The State of Web Analytics in Middle East 2012 Survey Results

The State of Web Analytics in Middle East Survey 2012 Results © Mohit Jain | Analytics.ae | @mohitdxb

Survey Aims & Methodology
• The intention behind they research was to identify trends in current analytics practices used
by organizations & agencies based in Middle East (KSA, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Oman, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt & Jordan) and to understand how organizations take
advantage of digital data to optimize the business. No sample quotas were imposed.

• The research was conducted between Jan 20th and April 5th, 2012.

• The survey was conducted online using survey tool provided by FluidSurveys.com.

• Survey respondents were recruited through email invitations, advertising on LinkedIn.com
and social media outreach.

• All incomplete and inaccurate responses were ignored from final results.

• Total Sample Size was n=50


KEY FINDINGS


Key Findings
• Web Analytics is still young discipline in Middle East with wide variations in experience,
resources and value gained. However there is a growing interest as a majority are reporting
gains from their activities.

• It seems that the task of web analytics has shifted away from IT teams as majority of
respondents reported web analytics to be managed by eCommerce, marketing & BI teams.
Web Analytics function travels with whoever owns the web function.

• 64% respondents said they trust data from web analytics tool 75% of time or mostly. Client
side organizations expressed more trust in web analytics data then compared to agencies &
consultants. There is a correlation between who expressed low trust in data and those who
have less experience and resources assigned to web analytics.

• The main web analytics activities conducted are Campaign Analysis and Landing Page
Optimization whereas more insightful techniques such as A/B and multivariate testing are
rarely performed.

Key Findings
• Majority of respondents realized gain from adopting web analytics in all areas except
reducing customer support costs. We also found less number of respondents reported to
augment web analytics data with CRM & customer data.

• There seems to be a disconnect between what client side organizations are expecting vs.
what agencies & consultants wants to achieve this year.

– 71% of Client side respondents seek to improve site performance with use of web analytics data
vs. 57% of agencies & consultants desire it this year.
– Only 21% of client side respondents wants to take business decisions based on data whereas 40%
of agencies & consultants seek their clients to take decisions based on data.
– 60% of agency & consultant respondents wants to increase their level of knowledge for Social
Media Analytics vs. only 29% of client side respondents.

• Overall investment in web analytics is improving but client side respondents wants to
prioritize in achieving results by „Optimizing the site through analysis” whereas agencies and
consultants wants to prioritize in „Training” and establishing „KPIs‟ for their clients.

Conclusion
• There is a desperate need of aligning the
analysis results closely with the
organizations business strategy which can
provide quick wins and increase the trust
in the web analytics data and establish it
as an important function.

• Acting on data & analysis is critically
important for agencies, consultants &
clients and analysis should not be done
just for the sake of analysis.


PROFILE OF SURVEY
RESPONDENTS


Profile of Survey Respondents
Web Analytics User (Client) 42%

Agency (Advertising, Digital, Analytics, etc) 30%

Individual Web Analytics Consultants 28%
Type of Users
Web Analytics Software Vendor 0%

Other 0%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

A Multinatonal 56%

Type of Organization A Regional Organization (Middle East) 24%

A Local Based Organization 20%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


United Arab Emirates Target Business Geography
Saudi Arabia
Majority of respondents are
Qatar conducting business in multiple
countries where a significant
Egypt individuals responded doing
business in UAE followed by Saudi
Lebanon Arabia & Qatar.
Jordan

Kuwait

Bahrain

Oman

Syria

Other Middle Eastern Countries

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%


Enterprise Size Segmentation

The research sample contained representation from various enterprise sizes. Respondents were asked to indicate the
number of staff employed by their organization.

20% 1000+ Employees
30% 501-1000 Employees
251-500 Employees
8% 101-250 Employees
51-100 Employees
6% 4% 26-50 Employees
11-25 Employees
10% 10%
1-10 Employees
12%


Media 30%
Agency/Consultancy 28%
Business Services 8%
High Tech 8%
Multiple Industries 6%
Travel & Hospitality 6% Industry
Manufactuing 4% Segmentation
Telecommunications 2%
Automotive 2%
Retail 2%
Government 2%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Provide self service support to existing customers
Communicate with customers and business partners
How respondent Generate leads including online quotes
organizations uses
Sell products and supporting services
online channels
Provide information about products and services
Provide secure transactions, statements, documents, etc

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%


Critical (Business is Highly Impacted) 64%

Semi Critical (Business is some what Business impact if
28%
impacted) online channel has
availability issues
Non Critical (It's ok we can live without it) 8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Extremely Important 52%

Equal importance to other functions 32%
How web analytics
is perceived? Less important in comparison to other functions 14%

Not important at all 2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


WEB ANALYTICS
CURRENT STATE


Web Analytics Responsibility
Respondents were asked to indicate which department is primarily responsible for digital analytics in their organizations. A
majority of respondents indicated that the function lies with eCommerce, business intelligence & marketing teams and
only few responded about the function being managed by IT.

2%2%
6% eCommerce / Digital Team
6% 26%
Business Intelligence / Analytics
8% Marketing
Not Sure
Other
IT
24% Customer Experience
26%
External Agency


Technology Adoption
Respondents were asked to indicate about what kind of web analytics tools they use and if these tools are free, paid or
both.

Paid versus Free or Both Web Analytics Tool Adoption

3%
Google Analytics
6% 4%
6% 2% Omniture SiteCatalyst
8%
Webtrends Analytics
18%
40% Other
92%
52% Google Analytics Premium

20% Woopra

Urchin from Google
8%

26% IBM (Core Metrics or Unica)

Yahoo Web Analytics
Free Paid Both comScore Digital Analytix


Technology Adoption
Over 5 years 30%

Between 2-5 years 28%

Between 1-2 years 16% Use of Web Analytics
Less than 1 year 12% Tools in years
Unknown 4%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Yes (100% of the time) 26%

Mostly (75% of the time) 64%
Trust on Web
Analytics Data Sometimes (50% of the time) 10%

Rarely (25% of the time) 0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%


Internal & External Web Analytics Resources
1 or less Employees 36%
Full time internal
2-3 Employees 38% employees dedicated to
4-5 Employees 0% Web Analytics in
respondent
More than 5 Employees 26%
organization’s
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Employees with partial commitment to web analytics
Consultants
Analytics Agencies
Additional Web
Analytics Resources None
Contract Employees
Part Time Employees

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%


Web Analytics Activities Performed
Regularly Sometimes Never
120%

100% 6%
14% 16%
22% 22%
22%
80% 42%
32% 40%
32% 40%
60% 40%

40% 72%
40%
44%
54%
46% 44%
20% 38%
20% 14%
0%


Gains from adopting Web Analytics
Yes No Not Sure
120%

100%
16% 16% 16% 24% 32% 26% 44%

80% 8% 8% 10%
10%
8% 18%
60%

40% 76% 76% 74%
30%
66% 60% 56%
20%
26%

0%


Augmenting Web Analytics Data
120% Yes No Not Applicable

100% 6%
11% 11% 11% 17% 17% 17%
11% 11%
80% 28% 17%
28%
39% 33%
60%

40% 78% 78% 72%
67%
56% 50%
20% 44%

0%


WEB ANALYTICS FUTURE
OUTLOOK


Top Digital Analytics Initiatives in 2012
Acting on the data to improve site performance To understand what priorities
organizations are placing on
Business decisions driven by analytics
web analytics activities
KPI development respondents were asked to
identify from a list of activities
Best practices implementation what they are planning to
undertake this year.
Executive management awareness and support

Training and education

Systems integration

Integration of current and new solutions

Developing process/implementing process

Tools selection and transition

Other

Product trials

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%


Top Areas for Knowledge Improvements
Social Media Analytics To understand the top areas
Targeting and Segmentation
where organizations are
considering improving the
Predictive Analytics knowledge respondents were
Natural Search Marketing or SEO
asked to identify from a list of
activities what they are planning to
Campaign Management undertake this year.
Creating Custom Reports

Paid Search Marketing

Email Marketing

A/B and Multivariate Testing

Content Management

Affiliate Marketing

Measuring Web 2.0 Technologies

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


Web Analytics Investment Outlook
This survey investigates the levels of web analytics related investments to be made this year and asked respondents to
confirm if they are improving the investment or keeping it flat.

4%

28% Improving

Flat

Not Sure
67%


Priorities for Web Analytics in 2012
120% Yes No Considering

100% 7% 11% 13% 15% 17%
20% 17% 20%
26%
80% 26% 24% 24% 22%
26%
60% 39%
33% 57%
63%
40%
67% 65% 63% 63%
54%
20% 43% 41%
26%
17%
0%


Thanks to all who participated in first
Middle Eastern web analytics survey.


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The State of Web Analytics in Middle East 2012 Survey Results

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