converge 2014: using analytics to drive decision-making - vardaman

Using Analytics to Drive Decision-MakingConverge 2014 Pre-ConferenceOctober 13, 2014

#Converge2014

October 13, 2014#Converge2014

Thank You!

I’m Becky [email protected]

@BeckyVardamanBecky Vardaman


• Google Analytics 101• Is my data accurate?• What should I be looking at?• Goals Exercise• Getting It Done

Converge 2014 Pre-Conference Workshop


Google Analytics 101


Web analytics is the study of online behavior in order to improve it.”“


Web Analytics Process


•Comparative analysis: measure website trends

•Quantitatively evaluate web content quality •Challenge and validate assumptions•Demonstrate how your website meets

established business goals and users’ needs•Enable stakeholders and content owners to

measure the success of their own content

What GA Can Do:


Without context,your data is meaningless.


•2,000 page views•70% returning visitors•80% bounce rate

Numbers Rarely Speak for Themselves


Google Analytics Tracking Code


•Data structure•File downloads•Outbound links•In-page events•Flash animation•Embedded videos•Defining goals and

monetizing them

•E-commerce transactions

•Keyword grouping•Visitor types/labels•Segmenting visitors•Tracking error pages•Tracking internal

site-search usage

Not Tracked by Default


Pageviews

Sessions

Users

Session Based System


Universal Analytics


The new Measurement Protocol defines how you can send to data to Google Analytics from any system or any device.

Data is still sent via the __utm.gif image request and you can send data via a GET or a POST. As long as long as you format the data according to the protocol Google Analytics will accept the data.

This means you can send data from call center systems, point of sale systems, etc.

The Measurement Protocol


Not only can you send offline activities, such as pageviews, to GA reporting, but you can also import conversions.

You need to send the data to Google Analytics when the offline conversion happens using the Measurement Protocol. When you send the hit you’ll need to include some identifier that links the offline conversion to the data in Google Analytics.

Offline Conversion Import


In the old Google Analytics sessionization was handled in the tracking cookies. The cookies store things like session length and campaign information, as well as an anonymous identifier. With Universal Analytics all of the sessionization happens at the server level.

Now you can configure in the console:

Server Side Sessionization


Next generation Custom Variables – but with less coding (because of server side sessionization)!

Custom Dimensions and Metrics


Dimension widening is based on custom dimensions and metrics. The key difference is that this is a bulk-type of feature. Whereas custom dimensions and metrics are done one at a time, dimension widening allows you to add a bunch of new dimensions via a data upload.

Let’s say you are a publisher, and your analytics data has thousands ISBN numbers (basically unique book IDs) in the content reports. You can import detailed information like publication date, author, edition, etc. into Google Analytics, link it with the ISBN number and view other info like publication date, author, edition, etc.

Dimension Widening


A great way to use the custom metrics feature is to import cost data associated with a marketing campaign. Using an ID number in your content data (like a query string parameter named CID), import cost information about your marketing campaigns.

We’ve always had cost data about Google AdWords but not other marketing activities. This has made it hard to measure true marketing ROI within Google Analytics.

Cost Data Import


Universal Analytics lets you track the same user, for example, on a work computer, mobile device, home computer, or RFD key (swipe card/loyalty card). By consolidating various login IDs, as well as customer loyalty cards, Universal Analytics can track offline and online purchase behavior. Again, very exciting for retailers.

Other applications? How about display booths at conventions and the fancy nametag swipe readers that add attendees to a mailing list or enter them into a contest? That data can be aggregated, made anonymous and correlated to online conversions in Universal Analytics.

Multi-Platform Tracking


WEBSITE

$

12346

♬$

12345

♬$

12346

$

12345

POSTER

$

12346

$

12345

$

12346

$

12345

♬

Example: Lollapalooza


WEBSITE

$

12346

♬

$

12345

♬

POSTER

♬CRM

Example: Lollapalooza


People Involved:• Marketing• IT• Third party applications• Internal Stakeholders (Admissions, Academics, Athletics)

Time Involved:• Actual transition is very quick (replace code)• Making and executing a plan takes longer (up to six months)

This is a great time to be sure you have a strategic analytics plan:• Accurate, reliable data• Audience based goals and events to support them• Regular dashboard reporting and improvements• Tag management

Upgrading


Upgrading


Both Universal and Asynchronous


You’ve Got Two Years...


Takeaways:This is coming (really, it’s here).You will need to get on board (you’ve got about two years).There are some great tools yet to be released… stay tuned.

Migration:November 2012: Private BetaApril 2013: Public BetaSummer-Fall 2013: Gradual roll out of features.April 2014: Out of Beta

Should We Switch?1. Not should you, but when?2. Now is the time to start making a plan.

The Bottom Line


Is my data accurate?


Accounts, Properties, Viewsand Data Quality


http://www.convergeuniversity.edu/loginProtocol

Subdomain

Root Domain

subdirectory

Anatomy of URL


Perfect World


Higher Education


Account Structure


Subdomain & Domains Currently in UA? Used? Purpose? Include or Separate or 301 Create ViewCareercoaches.ntc.eduCourseschedule.ntc.eduDairylandacademy.orgNotes02.ntc.edu/intranet2Ntcptl9u.aurora.tcReplay.ntc.eduwww.ntc.eduwww.sparkintomanufacturing.comMprtoolkit.ntc.eduwampen

Make A Map


#AnalyticsHigherEd

Root Domains


Subdomains


Finding the Domains & Subdomains


Tool


•There is a limit of 50 views for any given web property.

•You cannot migrate historical data from one account to another.

•You cannot transfer views or web properties to other accounts.

Set Up Considerations


Club SiteClub Site

Club Site

Club SiteClub SiteClub Site

UA-12542-20

UA-12542-X

UA-12542-X

UA-12542-X

UA-12542-X

UA-12542-X

UA-12542-X

Example


Self Referrals


Filter: Include Subdomains


Universal Analytics to the rescue!

Self Referrals


Campaign Tracking


Reminder:

DirectVisitors who come directly to the

website using the domain name.

Search

engines

By default, GA tracks 20+

different search engines.

ReferralsLinks that appear on

other websites.

Campaigns Custom! You decide.


http://www.convergeuniversity.edu/admissions?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fall-2013-campaign&utm_content=video1

http://gaconfig.com/

What is Campaign Tracking?


When to Use it


In the Reporting


Source: “The brand name”facebook, newsletter, affiliate link, google

Medium:The bucketemail, social, cpc, ppc, display

Campaign:The message/contentdate, fall2014, alumni2014-8-15

The Three Facets


Easier Than it Looks


Record Your Plan


But that URL is so long....


•Always tag your links•Automate when possible•Coordinate and be consistent

Best Practices


Event Tracking


What are Events?


When to Use Them


Category = video Action = homepage Label = student-affairs

OR

Category = homepage Action = video Label = current-student

OR

Category = video Action = {{URL}} Label = {{innerText}}

The Three Facets

Watch a Video


Keep Track of Your Event Strategy


Use Them for Goals!


Use Them for Custom Segments


Great in Dashboards


How to Implement


<a href="http://www.lehigh.edu/home" onmousedown="ga('send', 'event', 'link-click', 'logo', 'header')"><img src="http://www4.lehigh.edu/Media/Website Resources/images/admissionsv4/admissions_logosm.gif" alt="Lehigh University" border="0"></a>

Hard Coded Implementation


Replace with this:

jQuery Events


jQuery Events


Google Tag Manager Auto-Event Tagging


What should I be looking at?


A Quick Tour


Date Ranges


Chart Options


Secondary Dimensions


Advanced Search


The Reports


Reports What You Can Learn

AudienceWho are these people?Where geographically?

How often do they come back?

AcquisitionHow did they get here?Search? Direct? Referral?

AdWords Campaigns? Social?

BehaviorWhat did they do?Which pages did they look at?

What did they search for?

ConversionsHow much are they worth?Did they complete our goals?

If not, where did they drop off?


Who are these people?


How’d they get here?


What’d they do?


How much are they worth?

EXAMPLE DATA:


Automated Reporting:Dashboards


• Goals• Current reporting (replace with a dashboard)• Content heavy sections of your site (blog, news)• Content stakeholders• A specific Campaign• A specific Traffic Source (social media, ppc, referrals)• Inbound marketing process (attract, convert, delight)

Where to start?


Goals Exercise


•Any website action can be a goal•Visitors can only convert once per visit, per

goal•Goal processing occurs at the view level

About Goals


Types of goals

URL destinationGoal completed when visitor

views defined URL

Time on siteGoal completed when visitor

spends

X amount of time on site

Pages / visitGoal completed when visitor views

X number of pages on site

EventGoal completed when visitor takes

a predefined action


Example (required) Funnel Steps

Step 1: Membership Description

Step 2: Membership Payment

Step 3: Membership Welcome Page


Sample funnel steps

Step 1: /membership.html

Step 2: /membership/payment.html

Step 3: /membership/welcome.html


How do I track my form if the URL doesn’t change, page to page?

• Can use in Goal Funnels• Ads to total pageview count

Virtual Pageviews


Engagement Goals


Event Goals


Goal Framework:Developing KPIs


Web Analytics Framework

1 Business Objectives

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments




What is the purpose of your institution or your group within it?

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments




What actions on your website contribute to meeting that objective?

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments




What relevant web metrics can be used to measure your website goals over time?

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments


Thank You!




How do you rate success?

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments




What visitor attributes will provide meaningful insights?

2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments


Web Analytics FrameworkAUDIENCE:


2 Website Goals

3Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs)

4 Targets

5 Segments

BREAKOUT SESSION


Getting It Done


Getting it Done


Additional Resources


[image]

Identical links stats


http://gaconfig.com/


Thanks & Questions

[email protected]@BeckyVardaman

converge 2014: using analytics to drive decision-making - vardaman

Data & Analytics

universal analytics

data accurate

google analytics tracking

web analytics process

offline conversion importnot

custom dimensions

offline activities

protocol googleanalytics