Analytics — What are They and Why do They Matter?

Any activity done on the web with internet data, specifically for business websites, is meticulously managed in the background by a formulation of measurements, or more accurately, analytics. Analytics is a key tool used in businesses to assess, address and find solutions for maximizing profitability. Analytics takes into account any existing and available data about a business and provides a platform used to make decisions by the owners or managers. When it comes to the Internet, these set(s) of tools offer insight into website performance and a summation of that information. You can use this to formulate a proposed course of action for your marketing tasks, or to manage current or future campaigns. Types of Analytics There are two main categories of web-focused analytics that are primarily used for research: Off-Site Analytics Components such as business buzz or potential growth can be tracked by utilizing off-site analytics, without the use of a web presence. These measurements indicate the strength of the company’s possible online presence on the Internet as a whole, such as search engine results, review websites, and social media. On-Site Analytics On-site analytics show information that is formulated from visitors who actually engage and interact on your website. This typically measures information from website hits or a commercial standpoint performance. Data gleaned here is used to manage other areas of the business’ sales and/or SEO marketing campaigns. Traffic Analyzing A big challenge for most web-based presences is attracting targeted traffic. A lot of energy, time and money are usually spent in this area of data analysis. Ever-changing web dynamics can make this area difficult to track. So how do visitors find your site? 1. Direct Landing Typing the URL into a browser will land many visitors directly on your site. Referrals or advertising mediums are normally how the URLs are found. 2. Referral URLs Other sites that refer your URL via a link on their pages are also a traffic source, leading visitors to your site by enticing them to click on your link. Email and direct marketing are also sources of referral URLs. 3. Search Engines Search engines are the most common source of internet data and attracting site visitors. Google is the most popular for finding targeted sites and directories, followed by Yahoo! and Bing. There is a direct correlation between search engines and how traffic is affected by implementing SEO, keywords and targeted phrases used to find information. A high percentage of business owners use Google Analytics to gauge the effectiveness of traffic to their site. The reports that Google provides help a business to define what keywords or phrases are drawing in traffic and which pages or materials are popular on the site. Commonfig is a comprehensible and thorough site that equips businesses with an array of tools to spark ideas, find insights into the direction of the business and formulate decisions based on those findings. The Commonfig platform is inherently a social connector for businesses and service seekers, since it can be used for promotion and relationship building. In terms of analytics, subscribers to Commonfig’s premium profile can access precise results on a their networking activity, including email marketing campaigns and promotions conducted through their Commonfig profile. Key Metrics for Data Analyses Since visitor traffic is the main source of gathering analytics information, there are key areas of data analysis to be consistently monitored for best results.

• Clicks — Click analytics refer to the site’s pages and where the users are specifically clicking.
• Page Views — This involves reviewing more than website hits (or “page hits”), since single page views can involve generating multiple hits on a page, including image files, .css and .js files.
• Logging Visitors — Effectively logging visitors can be elusive when analyzing “new” or “repeat” visitors, depending upon the product or service. However, successfully logging the category of visitors helps to determine the “type” of visitors that your site is attracting.
• Index — The index value of the analytics gives each page of your site a “value” by formulating the page’s goal value divided by page views. The result gives you a numerical financial value that you can optimize for increases.
• Exits — This tool tells you the percentage of visitors who left your site, primarily after conducting a specific site search. The higher the percentage is, the likelier it is that the visitor did not find what they needed on the site.

Social Media Analytics How does your business fare socially on the web? Is there a buzz about your new developments? Are there links to your site and content to help “spread the word”? Analyzing your social media interactions is key here. Several comprehensive social analytical tools include Digg, Technorati and Sprout Social, which are very thorough and well known online. They provide timely information regarding your company’s social profile and the impact industry-wide. Additionally, sites like Commonfig do a “clean” job of culminating the components of social presences into one place. Sites like these allow you to review information from a categorical perspective (i.e., fashion, finance, accounting, design), to connect and then locate other business referrals through the profiles. Maximizing the Usage of Analytics Invariably, web analytics are only going to be effective if the information is utilized to make changes to your marketing approach. Simply knowing where traffic is generated from, or the time length that visitors stay on the site, is a precursor. The steps you take from that point are where you’ll realize the value of the information. To maximize a site’s analytical data, it is imperative to consistently review areas of chief concern. Determine if the numbers are in line with company goals. If not, it may be necessary to tweak a marketing campaign, revise a landing page or sales letter, or use additional resources for better results. Over time, there will be changes and shifts that will show you why analytics are a critical business component.