Approaching Website Analytics

• by Dan Bailey

It’s truly amazing how many possibilities exist in Web analytics  – and how the approaches and the technology behind them continuously grow. In fact, determining the best, baseline metrics for a site can be daunting deliberation. Here are major metrics cited by one Web production and SEO firm:

• Conversion tracking
• Link tracking
• Traffic monitoring
• Keyword monitoring
• Website quality score
• Reputation management
  (http://www.branded3.com/analytics-reporting/)

Of course the need is to best understand website objectives and align these with the reporting capabilities and the best metrics. For example, in the wake of ineffective banner ads and past emphases on impressions, sales conversion today is king (especially in a poor economy). Yet brand awareness and net promoters (buzz) are still essential components of marketing today – especially on the Web. Shopping cart abandonment may be of high concern in e-commerce, but it’s still a measure of high brand awareness (and represents potential for buzz). Although brand awareness on surface appears worthless if site visitors rarely purchase, abandonment can allow for affiliate revenue, and likewise empower visitors who don’t need a specific brand product to refer to another customer… (to be continued next post)

For additional helpful reading:
http://www.searchcowboys.com/guestposts/1428