Web analytics set-up and reporting should never be an afterthought, because it is only through full and regular analysis of your Web site's key performance indicators (KPIs) that you will achieve maximum return on marketing investment. Web Analytics is the methodology by which you capture, report, analyze, and act upon the measurable aspects of your Internet marketing plan.

Know Your Objectives; Measure for ROI

The objectives of Internet Marketing invariably include getting people to your Web site, influencing those people to act in a certain way (e.g., to buy, request information, or subscribe to your newsletter), and to make them come back again, preferably on a regular basis. How successful you are in achieving these objectives will in large part be influenced by how well you analyze and act upon the findings of Web Analytics.

Web Analytics is a critical part of the cycle of continuous improvement. It helps you learn from both your previous successes and from your previous failures. You analyze trends pertaining to the behavior of people visiting your Web site, and implement improvements to bring those trends into line with your expectations and Marketing objectives.

Before you begin measuring, you need to establish what is to be measured -- your key performance indicators (KPIs). Before you can determine your KPIs, you must establish your Web site's objectives, because performance can only be measured against expectations.

Some of the most common strategic objectives for Web Analytics are:

• Increasing visitor conversion
• Improving navigation
• Analyzing search engine visibility and effectiveness
• Analyzing campaign effectiveness
• Reducing shopping cart abandonment / improve e-commerce results
• Improving visitor experience through audience segmentation
• Increasing customer self service

Your needs and priorities may differ. The important point to remember is that the objectives of you Web Analytics strategy should reflect the priorities established in your marketing plan.

Using Web Analytics

RADAR is the acronym commonly used to describe the Web analytics cycle: Report, Analyze, Decide, Act, Repeat.

• Report regularly on your KPIs. Distribute the report to all concerned parties within your marketing organization.
• Analyze the report. Determine the factors that are affecting how well you are achieving your objectives.
• Decide on a course of action. Pick the factors with the greatest potential to improve results. Remember not to change too much at one time so that you can more accurately analyze the results of the changes.
• Act to make changes in a timely manner.
• Repeat the process in a cycle of continuous improvement.

Benefits of an Outsourced, Hosted Web Analytics Solution

Not all Web analytics packages are equal. The hosted Web analytics solution we offer gives you the following benefits

• No additional IT resources required -- the service provider installs, hosts, and configures the software. Your IT staff don't need to be involved, because the solution resides outside of your IT infrastructure.
• No upfront infrastructure costs -- the service provider is responsible for all hardware and software acquisition. An on-demand service model means you pay only a regular subscription fee.
• No support costs -- the service provider is responsible for hardware and software maintenance as a part of your subscription fee.
• Anywhere, anytime access -- use multiple user log-ins to the service provider's servers to allow all stakeholders to view statistics and run reports.

Call 1-800-339-7834, or (416) 686-9609, or e-mail today to find out how Run-time can help you implement a hosted Web analytics solution and help you start your cycle of continuous improvement.