Web Analytics: An Hour a Day

Description

Web Analytics: An Hour A Day is the first book by an in-the-trenches practitioner of web analytics. It provides a unique insider’s perspective of the challenges and opportunities that web analytics presents to each person who touches the Web in your organization. Rather than spamming you with metrics and definitions, Web Analytics: An Hour A Day will enhance your mindset and teach you how to fish for yourself.

Avinash Kaushik is a expert in web analytics and author of the top-rated blog Occam’s Razor (http://www.kaushik.net/avinash). In this book, he goes beyond web analytics concepts and definitions to provide a step-by-step guide to implementing a successful web analytics strategy. His revolutionary approach to web analytics challenges prevalent thinking about the field and guides readers to a solution that will provide truly informed and actionable insights.

In Part I, Avinash explains why traditional web analytics is dead and introduces the Trinity mindset and strategic approach for web analytics. He then details the data collection options at your disposal for robust analytics and the pros and cons of each methodology (such as clickstream, outcomes, research, and competitive data). He concludes Part I with a deep dive into qualitative data and its critical role in any web analytics program.

In Part II, Avinash provides insights that will challenge your knowledge of what it takes to create a successful web analytics program. He covers customer centricity, optimal organizational structure, how to identify great analysts, and his (now famous) 10/90 rule of web analytics. From his experience, he outlines radical strategies for how you should select the right tool for your company (while saving money and peace of mind) and identify truly valuable metrics with his "three layers of So What?" test. He concludes Part II by providing a fresh perspective on some of the most common web analytics reports that you'll never look at in the same way again.

In Part III, Avinash guides readers to a successful web analytics strategy and implementation month by month, day by day, and hour by hour. A customized quick-start guide for different businesses (including blogs) is followed by increasingly advanced and crucial analytics topics, such as search analytics (SEO, SEM/PPC and internal site search) and multi-channel marketing analytics. That's followed by the revelation of the key ingredients of a great experimentation and testing platform, performing competitive intelligence analysis, and Web 2.0 analytics.

Avinash then discusses the three secrets behind making web analytics actionable and, in his clever, engaging, and thought-provoking style, debunks leading myths—about path analysis, conversion analysis, and real-time data, for example.

Finally, Avinash highlights seven specific steps you can take to create a data-driven decision-making culture in your company and then discusses such advanced analytics concepts as statistical significance, SEM and PPC analysis, the power of segmentation, complex yet insightful pan-session metrics, and conversion rate best practices.

Sprinkled throughout the book are real-world examples drawn from Avinash’s experiences as an analytics professional at Intuit, DirecTV, Silicon Graphics Inc., and DHL. 

The book includes an innovative CD that includes more than five hours of insightful audio podcasts, a 45-minute video, PowerPoint presentations, and other useful web analytics resources. Web Analytics: An Hour a Day is the ultimate resource for anyone needing a step-by-step, task-based guide to creating and maintaining a modern web analytics strategy and framework.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

 

Foreword.

Introduction.

Chapter 1 Web Analytics—Present and Future.

A Brief History of Web Analytics.

Current Landscape and Challenges.

Traditional Web Analytics Is Dead.

What Web Analytics Should Be.

Chapter 2 Data Collection—Importance and Options.

Understanding the Data Landscape.

Clickstream Data.

Outcomes Data.

Research Data.

Competitive Data.

Chapter 3 Overview of Qualitative Analysis.

The Essence of Customer Centricity.

Lab Usability Testing.

Heuristic Evaluations.

Site Visits (Follow-Me-Home Studies).

Surveys (Questionnaires).

Summary.

Chapter 4 Critical Components of a Successful Web Analytics Strategy?

Focus on Customer Centricity.

Solve for Business Questions.

Follow the 10/90 Rule.

Hire Great Web Analysts.

Identify Optimal Organizational Structure and Responsibilities.

Chapter 5 Web Analytics Fundamentals.

Capturing Data: Web Logs or JavaScript tags?

Selecting Your Optimal Web Analytics Tool.

Understanding Clickstream Data Quality.

Implementing Best Practices.

Apply the “Three Layers of So What” Test.

Chapter 6 Month 1: Diving Deep into Core Web Analytics Concepts.

Week 1: Preparing to Understand the Basics.

Week 2: Revisiting Foundational Metrics.

Week 3: Understanding Standard Reports.

Week 4: Using Website Content Quality and Navigation Reports.

Chapter 7 Month 2: Jump-Start Your Web Data Analysis.

Prerequisites and Framing.

Week 1: Creating Foundational Reports.

E-commerce Website Jump-Start Guide.

Support Website Jump-Start Guide.

Blog Measurement Jump-Start Guide.

Week 4: Reflections and Wrap-Up.

Chapter 8 Month 3: Search Analytics—Internal Search, SEO, and PPC.

Week 1: Performing Internal Site Search Analytics.

Week 2: Beginning Search Engine Optimization.

Week 3: Measuring SEO Efforts.

Week 4: Analyzing Pay per Click Effectiveness.

Chapter 9 Month 4: Measuring Email and Multichannel Marketing.

Week 1: Email Marketing Fundamentals and a Bit More.

Week 2: Email Marketing—Advanced Tracking.

Weeks 3 and 4: Multichannel Marketing, Tracking, and Analysis.

Chapter 10 Month 5:Website Experimentation and Testing—Shifting the Power to Customers and Achieving Significant Outcomes.

Weeks 1 and 2: Why Test and What Are Your Options?

Week 3: What to Test—Specific Options and Ideas.

Week 4: Build a Great Experimentation and Testing Program.

Chapter 11 Month 6: Three Secrets Behind Making Web Analytics Actionable.

Week 1: Leveraging Benchmarks and Goals in Driving Action.

Week 2: Creating High Impact Executive Dashboards.

Week 3: Using Best Practices for Creating Effective Dashboard Programs.

Week 4: Applying Six Sigma or Process Excellence to Web Analytics.

Chapter 12 Month 7: Competitive Intelligence and Web 2.0 Analytics.

Competitive Intelligence Analytics.

Web 2.0 Analytics.

Chapter 13 Month 8 and Beyond: Shattering the Myths of Web Analytics.

Path Analysis: What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing.

Conversion Rate: An Unworthy Obsession.

Perfection: Perfection Is Dead, Long Live Perfection.

Real-Time Data: It’s Not Really Relevant, and It’s Expensive to Boot.

Standard KPIs: Less Relevant Than You Think.

Chapter 14 Advanced Analytics Concepts—Turbocharge Your Web Analytics.

Unlock the Power of Statistical Significance.

Use the Amazing Power of Segmentation.

Make Your Analysis and Reports “Connectable”.

Use Conversion Rate Best Practices.

Elevate Your Search Engine Marketing/Pay Per Click Analysis.

Measure the Adorable Site Abandonment Rate Metric.

Measure Days and Visits to Purchase.

Leverage Statistical Control Limits.

Measure the Real Size of Your Convertible “Opportunity Pie”.

Chapter 15 Creating a Data-Driven Culture—Practical Steps and Best Practices.

Key Skills to Look for in a Web Analytics Manager/Leader.

When and How to Hire Consultants or In-House Experts.

Seven Steps to Creating a Data-Driven Decision-Making Culture.

Index.