WEB ANALYTICS: MEASURE ANALYZE ACT! Chris Brown & Bob Molnar University Communications Office of Public Affairs & Government Relations

A GENDA I.Defining Web Analytics II.What to Look For in Your Reports: Engagement Metrics III.Measuring Your Site: Google Analytics IV.Digging Deeper: Campaigns and Event Tracking V.Best Practices VI.Questions

DEFINING WEB ANALYTICS

Web analytics is the “measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage.” A General Definition

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Measure AnalyzeAct The Web Analytics Process

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Page Counters How We Measure Web Analytics Server Logs Page Counters Server Logs Analog Google Urchin

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS How Google Analytics Works, Part 1

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS How Google Analytics Works, Part 2

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Google Analytics Blind Spots Disabled Javascript Blocked Cookies Removed Cookies Private Browsing Multiple Devices or Browsers VPN Connections

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Google Analytics Profiles Google Analytics excels at segmentation reporting. You can configure multiple account profiles to measure segments. TIP: Always define an unfiltered profile!

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Google Analytics Filters Help define segments Help define segments Can apply to multiple profiles Can apply to multiple profiles Cannot process legacy data Cannot process legacy data Types: Types: Pre-defined Pre-defined Custom Custom

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS A goal is a website page that serves as conversion for your site – i.e. completion of call to action. Form confirmation Form confirmation Downloads Downloads Purchase Purchase Time on site Time on site Negative goals (e.g., less than X minutes in a site visit) Negative goals (e.g., less than X minutes in a site visit) A funnel represents the path that you expect visitors to take on their way to converting to the goal. Conversion rate Conversion rate Visitor goal abandonment Visitor goal abandonment Bottlenecks Bottlenecks Goals and Funnels

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Goal Funnel

D EFINING W EB A NALYTICS Goal Visualization

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS

How can I better understand my audience? Two Chief Questions Google Analytics Can Answer How can I better understand my site content?

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS It’s all about …

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Source Source Visits/Sessions Visits/Sessions Direct Visits Direct Visits Exits Exits Bounce Rate Bounce Rate Pageviews Pageviews Time on Page Time on Page Time on Site Time on Site % of New Visitors % of New Visitors Key Engagement Terms & Metrics

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Source Source is the origin of a website visit Source is the origin of a website visit Types of sources: Types of sources: Direct – typing a URL, or from a bookmark, or from a browser’s history, etc. Direct – typing a URL, or from a bookmark, or from a browser’s history, etc. Referral – from an external (non-search engine) site Referral – from an external (non-search engine) site Campaigns – links associated with periodic or ongoing marketing campaigns Campaigns – links associated with periodic or ongoing marketing campaigns Organic – from a search engine Organic – from a search engine

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Organic Sources Largest segment and single-most important type of source Largest segment and single-most important type of source Google is the biggest player Google is the biggest player You can improve SEO by researching the organic segment You can improve SEO by researching the organic segment Segment further by looking at non- branded keywords Segment further by looking at non- branded keywords

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Visits/Session Visit/Session is the period of time a user interacts with your website Visit/Session is the period of time a user interacts with your website Begins when a user interacts with a page on your site Begins when a user interacts with a page on your site Ends one of two ways: Ends one of two ways: User goes to another site and does not return within 30 minutes User goes to another site and does not return within 30 minutes User is inactive on a site for at least 30 minutes User is inactive on a site for at least 30 minutes

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Direct Visits Direct visits occur in a number of ways: Direct visits occur in a number of ways: Typing the URL Typing the URL Clicking a link in an Clicking a link in an Bookmarks or browser history Bookmarks or browser history Could be a good indicator of visitor loyalty (not by itself, but when measured with other stats like return visitors) Could be a good indicator of visitor loyalty (not by itself, but when measured with other stats like return visitors) Good resource on direct visits: “Analytics Direct Traffic is NOT What You Think It Is” ( Good resource on direct visits: “Analytics Direct Traffic is NOT What You Think It Is” (

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Exits An exit happens when … An exit happens when … … someone clicks on an external link and does not return to your site within 30 minutes. … someone clicks on an external link and does not return to your site within 30 minutes. … someone leaves your site for another and does not return within 30 minutes … someone leaves your site for another and does not return within 30 minutes … someone records at least 30 minutes of inactivity on your site … someone records at least 30 minutes of inactivity on your site Exit rate is a page-specific metric that shows the % of overall visits that exit from a particular page. Good for examining the health of content. Exit rate is a page-specific metric that shows the % of overall visits that exit from a particular page. Good for examining the health of content.

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Bounce Rate Bounce rate is one of the most important metrics in analytics Bounce rate is one of the most important metrics in analytics Measures the rate of one-page visits Measures the rate of one-page visits Good indicator that you need further study Good indicator that you need further study High bounce rates can indicate … High bounce rates can indicate … … stale content … stale content … problems with navigation … problems with navigation … high number of external links … high number of external links Always make decisions only after further study! Always make decisions only after further study!

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Pageview Pageviews measure each time a user visits a page within a site Pageviews measure each time a user visits a page within a site Do not confuse with “hits” Do not confuse with “hits” Good measurement for traditional webpages with static content Good measurement for traditional webpages with static content

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Time on Page and Time on Site What happened to the Time on Page for page 3? Since Google Analytics cannot detect the start stamp for page 4, an external page, it cannot calculate page 3’s Time on Page!

W HAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR REPORTS Percentage of New Visitors Percentage of new visitors represents visits from users whose browsers do not have a stored GA cookie. Percentage of new visitors represents visits from users whose browsers do not have a stored GA cookie. Actual new visitors Actual new visitors Users who cleared their cookies Users who cleared their cookies Users who visited in a private session previously Users who visited in a private session previously Users who are visiting again using a new device or browser Users who are visiting again using a new device or browser Always study in the context of segmentation and with other metrics (e.g., Direct Traffic vs. Organic Traffic) Always study in the context of segmentation and with other metrics (e.g., Direct Traffic vs. Organic Traffic)

DIGGING DEEPER

Campaigns Campaigns are a way to segment audiences by a particular group of communication media (what types of media are driving traffic?) Campaigns are a way to segment audiences by a particular group of communication media (what types of media are driving traffic?) Newspaper ads Newspaper ads Targeted s Targeted s Postcards Postcards Billboard Billboard Uses custom URLs via Link Tagging Uses custom URLs via Link Tagging

D IGGING D EEPER Campaign Name: Summer Arts Fest 2012 Campaign Name: Summer Arts Fest 2012 Campaign Medium: Newspaper Ads Campaign Medium: Newspaper Ads Campaign Source: Nuvo Indy Campaign Source: Nuvo Indy GA Campaign URL: du/?utm_source=nuvo- indy&utm_medium= newspaper-ads& utm_campaign= summer-arts-fest-2012 GA Campaign URL: du/?utm_source=nuvo- indy&utm_medium= newspaper-ads& utm_campaign= summer-arts-fest-2012 Advertised URL: edu/nuvo Advertised URL: edu/nuvo Campaign Example

D IGGING D EEPER Campaign Report

D IGGING D EEPER Events GA, by default, can only report on activity on internal site pages. GA, by default, can only report on activity on internal site pages. Using event tagging, we can learn more about a variety of user actions: Using event tagging, we can learn more about a variety of user actions: Clicks to external pages Clicks to external pages Plays, fast-forwards, & pauses of a video Plays, fast-forwards, & pauses of a video Interactions with dynamic content (e.g., slideshows) Interactions with dynamic content (e.g., slideshows)

D IGGING D EEPER Event Category: Homepage Slideshow Event Category: Homepage Slideshow Event Action: Click Event Action: Click Event Label: 3 – Student Generosity Event Label: 3 – Student Generosity Event Example

D IGGING D EEPER Event Report

BEST PRACTICES

Measure AnalyzeAct The GA Cycle

B EST P RACTICES Best Practices for Measurement Establish site goals (macro and micro) Establish site goals (macro and micro) Define the audience(s) and metrics for each goal Define the audience(s) and metrics for each goal Update site privacy policy Update site privacy policy Create a Google Account Create a Google Account Create a RAW DATA profile Create a RAW DATA profile Create filters for isolating and analyzing audience segments Create filters for isolating and analyzing audience segments Map goal funnels Map goal funnels Use campaigns Use campaigns

B EST P RACTICES Best Practices for Analysis Establish a scheduled review period for each goal. Establish a scheduled review period for each goal. Review metrics defined for each goal. Review metrics defined for each goal. Raw Data Raw Data Filters Filters Advanced Segmentations Advanced Segmentations Determine trends, performance bottlenecks, and new growth opportunities. Determine trends, performance bottlenecks, and new growth opportunities. Identify actionable insights. Identify actionable insights.

B EST P RACTICES Best Practices for Action Make it a priority! Make it a priority! Dedicate resources for action. Dedicate resources for action. Implement site changes to better align with goal objectives reflective of analytics findings: Implement site changes to better align with goal objectives reflective of analytics findings: Content Content SEO SEO Site/Page Usability Site/Page Usability Process/Workflow Process/Workflow Design Elements Design Elements

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

W EB A NALYTICS : M EASURING E NGAGEMENT Thank You!