Web Analytics Essentials - Gordon Choi

transcript

Web Analytics Essentials

Gordon Choi

April 2012

http://www.gordonchoi.com/

www.gordonchoi.com

Gordon Choi – www.gordonchoi.com

2009-Present (Shanghai, China)Web analytics integration & SEO/SEM analytics integration for online travel industry (e.g. Ctrip.com)

2002-2008 (South Africa + Hangzhou, China)Performance-based SEM/SEO for global & Chinese markets

1991-2001 (South Africa)A bit of computer programming & didn’t do much

Before 1990 (Hong Kong)Just a kid

Web Analytics Essentials

1. Web Analytics Principles & Scope

2. Google Analytics Basic Setup

3. Web Analytics Reports & KPI Metrics for Web Analysts focusing on SEO & SEM

4. Google Analytics Tips

5. Google Analytics Advanced Setup

Web Analytics Principles & Scope

What is Web Analytics? Why Web Analytics?

What is WA?

- Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of Internet data for purpose of understanding and optimizing web usage – Avinash Kaushik & Wikipedia.org

Why WA?

- Web statistics of your site are captured 24 hours a day & can be built into regular web reports.- Connects web statistics to your KPI metrics.- Helps identifying areas on your site that need improvement.

Data Capture Methods & Tools

1. Web Log Files

- Data captured on server side- Smallest data unit = By web element e.g. CSS, ico

2. JavaScript Tags

- Data captured on browser side- Smallest data unit = By web page e.g. HTML

JavaScript-based WA

Benefits:

1. URL based 2. Cookies based3. Easy installation with JavaScript tags4. Allows customized setup to capture more user actions / events5. No / minimal data storage issue

JavaScript-based WA

Shortcomings:

1. May require good URL structure planning2. No bot data e.g. Googlebot, baiduspider3. No page error data4. Doesn’t work on non JavaScript based browsers5. JavaScript heavy web pages

JavaScript-based Web Analytics Tools

WA Examples:

1. Google Analytics2. Yahoo Web Analytics3. 百度统计 (Baidu) - CN4. Adobe Site Catalyst - Paid5. 99Click – CN / Paid6. Piwik – Open Source

Google Analytics Basic Setup

Multiple Sub-domains

Chinese Search Engines

Profile Filters

Google’s Web Data Cycle

1. Web users visit websites in the Internet2. Google crawls the Web & stores web data in the Index3. Google collects web data from sites using GA & stores web data in GA servers4. Google provides website’s organic search data to users through GWT5. Google provides website’s analytics data to users through GA

How does Google Analytics (GA) work?

Google Analytics Tracking Code (GATC):<script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-1234567-8']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>

GA collects visitors’ web usage data on your site through this basic GATC which is JavaScript based.

Make sure you install GATC on EVERY page of your site.

How does Google Analytics (GA) work?

1. A web user visits a page on your site.2. Your web server returns the page’s content and the GATC to the user’s browser.3. The GATC executes, captures the page view, cookies & other visitor details and sends the data to GA’s servers.4. GA may send cookie data to the user’s browser.

Google Analytics Account Setup

To use GA,1. Create a new Gmail or use your existing Gmail:e.g. YourName@gmail.com

OR2. Add your non-Gmail to Google Account:e.g. https://accounts.google.com/NewAccount

Google Analytics Profile Setup

To set up GA, you’ll have to be a GA Administrator with full access to your GA account

Create a GA profile

GATC Setup

GATC Setup - Standard

GATC (standard), if your site is on only one domain & no sub-domain, e.g.http://www.ctrip.com/

GATC Setup – Multiple Sub-domains

GATC (customized), if your site is on multiple sub-domains, e.g.http://www.ctrip.com/http://hotels.ctrip.com/http://flights.ctrip.com/

_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.ctrip.com']);

GATC Setup – Multiple Domains

GATC (customized), if your site is on multiple domains & sub-domains, e.g.http://www.ctrip.com/http://www.lvping.com/http://flights.ctrip.com/

_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.ctrip.com']); _gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);

GATC Setup – Chinese Search Engines

GATC (customized), if you are to track Soso, Sogou & Youdao as Search Engine Referrals.

_gaq.push(['_addOrganic', 'soso', 'w']);_gaq.push(['_addOrganic', 'sogou', 'query']);_gaq.push(['_addOrganic', 'youdao', 'q']);

GA Setup – Profile Filters

Create filters to:

1. Remove traffic from internal IP addresses, e.g. Your own IP2. Remove traffic from internal domain names, e.g. Intranet 3. Show all URLs in lowercase 4. Show all URLs with full paths

Profile Filter: Lowercase URLs

Lowercase URL filter consolidates URLs in different cases into a single URL & makes it easy for you to look at your web pages per URL in GA reports.

Without filter, 2 different entries (URLs) in GA:www.example.com/INDEX.html 20 visitswww.example.com/index.html 100 visits

With filter, 1 entry (URL) in GA:www.example.com/index.html 120 visits

Profile Filter: Lowercase URLs

Profile Filter: URLs in Full Path

For a multiple sub-domain site, 2 different URLs:www.ctrip.com/index.htmlhotels.ctrip.com/index.html

Without full path filter, URLs will show up in GA as: /index.html/index.html

Without full path filter, URLs will show up in GA as: www.ctrip.com/index.htmlhotels.ctrip.com/index.html

Profile Filter: URLs in Full Path

Regular Expression: http://support.google.com/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55582

GA Profile: Best Practices

Two types of GA access:1. Administrator = full access to GA account e.g. You, the web analyst, should be the Admin

2. User = view access to all reportse.g. Anyone else can be granted user access

Profile tips:1. You can create multiple profiles for any one site2. Always keep 1 profile without any filter3. User access is profile based

Web Analytics Reports & KPI Metrics

A Web Analyst’s Guide to focus on

SEO & SEM Analytics

through Google Analytics

Web Analytics Reports & KPI Metrics

1. Web Analysts2. Basic Reporting3. Goal Conversions 4. Segmentation 5. SEM Tracking6. SEO Reports7. Site Search

Web Analysts

What is a Web Analyst?

Web analysts are professionals who use digital measurement tools, digitally collected data and analysis skills to improve the Internet for individuals and institutions

Digital (Web) Analytics Association

Web Analysts

A Web Analyst's Typical Work Day

10%Reporting

Analyze AcquisitionStrategies

Understanding On-siteCustomer Experience

Staying Plugged into theContext

Explore New StrategicOptions

Take Breaks

According to Avinash Kaushik…

Basic Reporting

1. Trends on overall site traffic (i.e. visits)2. % Direct vs. % Search vs. % Referring Sites3. % New Visitor vs. % Returning Visitors 4. Visitor Frequency - Counts of visits 5. Visitor Recency - Days since last visit 6. Geography: countries, cities 7. Browsers, languages, mobile devices8. Trends on SEO/SEM traffic 9. Top SEO keywords 10. Top SEM keywords11. Top pages 12. Top landing pages 13. Site search14. In-page analytics i.e. click distribution

Basic Reporting

Decide Reporting Frequency:1. Daily, 2. Weekly, 3. Monthly, 4. Quarterly

Metrics:1. Visitors vs. Visits2. Visits vs. Page Views 3. Page Views vs. Unique Page Views4. New Visitors vs. Returning Visitors5. Bounce Rate vs. Exit Rate6. Time on Site vs. Time on Page7. Clicks vs. Visits

Weekly Reports

Run these reports once a week:

1. Your site’s trend by visits i.e. How many visits per day this week vs. last week vs. this week last year?

2. Top 10 countries or top 10 cities by visits?

3. Top 20 pages by page views?

4. Top 100 SEO keywords by visits?

5. Top 100 SEM keywords by visits?

Direct Traffic vs. Search Engines vs. Referring Sites

Monitor fluctuation in traffic source typesReport frequency = Weekly

Direct Traffic vs. Search Engines vs. Referring Sites

Examples on Analysis:

DT=65%, SE=10%, RS=25% Strong brand but low SE traffic - Need to improve SEO & SEM

DT=15%, SE=40%, RS=45%Weak brand - Need to improve brand awareness

DT=20%, SE=70%, RS=12%Too reliant on SE traffic – Need to diversify traffic sources

New Visitors vs. Returning Visitors

Monitor fluctuation in visitor typesReport frequency = Weekly

New Visitors vs. Returning Visitors

Examples on Analysis:

New=85%, Returning=15% 1. A new website, OR website is unable retain users 2. Need a plan to retain new users

New=20%, Returning=80%1. Monetizing through repeat users2. Need to a plan to acquire new users

Reports (Once Every 6 Months)

Run these reports once every 6 months:

1. How often do people visit your site?

2. What were the last time people visited your site?

3. What browsers (e.g. IE7, 8, 9, Firefox, Chrome)?

4. What mobile devices (e.g. IPhone, IPad, etc)?

Daily Reports

Whether you track sign-ups & orders through GA or your internal system, run this report every day:

GA Goals

Track site conversions through GA’s goals.

Set up one of the goal types:1. URL destination2. Visit duration3. Page / visit4. Event

GA Goals

GA Goal Funnels

Typical goal funnel URLs:

1. www.example.com/search-list/2. www.example.com/product-details/3. www.example.com/checkout/4. www.example.com/payment-info/5. www.example.com/delivery-info/6. www.example.com/confirm-info/7. www.example.com/complete/ (GOAL)

GA Goal Funnels – Reservation Booked

GA Goal Funnels – Purchase Made

Segmentation – Traffic Sources

Segment by Traffic Sources:

(none) / directgoogle / organic baidu / organicgoogle cpcbaidu cpchao123.com / referralchinatravel.net / referraltwitter / referralfacebook / referral

Segmentation – Traffic Sources

Traffic Metrics by Traffic Sources:

Conversion Metrics by Traffic Sources:

Segmentation - Direct Traffic

Is Direct Traffic Really Direct Traffic?

1. Direct typing in address bar of browser2. Browser bookmarks3. Untagged links through Windows Live (MSN) Messenger, emails, PDF documents, etc4. Lost referral value e.g. Cookies reset

Some direct traffic of your site comes through organic search as brand keywords e.g. Ctrip, Amazon, Taobao

Segmentation - Bounce Rate

Bounce Rate represents the percentage of initial visitors to a site who “bounce” away to a different site, rather than continue on to other pages within the same site. Wikipedia.org

Bounce Rate = Visits Viewing 1 Page / Total Visits

Segmentation – Types of Visits

Non-bounced & Converted Visits

Non-bounced Visits

All Visits

3 Types of Visits to a Site:

Segmentation - Page Views / Visits

How important is Page Views / Visits?

Segmentation – Advanced Segments

Segment: Traffic Metrics & Conversion Metrics by Traffic Sources of all Non-bounce Visits

Segmentation – Non-bounced Visits

Again, Traffic Metrics by Traffic Sources (but, of all non-bounced visits):

SEM Tracking

Your website may have both SEO & SEM traffic.

Ensure all SEM visits are tracked & appear in GA Traffic Sources report as:

google / cpcbaidu / cpc

If SEM visits aren’t correctly tracked, they will mix up in organic (SEO) visits & appear as:

google / organicbaidu / organic

SEM Tracking - Google AdWords

Link all your Google AdWords accounts to your Google Analytics account

Enable auto-tagging in Google AdWords

SEM Tracking – Other Search Engines

Tag your all your Baidu SEM URLs:

utm_source=baiduutm_medium=cpcutm_term=web+analytics+2.0utm_campaign =analytics+books

http://www.example.com/?utm_source=baidu&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=web%2Banalytics%2B2.0&utm_campaign=analytics%2Bbooks

Use Google’s URL Builder to generate the tagged URL (or just use Excel):

http://support.google.com/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55578

Four Stages of SEO

Four Stages of SEO:

1. Pages Indexed in Search Engines (e.g. Google)

2. Keyword Ranking

3. SEO Visits to Your Site

5. SEO Conversions

SEO Reports

The purpose of SEO reports are for monitoring:

1. Traffic Trends (i.e. Entire Site, Per Sub-domain, Per Site Section)

2. Spider Behavior (e.g. googlebot, baiduspider)

3. Page Errors (i.e. Status Codes 404, 302, etc)

4. Keyword Ranking

SEO Reports – SEO Visits

Daily Traffic Trends with Week-over-week & Year-over-year Comparison e.g. Google Organic Visits

SEO Reports – SEO Visits

Daily Traffic Trends by Sub-Domains & by Site Sections e.g. Google Organic Visits

SEO Reports – Pages Indexed

Pages Indexed by e.g. Google, by Sub-domains, by Site Sections

SEO Reports – Keyword Ranking

Keyword Ranking report:

SEO Reports – GWT, Web Log Files

Spider data & Page Error data can be found from 2 sources:

1. Google Webmaster Tools (GWT)2. Your Site’s Web Log Files

Google Webmaster Tools provide SEO reports with basic & limited data, but is ready for access & easy to use.

Web Log files have full data, but aren’t easy to use & will require your web administrator & software developer to extract the data for you.

SEO Reports – Log Files

1. Pages crawled per googlebot IP2. Kilobytes downloaded per googlebot IP3. Time spent per page per googlebot IP

SEO Reports – Log Files

Page Errors: Pages with Status Codes 404 (not found) or 302 (moved temporarily)

SEO Reports – Landing Pages

How much does a page contribute to conversions?

1. Top Landing Pages by Visits2. Top Landing Pages by Conversions

Site Search

Site search allows visitors find products on your site by entering keywords.

Site Search

Site search data allows you to understand visitors’ intent:

1. What products do people search the most?

2. What is a product’s conversion rate?i.e. No. of items sold / No. of searches

3. What do people search for that you don’t have?

Site Search – Seasonal Trends

The popularity of the top site search keywords may change in different months & in different seasons.

Site Search – Online Travel Sites

e.g. Hotel search on an online travel site:Beijing, 01Apr2012, 03Apr2012, Swissotel Beijing, 2000, Chaoyang, 5

Some websites provide “restricted” site search

Google Analytics Tips

URL Structure, Dashboards,

Multi Channel Funnels,

Real Time Report, Custom Reports

Annotations, Visitors Flow,

Cookies, Data Sampling

URL Structure: Best Practices

Good URL structure allows quick retrieval of data through filtering reports by URLs:

tripadvisor.com/Hotels-tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-tripadvisor.com/VacationRentals-tripadvisor.com/Attractions-

Problematic URLs in Goal Funnel:

1. www.example.com/search-list/ (Search Results)2. www.example.com/product-details/ (Product)3. www.example.com/checkout/ (Checkout)4. www.example.com/payment-info/ (Payment Info)4. www.example.com/payment-info/ (Delivery Info)4. www.example.com/payment-info/ (Confirm Info)5. www.example.com/complete/ (GOAL)

Make it easy to record granular SEO data: site:tripadvisor.com/Hotels atlantic citysite:tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review atlantic city site:tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalssite:tripadvisor.com/Attractions

49,900 pages (of this type) indexed by Google

GA Dashboards

GA Real-time Report

GA Annotations

GA Custom Reports

GA Visitors Flow

GA Multi Channel Funnels

Top Conversion Paths – Some traffic sources or paid/advertising channels aren’t the last click before conversions, but did contribute to conversions.

GA Cookies - Definition

An HTTP cookie is a parcel of text sent back and forth between a web browser and the server it accesses.

Cookies are used to differentiate one user from another and to pass information from page to page during a single user's website session.

A web server uses cookies to collect data about a given browser, along with the information requested and sent by the visitor.

Cookies do not identify people, but rather they are defined themselves by a combination of a computer, a user account, and a browser.

Google

GA Cookies – Types of Cookies

What do these GA cookies do?

__utmaVisitor identifier, expires in 2 years

__utmbSession identifier, expires in 30 minutes

__utmzTraffic source identifier, expires in 6 months

GA Sampled Data

Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of an unbiased or random subset of individual observations within a population of individuals intended to yield some knowledge about the population of concern, especially for the purposes of making predictions based on statistical inference. Sampling is an important aspect of data collection. Wikipedia.org

When does GA provide Sampled Data?

1. Any non pre-computed ad hoc query that reaches 500,000 visits (sessions).2. Any query that exceeds 1,000,000 unique dimension combinations.

Traffic Trends is more important in GA reports!

Google Analytics Advanced Setup

Social Media Tracking

Track the social media performance through GA: 1. Facebook Like button2. Facebook Share button3. Twitter Tweet button4. Google +1 button If you have the buttons installed on your website, you want to track the button clicks.

Add customized GA codes to your buttons

Track Facebook Like button clicks on your site:_gaq.push(['_trackSocial', 'facebook', 'like', 'http://www.your-website.com/social.php']);

Track Facebook Share button clicks on your site:_gaq.push(['_trackSocial', 'facebook', ‘share', 'http://www.your-website.com/social.php']);

Track Twitter Tweet button clicks on your site:_gaq.push(['_trackSocial', ‘twitter', ‘tweet', 'http://www.your-website.com/social.php']);

Click tracking for Google +1 is built-in to GA

Tag your all your Twitter Tweet URLs:

utm_source=twitterutm_medium=socialutm_term=web+analytics+2.0utm_campaign =analytics+books

http://www.example.com/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=web%2Banalytics%2B2.0&utm_campaign=analytics%2Bbooks

Use Google’s URL Builder to generate the tagged URL (or just use Excel):

http://support.google.com/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55578

Web Analytics References

WA Blogs

WA Books

GA Official Support

WA & SE Blogs

http://analytics.blogspot.comhttp://www.kaushik.nethttp://cutroni.com/blog/http://www.roirevolution.com/blog/http://blog.webanalyticsdemystified.com/weblog/http://www.visualrevenue.com/bloghttp://www.webanalyticsworld.nethttp://www.hongkongwebanalytics.comhttp://bluewhale.cc （中文）http://www.seomoz.orghttp://www.gordonchoi.com/cat/google-analytics

WA & SE Books

Web analytics & search engine books:

Web Analytics - An hour a dayWeb Analytics 2.0Avinash Kaushik

Advanced Web Metrics with Google AnalyticsBrian Clifton

Search Engine Marketing, Inc.Bill Hunt & Mike Moran

Gordon Choi Online

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gordonchoi

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Quora: http://www.quora.com/Gordon-Choi

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Thank you!

gordonppc@gmail.com

Web Analytics Essentials - Gordon Choi

Technology