Getting to grips with analytics
Great strides have been made in recent years to make the process of understanding user activity on a site more comprehensible. The wealth of information however, that is now available can still be bewildering. It's therefore important to sift the wheat from the chaff when analysing data, so that statistics can be correctly employed as a tool to acquire knowledge, and ultimately improve your bottom line. i-KOS have several year's experience in this area and are actively involved in the decision making process for business requirements. We are confident that we can deliver the correct analytical package for any business once we fully understand its needs.
Bounce rates
A key indicator of user behaviour on any page within a website is that of bounce rate. Whilst this can be a key factor in advertising behaviour ( see Google Adwords overview ), it is also important to determine a typical user experience when navigating a site. Keeping a close eye on high bounce rates can highlight issues which have been overlooked in the web development process e.g. missing contact information or crucial shipping details in e-commerce.
Keyword impact
A significant measure of your marketing strategy can be ascertained by keyword reports. A good statistical package can give an insight into which keywords/phrases are being used to drive users to a site. If these are directly related to your company name, it can mean only one thing: your brand is so well established that every customer in your market will look for you by name. The downside of this approach is obvious however - what if they don't know your name? A healthy approach is to assume nothing; and ensure that every effort is undertaken to promote the products and services you provide. When the keyword reports reflect this, you know that your strategies are succeeding - as long as you have them in place of course!
User behaviour
Every website user behaves in a different manner. As the usage of computers and the internet has become part of everyday lives, the assumption is frequently made that people do things in the same way. The reality is that most website visitors are self taught, and consequently do things in their own intuitive fashion. If you were to stand behind any of your colleagues whilst they perform their daily office tasks, no doubt you would be surprised in the manner in which they work. Even with experience, you can be caught out as to what exactly any given user of a website will do next. The skill lies in not only understanding what they will do, but also what they won't! With empirical data this process becomes a whole lot easier.
Content pages
Not only is it possible to see which pages are viewed on a site, you can also see the length of time per page and where the user went at every step of the process. This can highlight/confirm something which you may already know; which products are those that your customers are actively seeking. If enquiries are performing at a low level for popular products, you can assess where the breakdown in supply against demand is happening. Is all of the information accurate? Is the product overpriced? Are the calls to action prominent enough? These are just some examples that by regularly reviewing your content page reports you will be able to answer.
E-commerce tracking
Where do your buyers leave the shopping basket? In fact do you even know? With less than a quarter of all online transactions being processed once in the basket, it's apparent that gaining and keeping a buyer's trust is not the web's strong point. Some sites however do get it right, and the basis for this is all about communication. A potential buyer has to feel comfortable every step of the way - much like beasts of flight, they'll leave at the first hint of trouble. Without tracking your e-commerce accurately, you will never fully appreciate any breaks in the chain of information.
What next?
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Contact us or dial 01322 277255 and ask to speak to Myles Davidson or Simon Surtees