One of the first copies of Meta Analytics is in very good hands, Jim Sterne is one of the founders of the Web Analytics Association, Author of more than 8 books and an incredible person.
Jim Sterne holding one of the first copies of Meta Analytics
Category Archives: Web Analytics
Analytics tools – Behind the scene
In this post I will talk about what I think it is important about analytics tools. When I say analytics tools I’m not just talking about those tools that analyzes the behavior into a particular website (whatever you call a website) like Google Analytics, Yahoo! Web Analytics or Omniture. I’m talking about all the Analytics tools, included the other ones that analyzes Behavioral information like campaigns, A/B testing and email marketing. Also the ones that analyzes attitudinal like Social Media Analytics and surveys.
The process begins with information retrieval. All the above mentioned tools has a particular way of doing that, even tools that do the same work, at least, slightly different. That difference would generates small or huge differences in the results, so it’s extremely important to understands that process.
The next step is processing the information. Normally the retrieved information is saved in a raw database, but that database would not be used for reports. The amount of information could be huge and even a simple query can take hours. Can you imagine using an Analytics tool and when you try to get a report it takes 2 hours? mmmhhh, I don’t. Even when I remember my self using an Analytics solution (it was in 2004) that every time I dropped a Query, it generated a message like “your report will be done in 6 hours”….I don’t miss those times, not at all!
From the above mentioned raw database normally the information is processed and saved in a new database that can be queried, dropping results in an acceptable time frame. What happend between the raw database and this second database (data warehouse)? The information is pre processed based on the limited reports that you will be able to get from the Analytics Tool. I mean, the raw database is more flexible. Remember some previous post talking about Flexibility vs. Easy to use? Well, the raw database is the most flexible way of analyzing information. You can basically analyze the information as you wanted to. But, it is not friendly and it is not fast. The data warehouse it is less flexible because you can’t analyze any information you wanted but just the available one. The available one is the previously processed one. If the information that you are looking for was not previously planned and processed, the information will not be available, at all. So, you can say that the data warehouse would be a brief of the “census” based on what the people that designed it thought it is important…so if you just ask about the profile of the people doing this you will get a very interesting clue about what can you expect about the solution.
So, now what? Well, we need reports. I’ll give you the recipe for a report which is at the end a data table than will or not be represented as a graph. You need two ingredients:
1. Metrics (or indicators or KPI’s): “What we wanted to know”. Visits to a website, Mentions to a brand, emails opened, impressions, CTR (click through rate), etc.
2. Dimensions: How the metrics are splited or distributed. By day, by country, by language, by new or previous visitor, etc.
By the combination of metrics and variables an analyst can get or a very useful insight or just data. All the above mentioned tools have normally a set of standard reports, it is a pre defined combination of metrics and dimensions that their team identified as important or useful. Even when those pre defined reports can be somehow useful the possibility that your particular information need, in a particular time matches with what the team from the vendor company thought could be useful is nothing but utopian.
That is why the most advanced tools have something called Custom Reports. Custom reports, even when will not allows you to query the raw database, will allow you to combine all (or almost all, since sometimes some queries even in the data warehouse are pretty heavy) the metrics with all the dimensions. This way the possibilities of getting useful information for a particular need are higher.
So my suggestions are:
1. Never use a platform that hide their methodology.
2. Never use a platform without Custom Reports. It can be somehow interesting, but you will use it for making decisions and not for fun.
Using Personas for eCommerce lifts
As you know, from time to time I love to share with you information from some people I admire. In this case one of the main builders of the Web Analytics industry, Bryan Eisenberg, tell us how to use Personas for generating an eCommerce Lift.
Web Analytics – The strategy for overcoming the resistant to change
If you are in the middle of the process of convincing your boss to begin with the Web Analytics activities you will, as we already talked at my book Meta Analytics, definitely face a lot of troubles trying to make people (not just you boss) overcome the resistance to change. Don’t you ever underestimate the power of people resisting to change. So take a look at the following video and prepare for a very challenging ride.
Quote of the Day – Objective
Every company, every boardroom in which I sit, has a plan, and they have objectives, goals, and a process. And to make it work, the pressure and incentive have to come from the top. (Vernon Jordan)
What’s your objective today?
One of the most important actions you can take in Web Analytics is begin your day with a plan. Your plan can be very easy, just ask yourself what actions must be taken and by whom. Then think where and how can you get that information. Some information may not be available, do not focus on trying to configure and instal a new platform for that. You can do that for the future, but in order to keep focus on the information you need, forget about that by now. Just try to get as much information as you can have, write down all that pieces of realities you have and try to build you decision making scenario. The “reality” is built by an infinity of variables that compose each part of your jigsaw (or puzzle), accept that you will never have all the picture, and your objective is making (or allowing anyone else) for making decision, and the worst decision is the “not taken one”. So, what are your objectives today?
Quote of the Day – Measure
“Action is the real measure of intelligence”. Napoleon Hill
Five tips for successful Online Projects
The Internet projects have a particular complexity, everything is changing constantly. In this kind of environment is very risky to base your decisions for new projects in previous ones since the possibility that the same formula works in this new very unique situation is almost null.
Due to the above mentioned situation is normal that managers and analysts have to make decisions based on very unique and particular scenarios, that is why I highly recommend going beyond the conventional Analytics activities focusing on comprehend the human mind and understand the analyzed system:
1- Every new problem must be taken as that…a new problem. Never try to compare it to some previous one.
2- Defining the solution or objective is a team work. This way you will eliminate your subjectivity and promote having plan clear and understandable for everyone.
3- There is one main object that prevent increasing your system (project) throughput. So, keep focused on optimize its efficiency.
4- One measure and action cycle at a time. If we do everything together we going to loose the possibility of understand the cause and effect relation among variables.
5- Keep focus. The information must be of use for making decisions and controlling, do not spend your time analyzing “interesting” information. Your time worth and the best way to invest it is making your project (company) generating profit.
Launch Event – Meta Analytics
This Wednesday 16th of March I’ll be presenting my book Meta Analytics, the new book of the Management and Marketing collection from the Universidad de Palermo’s Graduate School of Business.
Where: Universidad de Palermo, Larrea 1079, City of Buenos Aires.
When: Wednesday 16th of March, 7 pm.
For more information call (+5411) 5199-4500 ext. 2313 or e-mail at eventosface@palermo.edu
Meta Analytics Book
Meta Analytics is not a technical book instead it is a book focused on understanding how the human mind works, how the online project (systems) behave. This way you can configure your analytical mind to be ready to analyze and making efficient decision even when you face a brand new situation.
You can buy the book (By now just the spanish version) by clicking buy Meta Analytics Online
