Magma Mobile: Droid Analytics  1.1.8  (Paid App ($2.39)/24 hour free trial available)

Upon logging into the App, users are taken to a scrollable menu displaying all of the associated accounts by profile.  Each entry contains the profile name in bold face, the account name, and the ga ID (not to be confused with the UA ID).  If an account contains one web property or unique profile names within each web property, the interface is functional.  However, if an account has multiple web properties with similar or identical profiles within each property (e.g. a profile named “Blog” in both “Sales” and “Service” web properties of an account), there is no way to differentiate between the two profiles.  For power users of Google Analytics, the inability to distinguish among profiles by web property can be confusing.  One work-around would be to modify the profile name to indicate with which property it is associated.  Alternatively, including the property name in the App would be a wonderful improvement to Droid Analytics.  Perhaps the gaID could be substituted for the property name without adding clutter to the display.  For those who manage several accounts with numerous profiles (as you can imagine is the case at Rise Interactive), the list is overwhelming and difficult to navigate.  I would prefer a more hierarchical interface from which I could select the account I want to view, then choose among properties and finally select a profile.  For users who manage few accounts or a limited number of profiles, this may not be an issue and the interface is perfectly adequate.

After a profile has been selected, the App defaults a table containing pageviews, visits, visitors, time and pages per visit, and bounce rate.  Regardless of the orientation of your device, the display is set to landscape which is good forethought on the part of Magma Mobile.  Buttons on the bottom of the display toggle between daily, weekly, monthly and custom range time frames.  The defaults for each of these time periods are 30 days, 52 weeks and ‘Since 2005’, respectively, but the terms can be changed in the settings menu.  The data in the display can be graphed by selecting the ‘chart’ button.  I like this functionality for its ease of use and ability to render graphically trends and anomalies that may not be readily discernible in a tabular format.

A variety of ‘Top’ criteria can be accessed as well.  Available fields include keywords, source (utm_medium), search engine, referring site and goal conversions among others.  The default for the number of entries displayed is 100 and the date range defaults to month to date.  Both of the settings can be customized.

Overall, Droid Analytics achieves a great deal of what you want to see in a Google Analytics App.  It is functional, easy to use and contains most of the high level summary data that would be relevant to a user on a mobile device.  Even the color scheme is very similar to Google Analytics.  While power users may find limitations to the layout and profile selection, those who have a craving to see Google Analytics data in the palm of their hand will find Droid Analytics more than suitable.  For the $2.39 purchase price, I found it to be a good value.

MUGITEK:  mAnalytics 1.4  (Free App; Paid ‘Pro’ version available $1.13)

The start-up for mAnaltyics is slower and contains a couple more steps than Droid Analytics.  Once you have logged in and accessed your account, all available profiles are displayed.  However, the account name is not displayed with the profile.  For a user like me, the omission of at least the account name (not to mention web property) makes mAnalytics impracticable.  Without an account name attached to the profile, I cannot differentiate among all of the profiles managed by Rise Interactive that employ similar naming conventions.

Once you have selected a profile, the App prompts you to choose from several pre-configured or custom date ranges.  A table will generate with the following metrics:  Visits, Pageviews, Unique visitors,  Pages/Visit, Bounce Rate, Avg. Time on Site and % New Visits.  Four additional reports are available, including segments such as ‘Visits by country’.  Graphing elements are limited to Visits and Pageviews.  The graph is displayed as a white line on a black background with grey axes and scale, which I found somewhat difficult to see.   Overall, the interface is clean and orderly, if unremarkable.  Users who are interested in a very basic App with limited functionality (which, in fairness, is endemic to all Google Analytics Apps) may find utility in mAnaltyics.

These are just two of the Apps available for Google Analytics on the Android operating system.  While I have explored some of the others to varying degrees, I consider these two the best among the paid and free Apps.  As always, I am interested in other points of view and opinions…

Since writing this blog, I have discovered Mobile GA from Actual Metrics.  For a free App, Mobile GA is tough to beat.  The App addresses the most glaring shortcoming for a user like me who has numerous accounts, web properties and similarly named profiles.  The initial screen displays each account with an expandable menu listing the associated profile(s).  Mobile GA also includes the UA number which provides a way to differentiate among similarly named profiles!  While not as robust as some of the paid Apps in terms of available metrics and customization, Mobile GA is superior to any of the other free Apps I have tested.   Portrait orientation displays data in tabular format.  Switching to landscape orientation, the same data is displayed in graphical format.  I found this to be really neat functionality.  Sorry mAnalytics….you have been replaced by Mobile GA on my Android.

1. Events as Goals

Event tracking has previously been reported and totaled in a section of Google Analytics outside of the Goals.  Events provide the ability to detail interactions into category, action, label and value.  Event tracking is an important component of the user engagement as it reports on all of the non-page view interaction like downloads, button clicks, third party site links, etc.  Until now, these types of activities were not able to be tracked in the “Goals” section of Google Analytics.

2. Multi-Channel Funnels

An entirely new feature of Google Analytics 5 (which was just released across all accounts on August 25^th) is the addition of multi-channel funnels.  Moving away from solely last click attribution, Google Analytics 5 offers the ability for users to gain insight into the full conversion path for a visitor over the past 30 days.  To take advantage of the multi-channel funnels, simply enable goals or e-commerce tracking.  The reports can be found within the “My Conversions” tab of the user interface.

3. Admin Section

The Admin section has received a cosmetic make-over that, in our opinion, makes it much easier and intuitive to navigate.  Chief among these improvements is the ability to transition from an account, to a web property and ultimately, to a profile.  Upon clicking on the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the interface, you are taken to a new screen containing a menu bar for Profiles, Tracking Code and Web Property Settings in one clean and easy to navigate location.  Within the “Profiles” tab, Assets, Goals, Users, Filters and Settings are all displayed in a horizontal menu bar allowing for quick access as opposed to the somewhat disparate locations in the older version.

4. Updated Home Section

The “Account Home” section has been modified to display each account you have access to as a user, as opposed to the default listing of ten in the older version.  Also, for those users who use multiple web properties and profiles, Google Analytics 5 enables you to see all of these within any account through expandable menus, rather than navigating to a second screen in the old version.  We have found this to be an enormous time-saver when switching among accounts, properties and profiles.  A drop-down menu in the upper right section of the interface offers an additional method of selecting an account.

5. Widgets

The dashboard in Google Analytics 5 offers four different widget classes:  Table, Metric, Pie Chart, and Timeline.  Widgets can be dragged and dropped into the layout, allowing for quick and easy customization.

Overall, we are very pleased with the improvements in Google Analytics 5.  We encourage you to explore the new functionality and interface.  Before long, you will likely choose to make this your default version for Google Analytics.

That’s an impressive number, as it indicates that more and more marketers are recognizing the need for good social media analytics.  It is also a bit overwhelming.  Obviously you don’t need 200 different tools.  You need just a few good tools, the ones that do the job best and help you get the data that you need. 

But which ones? 

A recent report called Social Marketing Analytics by Web Analytics Demystified and Altimeter Group can help us answer this question.  In this report, Web Analytics Demystied and Altimeter Group identify four major business objectives where social media is frequently employed along with a list of tools as relates to each objective. 

You are, of course, welcome (even encouraged) to read the report yourself, but we understand that not everyone has time to read a 25 page whitepaper on social media marketing tools.  So we thought we’d do the leg work for you.  In the weeks to come we will take a closer look at the four business objectives mentioned in this report along with a select list of what we believe to be the top tools as relates to each objective.  Basically, it’s all the good stuff without all the technical jargon. 

Enjoy.

Cost: Funds and Resources

For all marketing mangers, funding and resource allocation are actively considered in all decisions, and web analytics is no different.  While Google Analytics is a “free” platform, it’s only free in terms of access to the platform.  There are several setup and reporting processes that Omniture typically includes during the implementation process that Google Analytics leaves to the user.  Troubleshooting can be difficult, since there are limited Google support resources available (the product is offered at no cost, after all).  Generally, paid platforms like Omniture SiteCatalyst offer dedicated support services (either included or available at an hourly cost).

When evaluating web analytics platforms, include the implementation and maintenance costs for the platform AND any resources you might have to allocate into the cost.  While you might not have to pay for Google Analytics, you might have to hire a full-time employee to manage the platform and provide reporting.  If a paid platform can automate (or simplify) the management and reporting, you may require less in-house resources to oversee your analytics program.

Example: Acme Supplies

VP of Marketing: “I know we need an analytics package to track the Acme Products website.  Acme has been doing fine without web analytics, but my staff says we need it.  I don’t have much money to spend, so I’ve chosen Google Analytics, since it’s free.  We’ll make it work for us.”

This statement clearly shows some deficiencies in the decision-making process.  It’s apparent the VP doesn’t understand the value of analytics and that cost was the primary (and likely only) consideration.  In addition to increasing the likelihood of choosing a platform that isn’t functional for their business, this philosophy could impede the implementation process and lead Acme to miss critical information.

Making Your Web Analytics Decision

While the example focused on a client that is overly cost-conscious (at the cost of the other factors), many clients sit on the other end of the spectrum.  It is commonly believed that the most expensive platform must be the best.  This simply isn’t true.  When evaluating web analytics platforms, consider the cost, your needs, your goals and available resources.  While some programs, such as those that need to roll data from 50 plus multiple domains (Google Analytics “roll up” capability is capped at 50 domains) into a top-level account, may have requirements that can only be fulfilled through a paid analytics platform, others might not have the need for more complex features.

Below, we’ve provided a simplified decision matrix comparing Omniture SiteCatalyst and Google Analytics (click to enlarge):

As you can see, this client’s requirement for aggregated reports resulted in the need to hire a full-time employee, since the reporting and subsequent work-up will be much more intensive than offered by Omniture SiteCatalyst (where much/all of this can be automated).  In the end, Omniture is the better choice for this particular company.  Omniture SiteCatalyst is also often preferred if pulling analytical data from many third-party vendors as SiteCatalyst has developed extensive relationships with many Internet marketing platforms (e.g. E-mail platforms, Display Advertising Networks, and Social portals amongst others) and can automatically pull information from their APIs.  Google Analytics on the other hand usually requires extensive manual tagging in order to track most non-Google initiatives.

As you review analytics platforms for your own company, make sure you’re looking at the costs from both capability- and resource-based perspectives to ensure you choose the best analytics platform for you.

What criteria are important to you when evaluating web analytics platforms?

Rise Interactive has years of experience implementing and with ongoing consultation for both Google Analytic and Omniture SiteCatalyst. If you are interested in learning more about which analytics platform might be right for your business call us for a free analytics consultation at 312-281-9933.

Paid Search (PPC) Budget Allocation

Many companies, especially those without an ROI-focused strategy, tend to run PPC programs that barely tread water (in terms of profitability).  Are you using a portfolio approach to your program?  Simply, you should make sure the most profitable areas are maximized before providing budget to less efficient areas of the program.  By using this approach, you can rest assured that you’re running the most profitable program possible.

Paid Search (PPC) Bid Strategy

In terms of bid strategy, it may be time to take another look at your program.  Specifically, are you overspending for branded keywords?  Many companies want to ensure dominance for their branded keywords, and maximizing the position of branded keywords is a priority for such marketers.  However, if you consider that individuals seeking your brand are already likely to convert, you may want to test a lower target position.  Many clients achieve incredible savings by dropping their average positions by 0.5-1 places.  This is simple to test, and one all marketers should test at some point.

Match Types and Negative Keywords (PPC)

If your company sells Britney Spears posters, you want to make sure the traffic you are driving to you site is interested in purchasing said posters.  However, if you investigate your potential keywords (and better yet, your existing program), you might find some surprises.  For example, you may find the search query ‘roman spears’ is generating a lot of impressions and even clicks.  However, this traffic is highly unqualified.  Likewise, one of the most popular search queries you’ll find is for ‘britney spears topless’.  Unless your company sells this variety of poster, you’ll want to prevent this unqualified traffic as well.  In the former case, you could consider using phrase or exact match to prevent the unqualified traffic. In both cases, negative keywords can be used to prevent this wasteful spend.

Display/Banner Media Planning

If you’ve been running a display program for some time with the same cost targets (whether CPM, CPC or CPA-based), this may be a good time to renegotiate.  Take the time to review your program and look for areas where you might be able to negotiate better rates.  For example, has one of your networks achieved your target goals with little innovation or change?  If so, it might be time to challenge them a little.  Work with your networks to explore opportunities to improve volume and/or reduce cost in your display program.

Reconsider your Analytics

Many companies, large and small, are paying for analytics platforms that are unnecessary (and often quite expensive).  If you haven’t done so recently, take a close look at your analytics platform and determine if you’re using its unique capabilities or if you’re paying for a platform you simply don’t need.  If your reporting needs are fairly simple and can be achieved via Google Analytics (free) or another inexpensive platform, should you really be spending substantially more on another platform?  This may be a simple line item to remove from your marketing.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways you can look to save money in your Internet marketing program.  Make sure you take the time to review your program.  What steps are you taking to control cost?

Google Analytics has long been a favorite tool of those looking for data on their website traffic. Now Advanced Segmentation makes that data even better by allowing users to easily filter it according to almost any category they want. The tool allows you to hone in on certain trends and behaviors regarding your site’s traffic by using default segments or by creating your own custom segments. Used correctly, the knowledge provided can help you make strategic business decisions to improve your site’s performance. Once the hotel chain made use of Advanced Segments, they were able to determine from which cities their site was getting the most visitors and geo-target those locations (by creating campaigns specific to those cities), ensuring that they were making the most out of their Paid Search budget.

Google Analytics has always allowed users to filter their data, but it was a much trickier process that wasn’t nearly as intuitive or user-friendly. With Advanced Segments, separating your data is as simple as dragging and dropping the filters you want to use. Clicking the Advanced Segments tab in Google Analytics will lead you to a list of the default segment options offered, or to create a segment not offered in the default list, you can choose the metrics and dimensions you want from a comprehensive list provided by Google Analytics.

So what are some examples of how this tool can be used? As we saw with the hotel company, one way to use the feature is to enhance paid search geo-targeting. In Search Engine Optimization, you might use this data to drive localized keyword strategies and/or create geo-specific landing pages for areas that drive significant traffic (or leads) to your website.

Another area where Advanced Segments can come in handy is determining the time(s) of day that your site performs best. You can use this data to day-part PPC efforts (select times of day your text ads will serve impressions) or strategically time Email marketing deployments to touch potential customers during the hours that are historically highest in traffic and conversions.

Of course, these are just a few examples of the many ways Advanced Segments can be used to learn more about the traffic to your website. The increased ease of use created by Advanced Segments makes Analytics an ideal tool for understanding this data. Click here for more information on creating and using advanced segments.

The same concept applies to internet marketing without web analytics. There is no certainty in success, and failure is inevitable in the long run. Just to clarify: failure in marketing occurs when a marketing initiative costs more money than it brings in. According to Mark Stevens, CEO of MSCO, this type of failure is extremely common because many marketing plans don’t have the proper measurements in place. Stevens calls this lazy marketing, and it is just that.

Companies “know” that they need a website, and so they have one, but how many actually know how effective their site is? How many thousands of dollars are spent on flashy graphics and layouts that display countless products and enumerable services without knowing if they are influencing the customer in a positive way? Which online ads are actually bringing people to the site? Is your website keeping the visitors engaged long enough to make a purchase? Is Google sending people to my site? Web analytics can help answer all those questions and more.

With basic web analytics you can monitor:

- How many visitors you had over a specified period of time

- How long the customers are staying on the site

- How many pages the customer saw within the website

- Where the customer came from (did they enter your URL directly into the browser or did your banner ad work?)

- How many times customers clicked the links on your pages

- If you made a conversion and how (sell a product, get the user to sign-up for your newsletter, etc)

The best part about these metrics is that they will help you determine trends and adjust your marketing accordingly. If no one is coming to your site from the online article about your latest breakthrough from one PR firm’s media connections, then you know to spend your PR dollars elsewhere next time. If you are spending hundreds of dollars on 5 banner ads placed on 5 different sites, but only 2 of them are regularly driving traffic to your website, you can now cancel the 3 useless ones (60% of your current banner ad budget) and spend more on the sites that are effective.

Before implementing web analytics into an internet marketing strategy, the marketing department is dependent on guesswork and assumptions. With web analytics a marketing department can confidently explore multiple facets of online marketing including email marketing, search engine marketing, blogs and social networking sites (like Facebook and Twitter), ads on other websites, and more because they know they can determine how useful each facet is after trying it for a relatively short time period. Combining multiple internet marketing outlets is extremely important because without an integrated marketing strategy that leverages multiple customer contact points you may be missing out on easy business. If a customer sees an ad on a page they regularly visit, reads an article about your company that you strategically placed online, and also sees that you’re offering a deal on your Facebook group you are much more likely to get the desired conversion out of the potential customer compared to if you only used one of the three tools.

Let’s summarize that into the 4 main reasons why web analytics is essential to any internet marketing campaign:

1. There is too much uncertainty without it. Marketing without metrics is lazy and probably ineffective.

2. It saves you from wasteful and unnecessary spending in the long run.

3. It enables you to explore multiple facets of internet marketing with confidence.

4. It helps you understand how you are making conversions and helps you reach marketing goals faster.

Further Reading:

- I recommend reading Avinash Kaushik’s blog for a great introduction to web analytics

- Your Marketing Sucks by Mark Stevens – Reading this will make you wonder why you even asked this question in the first place. Stevens provides a common sense breakdown of why most marketing strategies fail, and how to do it the right way.

As has been discussed in this space many times before, ROAS rules life at Rise Interactive. That’s obviously a pretty difficult item to analyze with a null revenue value. And while we can easily report revenue from Adwords and YahooSM, MSN forces us to use a little more effort–GAnalytics and Omniture and HBX and Dart, etc. But it appears that is about to soon change.

Two weeks ago, while working on integrating MSN’s beta API into our online paid search reporting tool, we found adCenter scripts that provided eComm tracking options. Revenue tracking had come to adCenter.

That’s right, had come, because then it disappeared. When we returned to adCenter to pull the new script for a client’s last pre-holiday site update, the new script was gone. No updated script. No help articles. No blog posts. No trace.

Nevertheless, there’s still hope. MSN confirmed we had seen what we had seen. And then they explained why we can’t see it anymore: “@seanroach that was an unintended result of a recent upgrade and was pushed live before it completed development testing.”

So when will development testing be completed? That much we can’t tell you. But this much we can tell you: sooner than later, revenue tracking is finally coming to MSN adCenter.