a major platform to developers, very interesting things can happen.  Think about the Google Maps mashups, or the iPhone app store.

Google’s changing the game again, and giving paid analytics vendors a serious run for their money,  this time by releasing an API for Google Analytics.

Many companies have already leapt on this integrating Google Analytics data within their tools.  Using campaigns in Google Analytics to track email marketing performance has been possible, but requires separate tagging of URLs.  Using the API, MailChimp (great email tool), now allows for a single checkbox selection to add tracking code to all email links.  Clickthoughs of these links are tracked using Google Analytics, and then sent right back into your Mail Chimp account reporting.  If you’ve also setup Google Analytics ecommerce features and/or goal tracking, Mail Chimp will be able to report on email marketing performance in terms of ROI for the campaign, revenue created, average value per visitor, goals completed, and conversion rate.

ShufflePoint is particularly impressive in that they’ve already integrated Google Analytics with Excel and PowerPoint.  This takes things one step closer to creating truly custom dashboards and custom calculations (major differentiating features within Omniture) with very little financial investment.  Using ShufflePoint, you define the custom calculations, pulling specific metrics straight from your Google Analytics profile(s).  Then, each time you open the Excel spreadsheet or PowerPoint presentation, a simple click of a refresh button updates all data instantly.  A massive timesaver in terms of data entry, as well as a professional presentation to stakeholders with automatically updated data.

Other integration examples include, mobile phone apps, a variety of apps from YouCalc, content management systems, and more.

Many developers currently feel like kids in a candy store and are getting started by diving into Google Code, joining the developer community and keeping updated via the email list.

We look forward to integrating these new methods and tools into our own services and plan to blog about the best-in-class inventions as they spring up.  Stay tuned!

Interactive Industry News & Events, Internet Marketing, Web Analytics API, Web Analytics

The Old Way
Web design in small, medium, and large companies alike has traditionally been driven by the loudest voice or the highest-paid person’s opinion (HiPPO).  The Big Cheese steps into the meeting, and lays down the law, dictating what the next month’s web development priorities will be.  Websites can also driven by committee with the end result resembling a camel when the original design called for a horse.

While these approaches can keep things moving, it usually does little to ensure that an organization is directly responding to the needs and wants of its customers and enhancing the website with the express purpose of advancing key performance indicators (KPIs).  Today, with sophisticated web analytics tools (including inexpensive and even free ones), companies have more access than ever before to the data that reveals customer behavior and very specifically, how the website is performing.

The Better Way
Yet, even with these web analytics tools, information overload is a common experience for companies.  Their first foray into the tool, finds them wandering from report to report and thinking, “This is nice, but what do we DO about it?”

The key is to formulate a methodology around that data which is informed by organizational goals and guided by KPIs.  With a plan in place, you’ll have a specific agenda as you review, and even customize the reports to give you exactly the numbers you need to gauge performance.  This becomes especially important when a company has multiple tools in their internet marketing arsenal such as, blogging platforms, video websites, Twitter account, Facebook account, email marketing tools, RSS feeds, and more.  Each of these tools may offer crucial data in relation to a KPI, but if that KPI isn’t specifically in mind when accessing the reporting, insights can easily be missed.

For each key business goal, consider across all your tools which ones can offer insight for a specific KPI.  For instance, how many email sign-ups are we getting off of a specific landing page?  How many views and/or shares are we seeing for relevant blog posts?  What relevant terms are being searched for via our internal search?  What is the bounce rate for our key landing pages?  Which external marketing campaigns are driving quality (not just high quantity) traffic?

Map business goals, to measurable business activity, to appropriate metrics.  Group all related metrics together and track them month to month.  Be sure to keep notes on how these metrics are devised, which tools they come from, and what configuration needs to occur to coax out the right figures.

Then, each month, review your web analytics data and KPIs, and use this data to identify the low-hanging fruit.  For instance, from your membership page, you notice that there have been a large number of internal searches related to membership renewal. It’s obvious that page doesn’t make it clear how to renew your membership and doesn’t provide clear calls to action.  You now have a top-priority task for the month.  Review the metrics around each conversion event on your site and continually optimize.

Your web analytics efforts will only be successful if someone owns the process.  Someone needs to ensure on a regular basis, that KPIs are reviewed and adjusted according to organizational goals, the data is properly collected and analyzed, and insights are summarized and clearly communicated to stakeholders and implementers.

Effective web analytics requires a fundamental shift in the way companies approach website updates and internet marketing efforts, but the process has a wonderful way of keeping everyone aware of, and focused on, key organizational goals, drastically reducing internal arguments, and increasing conversion rates across the board.  That’s something even the HiPPOs can appreciate.

Internet Marketing, Web Analytics, Web Strategy Consulting Internet Marketing, Web Analytics

On March 12th Google announced yet another ground-breaking service with major implications: Google Voice.  The internet search giant is now jumping headlong into the highly competitive world of telecommunications.  Just like other areas Google has firmly dipped its toes into such as online advertising, analytics, office software, and others, Google Voice seems poised to redefine how many of us use phones in general.

The service is currently only open to users of GrandCentral, the company Google bought in 2007 and has been quietly building upon ever since.  Google plans to offer the service to the public in the coming weeks.

David Pogue of the New York Times wrote a great article (and produced a demo video) that provides an in-depth look at the service.  Here is a breakdown of the major features:

• One number to ring all your phones:  Create a new number with Google Voice using any area code you choose, then set the service to ring one, multiple, or all of your numbers simultaneously.  If you really want to be reached, you’ll now truly have that ability.  This includes your text messaging as well.  All calls, voicemails, and text messages can be manged from a visual interface via Google’s website.  Text messages can even be sent from the web via your account using a full-size keyboard.
• Call screening from any phone: Those using desktop phone systems are accustomed to being able to listen to a message that goes to voicemail as it’s being recorded, but this is a new thing entirely for mobile phone users.  Google Voice will give you the option when a call comes in to take the call, send it to voicemail, or listen in as the caller records their message (you can pickup the call at any time).  You can also have new callers record their name prior to being patched through to you.
• Just like Skype, you can place calls via the Internet for free, directly from Google Voice.  You can also make calls from any phone and have your Google Voice phone number show up in the caller ID.
• Dominate your voicemail:  Similar to the iPhone’s visual voicemail, any voice messages will be associated in your account with specific calls which can be played back at any time.  Two other game-changing features have been added.  Messages can be automatically transcribed into text which can be archived and searched.  Voicemails can also be forwarded to someone else. No more having to decipher that 5 minute misdirected voicemail from the long-winded caller before you can pass it off to who’s really supposed to act on it.  Just send them the original message and it’s off your plate.
• Conference calling for up to six people at once:  Many people have plans with major carriers such as AT&T where you can setup three-way calls.  Many others have web conferencing accounts with companies like GoTo Meeting or WebEx which allow for larger groups (between 11 and 15 on average).  Google Voice will soon offer a free conferencing system which handle the capacity of most remote meetings.  These calls can also be recorded and stored…for free.
• Received a call on your office line, but need to jump in the car to head to the next appointment?  You’ll be able to transfer a call to any other number within your account.
• GOOG-411: Voice activated, automated directory assistance.  Just dial in, say what you’re looking for and where, and the service will send you a text message with the results.  Google provided an app for the iPhone earlier this year facilitating voice searches, but this takes it to the next level.

What does all this mean?  The real impact is of course, yet to be determined, but the major phone providers as well as internet-based phone services such as Skype and Ribbit.com, may find some very steep competition in the coming months.  Google will likely integrate this service with its other offerings such as Google AdWords, Analytics, Docs, and more.  Also expect to see an API released which will unleash a flurry of innovation from start ups.  Think CRM integration as an obvious first step.

The highly-likely integration with Google Analytics will be very interesting.  Various call tracking systems already exist, but can be expensive and of course, are not always integrated with your analytics tool.  Imagine being able to generate multiple unique numbers, post them on your website and be able to track calls as conversions within Google Analytics.  Similar to in-site search, voicemail transcriptions could also be mapped to specific pages.  Over time you could see what terms frequently come up in customer service calls which can provide great insight as to what content your pages are lacking.

One thing’s for sure, the telecommunications industry will never be the same.

Interactive Industry News & Events, Web Analytics Call Tracking, CRM, Google, Web Analytics