Social media and Web analytics

Unit-5
Web Analytics
Web Analytics is the methodological study of online/offline patterns and trends. It is a
technique that you can employ to collect, measure, report, and analyze your website data. It is
normally carried out to analyze the performance of a website and optimize its web usage.
We use web analytics to track key metrics and analyze visitors’ activity and traffic flow. It is
a tactical approach to collect data and generate reports.

Importance of Web Analytics

We need Web Analytics to assess the success rate of a website and its associated business.
Using Web Analytics, we can −

 Assess web content problems so that they can be rectified

 Have a clear perspective of website trends
 Monitor web traffic and user flow
 Demonstrate goals acquisition
 Figure out potential keywords
 Identify segments for improvement
 Find out referring sources

Web Analytics Process

The primary objective of carrying out Web Analytics is to optimize the website in order to
provide better user experience. It provides a data-driven report to measure visitors’ flow
throughout the website.
Take a look at the following illustration. It depicts the process of web analytics.
 Set the business goals.
 To track the goal achievement, set the Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
 Collect correct and suitable data.
 To extract insights, Analyze data.
 Based on assumptions learned from the data analysis, Test alternatives.
 Based on either data analysis or website testing, Implement insights.

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5

Web Analytics is an ongoing process that helps in attracting more traffic to a site and thereby,
increasing the Return on Investment.
Analytics Tools offer an insight into the performance of your website, visitors’ behavior, and data
flow. These tools are inexpensive and easy to use. Sometimes, they are even free.

Heuristic evaluation
A heuristic evaluation (also known as heuristic analysis) is the process of a number of expert
evaluators reviewing an interface design (e.g. a website) against a set of usability principles
in order to uncover and fix usability issues, preventing failure once the interface is released.
These tend to be relatively quick compared to typical usability evaluations of the past which
could be long, expensive, time-consuming, and daunting for developers to conduct
themselves.

Heuristic evaluation useful for

A heuristic evaluation is useful for assessing the usability of a website, a landing page, a new
design, or a new functionality. If you do not currently involve heuristic evaluations in your
go-live process, then we strongly advise to try it out as another method alongside QA (quality
assurance) to stop issues getting on to your live website.

Advantages / limitations of a heuristic evaluation

Advantages:

 Helps to identify and fix usability issues

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5
 A relatively quick method of gathering website feedback

 Can be relatively inexpensive as it doesn’t require much time and can utilise in-house
resources

Limitations:

 If your evaluators aren’t impartial, bias can creep into the process. Also if you have
already worked on the website, it can be hard to maintain a ‘fresh’ mindset in which
to conduct the heuristics

 Doesn’t cover all issues in isolation, user research & analytics are also required to
discover extra insights

 Requires 5 evaluators to uncover 75% of usability issues

 If the heuristic is just of some website designs, on-site interactions may become an
oversight and may not be picked up in the evaluation.

Among the different methods of data gathering for research purposes, the survey method is
preferred by many researchers due to its various advantages, strengths and benefits. However,
surveys also have their disadvantages and weak points that must be considered.

Advantages of Surveys
1. High Representativeness

Surveys provide a high level of general capability in representing a large population. Due to
the usual huge number of people who answers survey, the data being gathered possess a
better description of the relative characteristics of the general population involved in the
study. As compared to other methods of data gathering, surveys are able to extract data that
are near to the exact attributes of the larger population.
2. Low Costs

When conducting surveys, you only need to pay for the production of survey questionnaires.
If you need a larger sample of the general population, you can allot an incentive in cash or
kind, which can be as low as $2 per person. On the other hand, other data gathering methods
such as focus groups and personal interviews require researchers to pay more.

3. Convenient Data Gathering

Surveys can be administered to the participants through a variety of ways. The questionnaires
can simply be sent via e-mail or fax, or can be administered through the Internet. Nowadays,

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5
the online survey method has been the most popular way of gathering data from target
participants. Aside from the convenience of data gathering, researchers are able to collect
data from people around the globe.

4. Good Statistical Significance

Because of the high representativeness brought about by the survey method, it is often easier
to find statistically significant results than other data gathering methods.
Multiple variables can also be effectively analyzed using surveys.

5. Little or No Observer Subjectivity

Surveys are ideal for scientific research studies because they provide all the participants with
a standardized stimulus. With such high reliability obtained, the researcher’s own biases are
eliminated.

6. Precise Results

As questions in the survey should undergo careful scrutiny and standardization, they provide
uniform definitions to all the subjects who are to answer the questionnaires. Thus, there is a
greater precision in terms of measuring the data gathered.

Disadvantages of Surveys
1. Inflexible Design

The survey that was used by the researcher from the very beginning, as well as the method of
administering it, cannot be changed all throughout the process of data gathering. Although
this inflexibility can be viewed as a weakness of the survey method, this can also be a
strength considering the fact that preciseness and fairness can both be exercised in the study.

2. Not Ideal for Controversial Issues

Questions that bear controversies may not be precisely answered by the participants because
of the probably difficulty of recalling the information related to them. The truth behind these
controversies may not be relieved as accurately as when using alternative data gathering
methods such as face-to-face interviews and focus groups.

3. Possible Inappropriateness of Questions

Questions in surveys are always standardized before administering them to the subjects. The
researcher is therefore forced to create questions that are general enough to accommodate the
general population. However, these general questions may not be as appropriate for all the
participants as they should be.

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5
A good example of this situation is administering a survey which focuses on affective
variables, or variables that deal with emotions.

Benefits of site visit

 Creativity happens on site.
 You'll see real problems.
 You'll see real opportunities.
 You'll do a TRUE risk assessment.
 Familiarity with the site makes planning easier.
 It demonstrates commitment.
 Your event is more likely to be a success.

Website survey
A website survey is a way for businesses to gather feedback from visitors about
their experience of a website and find ways it can be improved.

Website surveys can take different forms, from small slide-ins or pop-ups in a corner to full-
page overlays, but they all help website owners and managers collect qualitative insight that
sheds light on the ‘why’ behind user actions.

How to create a survey in 10 simple steps

1. Use formatting. Group similar questions to keep your survey logical and focused.
2. Send frequent surveys.
3. Be brief in your questions.
4. Enlist the help of others.
5. Stick to specifics.
6. Clarify in your survey question answers.
7. Keep questions relevant.
8. Go easy on yes/no questions.
9. Know when to use matrix questions.

Website Traffic

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
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Website traffic refers to web users who visit a website. Web traffic is measured in visits,
sometimes called "sessions," and is a common way to measure an online business
effectiveness at attracting an audience.

Web traffic is important — but not the only thing

When ecommerce took off in the 1990s, the metric of web traffic was first viewed as the most
important means of determining a website's popularity, as other metrics did not yet exist to
gauge online success. As digital marketers got savvier, analyzing a website's
performance became much more comprehensive.

Analysts no longer just ask "how many people visited?" Now, it's just as — if not more —
important to find out:

 How long did users stay? Bringing in huge amounts of traffic is ultimately
meaningless if users leave after mere seconds. Metrics such as bounce rate and time
on page pant a picture of how users behave.
 What % of users made a purchase? For an online business to flourish, it needs a large
audience. But it also needs to be the right audience. Determining how many users buy
products, commonly measured by conversion rate, shows whether an ecommerce
store is effectively selling marketing their product offerings.
 How much does it cost to bring in a visitor? Some web traffic is free, but many online
stores rely on paid traffic — such as PPC or affiliates — to support and grow their
business. Cost of Acquiring Customers (CAC) and Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) are
arguably the two most important ecommerce metrics. When balanced with AOV
(average order value) and CLV (customer lifetime value), a business can assess and
adjust its ad spend as necessary.

Website traffic is not the be all, end all of ecommerce performance measurements. But it is
still a great starting point to determine a website's popularity and visibility. Consider two
contrasting ecommerce underachievers:

a) Website A: Effective call to actions and concise yet eloquent product descriptions convert
a high percentage of visitors to sale, but they only bring in minimal traffic.
500 monthly visits * 40 sales = 8% Conversion Rate (CR)

b) Website B: Ranks highly in natural Google search listings, puts out well-received content,
and brings in paid advertising. They do outstanding with web traffic, yet convert a minimal
number of visitors.

5000 visits, 40 sales = 0.8% CR

This example illustrates why marketing metrics such as web traffic cannot be viewed in a
vacuum. Two contrasting websites achieve the same outcome, where they are failing to
capitalize on what they do well. By focusing on the one metric where they excel, it fails to
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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
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acknowledge the area for improvement. By studying the whole picture and optimizing areas
of subpar performance, ecommerce stores give their customers the best possible experience
while maximizing revenue.

How is website traffic actually recorded?

When someone visits a website, their computer or other web-connected device communicates
with the website's server. Each page on the web is made up of dozens of distinct files. The
site's server transmits each file to user browsers where they are assembled and formed into a
cumulative piece with graphics and text. Every file sent represents a single “hit”, so a single
page viewing can result in numerous hits.

It is not only the traffic on the website's homepage that is monitored. Rather, all segments of
the website are constantly monitored by the server to determine exactly how many hits each
receives. In web vernacular, a single visit is known as a “session”. The minutia of each
session varies, yet each has a beginning and an end point.

Servers are able to compile every request for a web page, arming its operator with the
information needed to determine how popular the site is and which pages receive the most
attention. When a web server processes a file request, it makes an entry in what is known as
the “server log” on the server's hard drive. The log gathers entries across posterity, forming a
valuable database of information that the site owner can analyze to better understand the
website's visitor activity.

Competitive Intelligence
Competitive Intelligence (CI) is the collection and analysis of information to anticipate
competitive activity, see past market disruptions and dispassionately interpret events.
It is an essential component to developing a business strategy. CI analysis provides insight
into marketplace dynamics and challenges in a structured, disciplined, and ethical manner
using published and non-published sources.

Competitive Intelligence:
 Incorporates external competitive and market forces into strategic planning.
 Generates strategically relevant insights from research and structured analysis.
 Enhances marketing, strategic planning, finance, and operations.
 Conforms to antitrust and trade secret laws, legal and ethical best practices and the
client’s corporate code of behaviour.
 Minimizes decision risk and reduces uncertainty about external developments.

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5
Uses of Competitive Intelligence:
 Develop corporate or business unit strategies.
 Shape counter-competitive strategies against one or more competitors.
 Prepare a new product launch, new market entry, or other strategic move in the
market.
 Benchmark other organizations.
 Anticipate and plan for future market opportunities and disruptions.
 Assess effectiveness of competitors market positioning and product messaging.

Data sources

Data sources are simply the files created on DBM or feed. The objective of keeping a data
source is to encapsulate all information in one stack and hide it from the users, e.g., payroll,
inventory, etc.

Server Logs

Log files list actions that take place. They maintain files for every request invoked, for
example, the source of visitor, their next action, etc.
Server logs is a simple text file that records activity on the server. It is created automatically
and maintained by server’s data. With the help of a server log file, you can find the activity
detail of the website/pages. In activity sheet, you can find the data with IP address,
Time/Date, and pages. It gives you insight on the type of browser, country, and origin. These
files are only for the webmasters, not for the website users. The statistics provided by server
log is used to examine traffic patterns segmented by day, week, or a referrer.

Visitors' Data

Visitors’ data shows the total traffic of the website. It can be calculated by any web analytics
tool. With the help of visitors’ data, you can analyze your website improvement and can
update your servers accordingly. It may comprise of −

 A top-level view of metrics

 Age and Gender of visitors
 User behavior, their location and interests
 Technology they are using, e.g., browsers and operating systems
 Breakdown of your website on devices other than desktops
 User Flow

Search Engine Statistics

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5
Search engine statistics show the data that is acquired by organic traffic (as shown in the
image given below). If the search engine traffic of a website has improved, then it means the
website search ranking for the main keywords has improved. This data also helps you to −

 Find the revenue generating keywords and the keywords those are typed in search
engine by visitors.
 How different Search Engines affect your data.
 Where you are lagging and where you need to focus.

Conversion Funnels
Conversion funnels is the path by which a goal (Product purchase, Lead form done,
Service contact form submitted, etc.) is completed. It is a series of steps covered by
the visitors to become customers. It is explained in the “Bertus Engelbrecht’s” image,
given below. If more numbers of visitors are leaving the website without any
purchase, then you can use conversion funnels to analyze the following −
 Why are they leaving the website?
 Is there any problem with the conversion path?
 Is there any broken link in the conversion path or any other feature that is not
working in the conversion path?

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS
 Social media and Web analytics
Unit-5

Conversion funnels help you visualize the following aspects in the form of graphics −

 The hurdles the users are facing before converting

 Where the emotional behaviors of the users alter
 Where the technical bugs become nuisance for the customers

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NOTES BY- SIDDHARTHA SINGH
CHIEF PROCTOR & ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
KIPM TECHNICAL CAMPUS