Many people use the wrong Web metrics to evaluate their website's performance. Learn the right metrics, how to use them, when to use them, and what they all mean.

1. © 2013 Catalyst
9/26/2013
Which Web Analytics
Matter Most?
A Three-Step Primer
By Kathy Olson, Senior Web Marketing Analyst

2. What is Web Analytics?
2
Official Definition:
The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of
internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing
web usage.
Real-World Definition:
Your key to understanding the experience visitors have on
your website.

3. The Right Tool, The Right Plan
3
Although it’s easy to feel
deluged by data from
whatever tool you are using…
…without Web analytics and
a plan for which metrics to
follow and react to, you are
flying blind. Let’s get started!

4. 3-Step Process
Define Why
Your Site
Exists
Set Up
Goals
Get
Organized
and Collect
the Metrics

5. First, A Word About Metrics
5
Basic metrics—visitors, visits, page views, time
on site—are easiest to collect and important
for keeping an eye on changes or trends.
But they are often the least valuable for determining
how successful your site is.

6. Step 1:
6
BEFORE deciding which key web
metrics to track, determine the
primary reason your website exists.
Ask yourself:
Why do we have a website?
How should it help our business grow?
What do we really want people to do when
they visit?
Define Why
Your Site
Exists

7. Step 2:
7
With an ecommerce
site, get your visitors from:
Product pages Shopping
cart Through the
purchase funnel
Define Why
Your Site
Exists
Set Up Goals

8. Setting Site Goals
8
For a B2C site without ecommerce,
get your visitors to:
Read a blog
Look up store locations
Download a coupon
For a B2B site, get visitors to:
Generate leads: Number and quality of contacts identified
Share content: Quantity of white papers downloaded

9. Step 3:
9
Build a simple framework for collecting and
reporting on your metrics and goals to keep
you organized and focused.
Your metrics may change as new priorities appear, but
the basic framework should stay the same
Define Why
Your Site
Exists
Set Up Goals
Get Organized and
Collect the Metrics

10. Create an Easy-to-Use Dashboard
10
Group metrics into sections
This ―Monthly Insights
Summary‖ has the most
important learnings for the
month
Focus on goal
outcomes
Each section’s details
build the visitor story

11. Key Sections of Your Dashboard
11
Traffic Trends
Basic, easy-to-get metrics
Visits, visitors, page views
Most important when there is an
unexplained change that you
need to figure out
Otherwise, they simply set the
context for your site

12. Key Sections of Your Dashboard
12
Visitor Behavior
Choose metrics that tell the
story of what visitors are
doing on your site
Where do they land?
How do they move around?
How often do they come?

13. Key Sections of Your Dashboard
13
Key Outcomes
The most important metrics:
Track directly back to goals that
measure success of your site
Should be consistent over time
The catalyst for changes and
improvements
These metrics let key stakeholders
know your website is worth the
investment!

14. Web Analytics Packages
14
Which one should you use?
Google Analytics – my preference
Easy to use
Free!
Webtrends
SiteCatalyst

15. Remember!
Define Why
Your Site
Exists
Set Up
Goals
Get
Organized
and Collect
the Metrics

16. Comments or Questions?
16
Email Kathy Olson at
info@catalystinc.com
Kathy has 20 years of
experience in Web and
social media
analytics, primary research
and
survey design.
Kathy Olson
Senior Web Marketing Analyst
Catalyst

17. 17
Catalyst is a direct and digital marketing
agency that knocks big data down to size.
We pair insight with analytics to take the
guesswork out of marketing decisions.
Think of it as Science + Soul.
About Catalyst
/scienceplussoul
www.catalystinc.com info@catalystinc.com