Strategies for improving Web site performance Google Webmaster Tools + Google Analytics Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technologies and Research Vanderbilt University

Abstract With the investments that libraries make in developing websites, it is critical to constantly measure use levels, discern patterns and trends, and spot hotspots and areas of strengths, as well as areas that aren’t working like you anticipated. Google Analytics, a free service offering a very sophisticated approach to website analytics, enables libraries to use methodologies well tuned in the ecommerce arena such as action-oriented web development and search engine optimization. Breeding demonstrates how he uses Google Analytics to assist in the management of sites such as Library Technology Guides, the Vanderbilt Television News Archive, and components of the Vanderbilt University Library’s web presence.

Objective Determine whether your web site meets its goals Determine whether your web site meets its goals Are there usability issues with the site? Are there usability issues with the site? Are parts of the Web site invisible? Are parts of the Web site invisible? Understand normal use patterns Understand normal use patterns Mode of constant improvement Mode of constant improvement Action / Goal oriented change Action / Goal oriented change

Enterprise approach to analytics Multiplicity of Resources to track Multiplicity of Resources to track –Web Servers –OPACS –E-Resources –Databases –Repositories Important to track the flow of use among all the library’s Web-based resources Important to track the flow of use among all the library’s Web-based resources Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-level Web sites and portals (University -> Courseware -> Library) Beyond the library: study flow to and from higher-level Web sites and portals (University -> Courseware -> Library)

Collection and Measurement Multiple techniques Multiple techniques Server logs Server logs Third party collection Third party collection

Web server logs Web servers are routinely configured to record detailed information about each request. Common elements include: Web servers are routinely configured to record detailed information about each request. Common elements include: –File requested –Date / time stamp –Status code –Request directive (get, post, head) –Referrer (where the user came from) –User agent (browser and platform data)

Exploiting referral data The query string component of the referrer can be parsed to reveal search terms and other interesting information The query string component of the referrer can be parsed to reveal search terms and other interesting information =off&q=september+11+television+archive =off&q=september+11+television+archive =off&q=september+11+television+archive =off&q=september+11+television+archive –User typed “september 11 television archive” in Google to find our site Important to study how users get to your site Important to study how users get to your site [example: TV News Public Web queries vs OpenWeb) [example: TV News Public Web queries vs OpenWeb)

Google Analytics Data Does not use Web server logs Does not use Web server logs Based on data sent dynamically based on Google Web site Based on data sent dynamically based on Google Web site Complete URL Complete URL –Including referral data IP / Domain of requestor IP / Domain of requestor Aggregated patterns of use Aggregated patterns of use Personally identifiable data? Personally identifiable data?

Analysis methodology Go beyond simply counting pages Go beyond simply counting pages Identify Sessions Identify Sessions Categorize users Categorize users Determine use patterns Determine use patterns Measure interest Measure interest –Time spent on Web site –Bounce rate –Page overlay analysis

Move from measurement to impact Establish site goals Establish site goals Benchmark current use Benchmark current use Implement goal oriented improvements Implement goal oriented improvements Measure impact Measure impact Repeat as needed Repeat as needed (Example: enhancement of TV News OpenWeb) (Example: enhancement of TV News OpenWeb)

Appropriate data filtering Requests from indexing bots (crawlers) can skew statistics Requests from indexing bots (crawlers) can skew statistics Count user requests and bot requests separately Count user requests and bot requests separately Performance monitors Performance monitors Link checkers Link checkers Monitoring crawler activity is an important component of SEO and Web site discoverability strategies. Monitoring crawler activity is an important component of SEO and Web site discoverability strategies. Note: Different analytics products may involve different ways of counting bot traffic. Note: Different analytics products may involve different ways of counting bot traffic.

Resource Discovery Few users begin with library Web sites Few users begin with library Web sites How do users get to your site? How do users get to your site? Track performance of the Web site relative to major search engines Track performance of the Web site relative to major search engines SEO – Search engine optimization SEO – Search engine optimization

Web Discovery TV-NewsSearch Database Search and Retrieval + e-commerce request system TV News Web site Web Sucessful search Terms: “tv news” “vanderbilt tv archive” “vanderbilt television news archive” “news archives”

OpenWeb Strategy TV-NewsSearch Database Search and Retrieval + e-commerce request system Generate 805,000+ Static Pages TV News Web site OpenWeb Mirror Site Web Successful search Terms: All words and phrases in TV-NewsSearch Database

Implementation Details Create OpenWeb mirror site Create OpenWeb mirror site –Static Web page for each database record –Design each page to maximize content terms exposed to Google –Funnel users to existing site –Not meant to be an alternative interface

Search engine optimization Strategy to make your site more visible in Internet search engines: Index > page rank Strategy to make your site more visible in Internet search engines: Index > page rank Tune site structure and page content to maximize exposure in search engines Tune site structure and page content to maximize exposure in search engines Systematic harvesting of pages from Web site Systematic harvesting of pages from Web site Use of XML Sitemap API can help Use of XML Sitemap API can help Monitor with Google Webmaster tools Monitor with Google Webmaster tools Monitor with Google Analytics Monitor with Google Analytics Action-oriented incremental changes Action-oriented incremental changes

Sitemap Protocol XML specification for systematically submitting URLs that represent a Web site XML specification for systematically submitting URLs that represent a Web site Makes indexing more efficient but does not affect PageRank Makes indexing more efficient but does not affect PageRank SiteMap interface provides utilities for monitoring how the site has been indexed with some analytical information on terms used to find your Web site. SiteMap interface provides utilities for monitoring how the site has been indexed with some analytical information on terms used to find your Web site. Originally proposed by Google, now used by Yahoo, Microsoft and others Originally proposed by Google, now used by Yahoo, Microsoft and others See: sitemap.org See: sitemap.org

Webmasters Tools Submit Sitemaps Submit Sitemaps Monitor harvesting of sitemaps Monitor harvesting of sitemaps Robots.txt Robots.txt Keyword performance Keyword performance

Google Sitemap Details Details

Google Sitemap Sitemap Details Sitemap Details

Google Sitemap Top search queries Top search queries

Sitemap Protocol Sitemap.xml Sitemap.xml

Sitemap Protocol

Measuring Web Site Use Log-based tools Log-based tools –Analog (basic / free) –Web Trends –NetTracker –Urchin –External perspective –Google Analytics

Google Analytics Free tool available for measuring Web site use Free tool available for measuring Web site use Based on data sent from Web server to Google Based on data sent from Web server to Google No personally identifiable data transmitted No personally identifiable data transmitted Javascript snippet added to each page Javascript snippet added to each page

Google Analytics Visits Visits Pageviews Pageviews Trends over time Trends over time Content Content Traffic sources Traffic sources

Goal-oriented analytics Define Goals Define Goals Measure site performance through completed goals Measure site performance through completed goals Funnels Funnels

Google Analytics Selection Menu Selection Menu

Google Analytics Dashboard Dashboard

Google Analytics Visitors Visitors

Google Analytics Two Factors Two Factors

Google Analytics Visitors by Country Visitors by Country

Google Analytics Keywords Keywords

Google Analytics Referring Sites Referring Sites

Google Analytics Content by Title Content by Title

Google Analytics Goals Goals

Google Analytics Goal Conversion Goal Conversion

Google Analytics Ecommerce Ecommerce

Questions and Discussion