Online Measurement & Strategy Report 2008

Linus Gregoriadis, Head of ResearchE-consultancy.com

Email: linus@e-consultancy.com Website: www.e-consultancy.com

Full report available to E-consultancy subscribers or on pay-per-view basis at

following URL:http://tinyurl.com/4remmv

Overview• Methodology• Findings– Role of web analytics and use of tools– Resourcing and budget– Data collection– Online Measurement Strategy– Barriers to success

• Conclusions

Methodology

• Online survey in March & April 2008• More than 700 respondents– ‘Client-side’ (434)– Agencies / consultancies / vendors (229)– ‘Others’

• Best-represented sectors: – Retail, financial services, publishing, consultancy /

marketing services, travel

• 77% of company respondents UK-based

Role of Analytics and Use of tools

What does your organisation use web analytics for?

Do you think a common currency for web metrics is needed?

Who should be responsible for such a currency?

How many different web analytics tools do you (or your clients) have access to within your organisation?

How many different web analytics tools has your organisation used in the past five years?

Which tools are companies using?

• Google Analytics 66%• WebTrends: 31%• Omniture: 21%• Nielsen: 6%• Nedstat: 5%• Site Intelligence: 5%• Coremetrics: 5%

Use of Google Analytics …• 66% of organisations surveyed are using

the free Google Analytics tool.

• Of those using Google Analytics, only 52 of these (21%) use this tool exclusively.

• 49% of the companies with a turnover of at least £150 million are using Google Analytics. – Of those companies with a turnover of less than £1

million, 84% are using this tool.

Resourcing and budget

How many dedicated web analysts are there within your organisation?

What is your (or your average client’s) total web analytics spend each year?

How is your or your clients’ average web analytics expenditure split between the following areas?

• “Tools are not the solution; people are …. invest in people who can make sense of the madness that is the web (and, yes, your organisation) and you'll be rewarded with insights.”

The 10/90 Rule for investment • Avinash Kaushik, Google Analytics

Evangelist:

In which areas are you planning to increase your web analytics budget over the next year?

Data collection

What types of data does your organisation analyse?

What types of data do you tie in with web analytics

How do you or your clients share web data internally?

If you (or your clients) have the means of integrating web data with in-house data, how do you do this?

Online measurement strategy

Do you or your clients have a company-wide strategy that ties data collection & analysis to business objectives?

Do web analytics provide actionable insights that impact on your or your clients' organisation?

Approximately, what percentage of web analytics data is useful for driving decision-making?

Who typically 'owns' online measurement strategy?

Are web analysts sufficiently valued within your or your clients’ organisation?

Barriers to success

What barriers prevent you from having an effective online measurement strategy?

• “Getting senior management to understand the depth and importance of analytics in digital marketing and the relationship digital marketing has with IT.”

“What are the main frustrations involved with managing and deploying web analytics?”

“Budget not there to use more sophisticated analytics software - too much reliance on Google.”

“Too many sources to work from, differing results through different sources and tools available on the web.”

“Managers still don’t believe in the power of web analytics. They don’t understand how they can learn from customers without asking directly.”

What barriers are preventing your clients from having an effective online measurement strategy?

“Data overload and measuring elements which don't show them what's really happening. Being able to action on recommendations from analytics.”

“What are your clients’ main frustrations involved with managing and deploying web analytics?”

“Time and resource, followed by understanding what they need and how to apply it.”

“Lack of strategic perspective on WHY they are deploying web analytics.”

 “Different sources saying different things and resource / time to digest the wealth of data available”

Conclusions

• Companies are not investing enough in people to make sense of data.

• Consequently, many are still struggling to adopt a strategic approach that ties analytics to business decision-making.

• However, many organisations are moving in the right direction and overcoming barriers.