Latest Web Analytics content from Econsultancy

Digital Vision grant winners announced

2012-02-09T21:54:00+00:00

The Digital Vision grant winners will be featured at South by Southwest (SXSW), March 12 in Austin, TX. Their proposed projects include:
Allison Aldridge-Saur: Redefining digital "Tribes" using Native American tribal practices

Allison has worked in the high tech and web field for the past 12 years. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, she jumped at the chance to leverage Digital Media to support the tribal business initiatives that fund services for Chickasaw and Native Americans.

"Tribe" has become a popular social media marketing term that just hints at a deeper human experience. Allison will look at how Native American tribal characteristics reveal substantive practices that build stronger, more fulfilling and highly committed online communities. The first piece of her research will launch during South by Southwest (SXSW) this March.

Julia Nalven: Applying mathematical analysis to marketing campaigns

Julia Nalven is a mathematician who uses analytical methods to answer the most pressing questions in the online advertising industry. She currently works for Vizu, a technology company focused on real-time ad campaign measurement. She is seeking to expand the use of mathematical analysis to influence the advertising decision-making process. Julia holds a BA in Applied Math from the UC Berkeley and an MS in Applied Math from the University of Washington.

Julia will be conducting research on how to apply mathematical analysis to the optimization of online brand advertising campaigns. Her theory is that rigorous data analysis will lead to an optimization strategy that will maximize impact of a brand’s ad budget.

Boris Grinkot: Creating a better conversion optimization model

Boris Grinkot’s conversion optimization work with Fortune 500 and international clients includes experimental design, e-commerce and content strategy, and lead generation. He holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Cornell.

Through his research, Boris will be showing how one-off case studies and "universal" best practices fail in tests has been a favorite topic among conversion optimization experts. As marketers, we want to learn from each other's successes, but attempts to replicate them tend to fail. This project will provide marketers with heuristic tools to determine optimization and testing opportunities for their websites based on years of consulting, teaching, and secondary research.

Douglas Karr: Testing for the 'tipping points' in social media

Douglas is the author of Corporate Blogging for Dummies, Chief Blogger/Founder of the Marketing Technology Blog and CEO of DK New Media. Douglas and his team specialize in performing due diligence analysis of marketing technology companies for venture capital and investment firms.

Does it make sense to get 5,000 fake twitter followers? Unfortunately, the answer may be yes. Douglas will test the impact of accelerating sharing and counts for different social media outlets. His goal is to show that numbers have a psychological impact when it comes to theories regarding ‘herd’ behavior. If marketers realize this, they can better prepare by driving early counts with incentives to overcome the negative impact of low counts.

Dewita Soeharjono: How Social Media will change the non-profits landscape

Dewita works with a number of non-profit organisations to help them use social media to benefit their campaigns and grow awareness.

Dewita is looking to see what percentage of the 1.5M non-profits actually use or integrate social media into their online activities (fundraising, recruiting volunteers and communications). From this research she will publish a series of case studies/ interviews with non-profits using social media leading to a collected piece with key findings and practical advice.

The projects proposed by our five winners will be produced in the first half of 2012. Some of the winners will discuss their upcoming research at the Digital Vision launch party at SXSW so do join us.

Vodafone implements TagMan's technology to create "unstoppable digital"

2012-02-07T16:00:17+00:00

 Vodafone online and telesales marketing manager Gareth Davies said that the company can now track all campaigns in one place, and view how they combine to result in sales.

We truly know how paid search, natural search, email, display affiliates and such interact and support each other.”

Davies added that using new providers would offer better value for money since TagMan will enable it to add new tags to its web pages in minutes rather than months.

Vodafone affiliate and performance marketing manager James Talbot added that the collaboration will help to generate further savings through the optimisation of the company's de-duplication model.

TagMan’s announced a partnership with call tracking specialist AdInsight back in December that combines online with offline analytics.

The companies, both of which have previously won Econsultancy Innovation Awards, said that this would connect the dots between customers’ entire online journey and any phone calls to a business by housing AdInsight’s tracking inside the TagMan tag management system. 

At the time, the companies were investigating their client bases to develop a joint trial programme of the integration., which Vodafone would seem to be a perfect candidate for.

With successful implementation of TagMan’s offering under its belt, it seems only a matter of time before the mobile operator joins the dots even further to include phone tracking as well.

JUMP 2012 London

2012-02-07T15:59:14+00:00

JUMP, now in its third year, is a one-day conference for senior marketers looking to join up on and offline data, technologies, campaigns, agencies and creative. If the last decade was all about figuring out digital, the next is about integrating it, dissolving it into the mix and finding new hybrid strategies that combine on and offline.

JUMP brings together over 1500 digital and offline and marketers who are not just learning to speak the same language, they are their sharing data, insight, strategies and successes.

JUMP is a fast-moving, content-rich symposium packed with exciting new insight from top marketers across every industry wanting to learn about how to join up online and offline.

Photos from JUMP

JUMP is all about more effective marketing across channels...

Using search marketing to improve TV campaign effectiveness
Doubling catalogue sales using insights from web analytics
Driving call centre improvements with web metrics
Generating media coverage via online buzz (and vice versa)
Optimising marketing budgets with the right mix
Leveraging customer insight from all channels
Driving up ROI

See what happened at JUMP

'Digital IQ' crucial to business: report

2012-02-03T20:06:10+00:00

The firm's 4th Digital IQ report (PDF) involved surveying just under 500 U.S. companies with at least $500m in annual revenue, with a focus on those with more than $1bn in annual revenue. It looked at how these firms are adopting technology and addressing the "consumerization of IT."

It found that there are four key trends that are forcing executives at these companies to "rethink their strategies":

The growth of mobile. While many companies are adopting mobile tools for their employees, just 45% are using mobile significantly to engage with their customers.
The use of social media as a source of customer data. Despite all of the hype around social media in the past several years, well under half (37%) of the businesses PwC surveyed are investing in social media tools to interact with customers.
The rise of public cloud-based business applications. Cloud-based applications give employees the ability do things they never could before, like perform sophisticated processes while on the go. Not surprisingly, adopting public cloud applications is something many businesses have done slowly, but PwC sees broad investment in this area in 2012 across the companies polled.
The constant and increasingly rapid creation of data. For most businesses, data is a valuable competitive asset. The good news is that there's more and more of it. The bad news is that there's more and more of it. As PwC notes, "According to some estimates, the world today creates as much information every couple days than was created from the dawn of civilization until just a few years ago." So it's no surprise that over half (56%) of the companies participating in the 4th Digital IQ survey plan to collect more consumer data this year, and nearly half (45%) will collect more data around operational performance.

According to PwC, the good news is that "strategic IT remains a viable and vital business differentiator." The bad news is that "IT organizations that can serve customers and their firm, deliver projects on time and on budget, and distill mountains of bits into meaningful insights are as rare as ever."

To succeed, companies will increasingly need to boost their 'digital IQs' by plotting out a long-term technology strategy, mobilizing the organization to act on it and focusing on "back-to-basics" execution.

Internet Statistics Compendium

2012-02-03T17:00:00+00:00

Econsultancy’s Internet Statistics Compendium is a collection of the most recent statistics and market data publicly available on online marketing, e-commerce, the internet and related digital media.

The compendium is available as eight main reports, split across different geographical regions:

Updated monthly, each document is a comprehensive compilation of internet, statistics and online market research with data, facts, charts and figures.The reports have been collated from information available to the public, which we have aggregated together in one place to help you quickly find the internet statistics you need, to help make your pitch or internal report up to date.

There are all sorts of internet statistics which you can slot into your next presentation, report or client pitch.

Those looking for B2B-specific data should consult our B2B Internet Statistics Compendium.

Areas covered in the main compendium include:

The changing role of the web analyst

2012-02-03T12:52:00+00:00

I have our most recent hire to thank for this train of thought. Adam joined us in summer 2011 and was quickly consumed by the whirlwind merry-go-round that is agency-side web analytics.

One day Adam came up for air and attempted forlornly to quantify his new career. In his email to me he expressed surprise (and delight) at the diversity of work that lay ahead.

In Adam’s words, this is what a web analyst does:

Set up site tracking.
Set up profiles.
Set up reporting.
Analyse and evaluate PPC traffic.
Analyse and evaluate organic traffic.
Analyse and evaluate referral traffic.
Analyse and evaluate navigation through and use of the site.
Advise on web design/content issues on any given site in as far as they affect points 4-7.
Behavioural modelling of online consumer behaviour.
Evaluate market landscape for online product. What are primary competitor sites, what are important secondary sites in the user ecosystem?

The web analyst will one day rule the world

My point here is two-fold:

The role of the web analyst is not easily defined.
It is diverse and diversifying all the time.

Platforms, channels, apps and tools

As agency-side analysts, much of the time we get a call when things are going badly, meaning all of the below are common features at the point where we get involved:

Poorly implemented analytics tool.
Lack of important technologies for tracking specific aspects of the website (e.g. e-commerce).
Badly tagged campaigns.
Incomplete or fragmented marketing plan.
Disconnect between multiple tools (e.g. marketing platforms & website or WA & CRM).
No definition of different user populations and how to segment to analyse each one individually.

Thinking about what this means to the analyst, it’s easy to build a picture of the skills and disciplines required:

Implementing the primary tool(s): html, javascript, cookies, in depth knowledge of the primary tool.
User population segmentation or ‘persona creation’: knowledge of online survey tools, customising tracking on primary tools, heatmapping, call tracking, ecommerce platforms, payment platforms, CRMs, CMS, SPSS.
Marketing plan: in depth knowledge of the characteristics and mechanics of SEO, PPC email platforms, affiliate, social media, offline media etc.

We haven’t even discussed what happens when we go multi-platform with tailored content and marketing plans for each channel and each platform.

Art & Science

Once the data has been collected we must apply as much science to its analysis as possible. Where science reaches limitations, art, intuition and experience take over.

The pay-off for analysis is of course the point where we come up with some improvements to our understanding of our customer base or to the website or one or more marketing channels.

We then go into optimisation mode. Optimisation mode requires in depth knowledge of the latest testing platforms, web design trends, apps, technologies and widgets and then lashings more art, experience and intuition.

Our plucky web analyst must now be able to communicate all of his ideas eloquently and persuasively in order that his client /colleagues implement his recommendations in order for any of this to have been worthwhile.

Shift online

Despite sustained economic difficulties, digital marketing and most forms of online advertising have continued to enjoy very healthy growth thanks to increasingly large proportions of marketing and data collection moving online.

With this move database marketers have had to learn online, applying their segmentation and persona building methodologies to the world of web analytics. And so more critical business decisions are made by online teams.

Who ties it all together? If it isn’t already, it certainly could be the web analyst.

Quantifying the Issue

I’m conscious that some may believe I have gone beyond the role of the web analyst and into some kind of overarching online consultant role.

My belief through experience is that this is the reality for all but the very biggest web teams where an expert in each discipline can be sustained by the web traffic and revenue created.

Through necessity and the skill of a talented web analyst, the role has gone far beyond the archaic paradigm of the web analyst as database cruncher/spreadsheet geek. Where a big team isn’t possible, the web analyst becomes the lynchpin of these diverse disciplines and the strategy of the business.

Being a web analyst I thought what better way to try and define this role than with data. The below table, courtesy of itjobswatch.co.uk, is a great attempt at describing this role with data.

To my mind it tells a similar story to the above; anything from SQL to SEO to project management are commonly required skills for web analysts as suggested by data gleaned from web analyst roles posted on their site.

Companies boosting digital marketing budgets - new report

2012-02-01T12:09:00+00:00

Econsultancy's Marketing Budgets 2012 Report, published by Econsultancy in association with Experian Marketing Services, shows increasing levels of investment across a range of digital channels and disciplines.

According to the research, based on a survey of more than 500 companies and agencies, more than two-thirds (68%) are increasing their digital budgets for 2012, compared to 45% of companies increasing overall marketing budgets but only 16% saying the same for 'traditional' marketing budgets.

Three-quarters (74%) of companies are investing more in digital marketing technology this year, up from 67% who expressed similar intent a year ago.

The research also shows an encouraging commitment to address the skills gap within many companies, which we have previously described as 'a ticking digital time bomb'. More than half (56%) of companies say they will recruit more people into their digital teams this year, up from 52% a year ago.

Despite this progress, 'lack of staff' is still cited as one of the most significant barriers preventing further investment in digital marketing.

The chart below shows the proportion of companies planning increased investment for specific areas of digital, with more than half of organisations planning to boost budgets in almost every area. (Groupon investors should look away now.)

What best describes your budget plans for the following digital marketing channels or disciplines in 2012?

Commenting on the findings, Mark Zablan, Managing Director, Experian Marketing Services, UK & Ireland, said:

While spend is increasing, it is little surprise that much of the dynamic growth has been in companies trying to understand, interpret and measure customer behaviour within this increasingly complex marketing ecosystem.

The key to success is turning huge quantities of data into insights which show behaviour not only across channels, devices and platforms, but which also span both the online and offline worlds and drive customer engagement.

Marketers are therefore investing in the tools, technology and people to allow them to deliver greater returns on their campaigns and present insight and results back to the business in a meaningful and incisive way.

The report also looks at levels of investment in offline channels such as printed media and direct mail. Television is the only 'traditional' marketing channel where investment is holding steady rather than declining.

The research shows significant investment in mobile, as businesses seek to engage with the vast numbers of people now consuming information on devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Zablan added:

While social networks may dominate media headlines, and are gaining ever-increasing shares of marketing budgets, strong performances by channels such as mobile and TV highlight the vital importance of a multichannel strategy.

Marketing Budgets 2012

2012-02-01T10:10:00+00:00

The Marketing Budgets 2012 Report, published by Econsultancy in association with Experian Marketing Services, looks in detail at how companies are allocating their online and offline marketing budgets in 2012.

The report compares spending trends - and ability to measure ROI - across different 'traditional' and digital channels.

More than 500 companies, mainly from the UK, participated in this research, which took the form of an online survey between December 2011 and January 2012.

The report includes the following sections:

Marketing budgets
Investment in technology and resources
Marketing effectiveness and ROI
Barriers to further investment

We have identified six key trends:

Digital continues to be a key priority for marketers in 2012
Companies are recruiting more staff, but shortage of talent is still preventing them from fully harnessing digital marketing
More companies embrace digital marketing technology, with a focus on measuring and optimising business performance
The big paradox: social media marketing is the fastest-growing channel in terms of investment, but remains the hardest to measure
Television remains one of the most enduring media for brand advertising
Mobile penetration and engagement have reached a tipping point, but ad spend still lag behind

Executive Summary and Highlights
Foreword by Experian Marketing Services
About Econsultancy
About Experian Marketing Services
Methodology and Sample
1. Methodology
2. Respondent profiles
Findings
1. Marketing budgets
  1. Proportion of budget spent on digital
  2. Proportion of revenue derived from digital marketing spend
  3. Plans for overall marketing budget
  4. Increase in overall marketing budget
  5. Plans for digital marketing budget
  6. Increase in digital marketing budget
  7. Plans for traditional (offline) marketing budget
  8. Increase in traditional (offline) marketing budget
  9. Change in budgets for digital marketing channels
  10. Change in budgets for offline marketing channels
2. Investment in technology and resources
  1. Investment in digital marketing team
  2. Plans for digital marketing technology spend
  3. Investment in digital marketing technologies
  4. Investment in mobile channels or technologies
3. Marketing effectiveness and ROI
  1. Understanding of ROI from digital channels
  2. Understanding of ROI from traditional marketing channels
  3. Ability to measure ROI from digital channels
4. Barriers to further investment
Appendix 1: Respondent Profiles
1. Geographic location
2. Job roles
3. Type of companies – supply-side respondents
4. Industry sector
5. B2B / B2C focus
6. Annual company revenue
7. Annual marketing budget
Appendix 2: Marketing Budgets by Region

Alice.com raises $3.6m in funding

2012-02-01T09:58:19+00:00

Spanish investors apparently like what they see, as they are behind the $3.6m in new funding.

Although Alice.com sells through its own consumer channel, it has achieved growth by working with CPG brands to power their direct-to-consumer ecommerce initiatives. Its 300 clients include names like Kellogg's, BIC and 3M, and the number of storefronts the company operates for CPG brands has increased by 200%.

Alice.com's relationships with CPG brands could prove to be important to the company's prospects going forward. As we reported yesterday, a new study by Accenture, comScore and dunnhumbyUSA found that websites are crucial to CPG brands, as consumers who interact with brands via a brand website are more likely to make in-store purchases, and spend more on average overall.

The challenge for CPG brands, of course, is building engaging online experiences for consumers. Alice.com's platform gives brands the ability to offer reminder services to customers, distribute coupons and promotions, and it offers a variety of digital tools that consumers can interact with. Behind the scenes, it collects analytics data that CPG brands can use to better target consumers.

As the connection between online behavior and offline purchases becomes clearer (and is quantified), expect more players to enter this space with offerings designed to help CPG brands make the most of their digital opportunities.

Facebook vs Twitter: where will you be talking about Super Bowl ads?

2012-01-31T16:00:00+00:00

Brandbowl started as an online Superbowl party to encorage the advertising industry to get on Twitter. A group of ad people from Mullen, Radian6 and a couple of independants launched what was then called Trash Talk from the Twitter Section. They not only aggregated comments on Super Bowl ads but helped and encouraged people to sign up for Twitter. It's hard to remember Twitter was still a fad for most in 2009. A lot can happen in three years.

Now celebrating it's forth anniversary, Brandbowl is supported by Radian6 who provide all of the sentiment data and analytics of the Super bowl ads. For the first time this year, they are showing the strength of their real time data as users compare brands head to head in a statistical showdown.

We had a chance to talk to Edward Bouches, Chief Innovation Officer at Mullen, to find out more about Brandbowl 2012.

Your original Facebook post from 2009 refers to Brandbowl as a way for old media (Super Bowl ads) to meet new media (Twitter) and to get more people using Twitter. Now that Twitter and TV interaction is common place, what is the importance of continuing Brandbowl? Will you start branching out to conversations beyond Twitter?

Brandbowl started as a way to entice the advertising industry to get into Twitter. Three years ago very few ad people were using the platform. It was a huge success. But now Brandbowl has become an annual event. It gets bigger every year. More people want to participate. Past participants want to return. Also, for two years, now, we have been hosted by Boston.com, on its website. This year Billboard is doing a half-time show on the site, tweeting about music and Madonna. And we've added more and more analytics and user engagement. Plus mobile. So it's not just about tweeting while watching. It's about engagement. And finally, the true value of Brandbowl is that we get all the data on viewer preference. It's the data that matters more than anything. We know what people think, like and dislike before anyone else. As far as moving beyond Twitter, not yet. It is still the de facto platform for real time commentary.

This year is the first you will show geolocation results. Where are you expecting the most conversation?

The reason for geo (and perhaps, also, gender) is that the platforms and mobile give us the opportunity to look at things that way. We make no real predictions. Obviously the big locations will be Boston, NY, LA, SF, Austin, Chicago. Where there is population and social users and interest in advertising.

What has surprised you most about the Brandbowl experience?

What surprised us most was that a small experiment could grow into a highly anticipated annual event. And that we were able to be so instrumental in getting the industry excited about the platform. And yes, in the first couple of years, Brandbowl helped position the agency as authorities in social media and creatively using the space. We won a number of clients' social business, or at least got conversations, as a result. It's never the only reason why, but it always helps.

Come Sunday which platform do you think will show the most accurate results? Will you be engaging with Brandbowl over on Twitter or will you be firmly glued to Facebook's Ad Meter. Is Bouches right that Twitter is the best place for real time commentary or will Facebook give it a run for its money?

We'll compare the results on Monday.