Digithoughts

In it’s ideal form, data should be unassailable. But it’s not. Data can be twisted, tailored or censored to tell many different stories.

It’s not uncommon for marketers to skew their data because they’re afraid that showcasing the “real” numbers behind a marketing program could illuminate a failure. Web analysts, on the other hand, don’t have any motivation to skew data; their goal is to make informed decisions to optimize results.  

The practice of web analytics has evolved over the years, and today analysts can provide key stakeholders with actionable insights. For various reasons, however, that information often goes ignored.

More marketers are adopting web analytics programs, so it’s more imperative than ever to utilize the data to optimize. Sure, using data to make you look good can reap immediate satisfaction and maybe impress people who aren’t asking the right questions. But, in the long run, you could hurt your company by ignoring what the data is really saying.

Here are a few simple ways to use web analytics data to make informed decisions:

    •    Dive deeper into bounce rates. Bounce rates on landing pages can show how well the page is at engaging visitors, but look further into bounce rates from different traffic sources or campaigns. Always remember to provide context around bounce rates. For example, high bounce rates on a blog post aren’t necessarily bad if people are reading the content, but high bounce rates on a home page can signify that people are unsure where they’ve arrived or where they should go.

    •    Develop engagement metrics. Sites that do not have eCommerce or lead generation components still need a method of measurement beyond bounce rates. So create metrics that measure site engagement: click throughs, video starts, content sharing. These metrics show what your audience finds interesting (and what they don’t!).

    •    Utilize segmentation. By segmenting groups of visitors, learn more about what’s working. Start by creating a segment that excludes bounced traffic to determine what genuinely engaged users are doing on your site. Also consider segmenting converted and non-converted users; it will help you understand who decides to watch a video, download a PDF or take other actions on your site.

    •    Identify roadblocks. Execute a path analysis to identify where users get caught. Segment users who have converted, and compare their paths to the users who have not converted. Then go to the website and evaluate the paths taken to gain an understanding of the users’ experience and identify opportunities to improve the process.

Don’t be afraid of presenting “negative” data. These numbers can serve as a starting point for optimizing a website or campaign and should be viewed as opportunities rather than failures. By starting with simple steps above, confront potential “problems” on your website  or within your campaigns and fix them before it’s too late.

This article originally appeared on the iMedia Connection Blog.

Nicole Rawski Sr. Analyst

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