1. Managing Nonprofit News Sites
with Web Analytics
Dana Chinn
December 2011

2. Example
Purpose of a community news program
Increase civic engagement
in a community
by bringing stakeholders together
through their shared need for
community news and information
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3. Using site metrics for decision-making
is dependent first on a clearly defined target audience…
Alhambra Boyle Heights “South LA”
City of Alhambra City of Los Angeles LA Times
…and then on an equally well-defined multichannel strategy
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4. Each channel reaches different audiences and has
unique functionality, so each needs its own measurement model.
A channel’s model – and metrics – should be developed
based on its role vs. other channels.
Goal: What the org wants the channel to do
Key Performance Indicator: A metric crucial to the org’s survival
Target: The value of the KPI that will indicate success or failure
Segment: A group of visits or visitors, categorized by type and/or behavior,
that is essential to reach the target
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5. Understanding cross-channel audiences is essential to assessing
reach and setting targets.
An e-mail address, obtained with permission,
is the most valuable piece of information an org can get.
-- Track (some) usage and interaction across channels
-- Get stakeholder type and location
-- Regularly solicit input, topic and event preferences and interests
Audience data is more valuable than content.
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6. To be useful, KPIs must be mapped to goals
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7. Other metrics provide insights about KPI performance –
and suggest actions that should be taken
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8. Analyzing each KPI and metric with segments is essential to understanding what action to take.
Web Analytics Measurement Model - Nonprofit News Site
Program Objectives
Create Provide news in the public interest. Connect Provide forums for community Have a sustainable business model.
awareness. stakeholders. discussion.
Site
Goals Reinforce offline Capture e-mail Provide content Sign up members Gather community- Gather sign-ups or Collect donations Provide ad space
and online newsletter sign (stories, calendar, generated sell tickets for from individuals for business
campaigns. ups. retail directory) on comments and events sponsorships
local topics and content
neighborhoods.
Key Branded traffic E-mail newsletter Visit frequency Members Comments Sign-ups or Individuals who No. of
Performance (direct and click-to-delivery tickets per event donate The businesses that
Indicators search) rate objective is a high ask for
number of people, so the
No. of clicks / no. of e-
average dollar amount is sponsorship info
mails delivered. Indicates
not the KPI.
list quality and content
relevancy.
Awareness Satisfaction Submissions
ratings from ratings from
offline surveys online and offline
surveys
x visits per week 100% x% who come x x members per x comments per x tickets per event x people per week x leads through
KPI Targets times per week week week per week the site per month
x% "aware" or x% "satisfied" or x submissions per
"very aware" per "very satisfied" per week
quarter year
Segments for analysis: Visitors who take the desired actions, or visitors who…
Acquisition Are from the city or region.
Enter the site directly by typing in a URL or accessing a bookmark. Or, enter the site through a branded keyword through a search engine.
Enter the site through an e-mail newsletter (content, ad, or change preferences/unsubscribe link).
Enter the site through a specific URL dedicated to another channel (e.g., /townhall) or marketing campaign (e.g., /member).
Behavior Visit more than two times a week.
Visit content for a specific topic AND neighborhood.
Viewed a video.
Clicked on an ad (house ad or sponsorship).
Outcomes Are members.

9. Implementing a site measurement model requires an
investment in customizing and maintaining Google Analytics
Examples
Metric GA customization
Cross-domain tracking; filtering out Profiles
internal traffic
E-mail newsletter click-to-delivery rate
E il l tt li k t d li t Campaign t
C i tracking
ki
Donation completion rate GA goals and funnels
Stories by topic and neighborhood Custom variables. Content
management system taxonomy
taxonomy.
Sign-up completion rates GA goals and funnels
Content tracking by visitor type Custom variables
Internal site search Profiles. Content management system
parameter settings.
Visits to groups of pages Event tracking
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10. Discussion
E-commerce sites depend on web analytics.
p y
Shouldn’t nonprofit news sites?
Where’s the journalism? This type of model is for an org that defines
journalistic success by the impact it has on an audience.
Orgs need to see web analytics as an essential management tool.
Reports to foundations should be secondary, and include only those
metrics that define success for the org.
What should foundations require – and fund?
-- measurement models complete with starting points and targets
-- training and guidance
-- Google Analytics technical set-up consulting
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