Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity

“What do I want Visitors to do on the website?”

What do you think should be happening on your website?

Almost all web analytics clicks data is missing one key ingredient: customer intent.

Use inline or on-exit surveys and ask your customers. You could ask them directly, “Hey, buddy, are you engaged with our site?” OK, maybe reword that a smidgen. The point is, get qualitative data.

I want to use Google Analytics or Yahoo! Web Analytics, the cost of the tool is zero, but I may have to spend $5,000 working with an authorized consultant to implement it correctly. There’s your $10.

The core idea is to try a targeted approach so that you can correlate the data to your offline data sources and detect a signal (impact).

Many conversions might happen offline, because all the site provides is information, but that only increases the value of web analytics in quantifying the impact of the information on your site.

The essence of the best web analytics report is that it highlights two questions to focus on first: who? and how much?

Use primary market research. A number of companies will go door-to-door (OK, phone call to phone call), ask brief qualitative questions, and report back to you the kind of Engagement your current or prospective customers have with your web business.