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| what information is captured |
what information is captured
There are three types of web analytics metrics:
Count – these are the raw figures captured that will be used for analysis Ratio – this is an interpretation of the data that is counted KPI – either a count or a ratio, these are the figures which help you to determine your success in reaching your goals
In analysis, metrics can be applied to three different universes:
Aggregate – all traffic to the web site for a defined period of time
Segmented – a subset of all traffic according to a specific filter, such as by campaign (PPC) or visitor type (new visitor vs. returning visitor) Individual – the activity of a single visitor for a defined period of time Here are some of the key metrics you will need to get started on web site analytics.
Building block terms:
Hit – a request to the server (and a fairly meaningless number on its own) Page – unit of content (so downloads and Flash files can be defined as a page) Page views – the number of times a page was successfully requested Visit or session – an interaction by an individual with a web site consisting of one or more page views within a specified period of time Unique visitors – the number of individual people visiting the web site one or more times within a period of time. Each individual is only counted once.
new visitor – a unique visitor who visits the web site for the first time ever in the period of time being analysed repeat visitor – a unique visitor with two or more visits within the time period being analysed return visitor – a unique visitor who is not a new visitor These are the most basic web metrics. They tell you how much traffic your web siteis receiving. Looking at repeat and returning visitors can tell you about how your web site creates loyalty. As well as growing overall visitor numbers, a web site needs to grow the number of visitors who come back. An exception might be a support web site
– repeat visitors could indicate that the web site has not been successful in solving the visitor’s problem. Each web site needs to be analysed based on its purpose.
Visit characterisation:
Entry page – the first page of a visit
Landing page – the page intended to identify the beginning of the user experience resulting from a defined marketing effort
There are three types of web analytics metrics:
Count – these are the raw figures captured that will be used for analysis Ratio – this is an interpretation of the data that is counted KPI – either a count or a ratio, these are the figures which help you to determine your success in reaching your goals
In analysis, metrics can be applied to three different universes:
Aggregate – all traffic to the web site for a defined period of time
Segmented – a subset of all traffic according to a specific filter, such as by campaign (PPC) or visitor type (new visitor vs. returning visitor) Individual – the activity of a single visitor for a defined period of time Here are some of the key metrics you will need to get started on web site analytics.
Building block terms:
Hit – a request to the server (and a fairly meaningless number on its own) Page – unit of content (so downloads and Flash files can be defined as a page) Page views – the number of times a page was successfully requested Visit or session – an interaction by an individual with a web site consisting of one or more page views within a specified period of time Unique visitors – the number of individual people visiting the web site one or more times within a period of time. Each individual is only counted once.
new visitor – a unique visitor who visits the web site for the first time ever in the period of time being analysed repeat visitor – a unique visitor with two or more visits within the time period being analysed return visitor – a unique visitor who is not a new visitor These are the most basic web metrics. They tell you how much traffic your web siteis receiving. Looking at repeat and returning visitors can tell you about how your web site creates loyalty. As well as growing overall visitor numbers, a web site needs to grow the number of visitors who come back. An exception might be a support web site
– repeat visitors could indicate that the web site has not been successful in solving the visitor’s problem. Each web site needs to be analysed based on its purpose.
Visit characterisation:
Entry page – the first page of a visit
Landing page – the page intended to identify the beginning of the user experience resulting from a defined marketing effort
Exit page – the last page of a visit
Visit duration – the length of time in a session
Referrer – the URL that originally generated the request for the current page internal referrer – a URL that is part of the same web site external referrer – a URL that is outside of the web site search referrer – the URL has been generated by a search function visit referrer – the URL that originated a particular visit original referrer – the URL that sent a new visitor to the web site Click-through – the number of times a link was clicked by a visitor
Visit duration – the length of time in a session
Referrer – the URL that originally generated the request for the current page internal referrer – a URL that is part of the same web site external referrer – a URL that is outside of the web site search referrer – the URL has been generated by a search function visit referrer – the URL that originated a particular visit original referrer – the URL that sent a new visitor to the web site Click-through – the number of times a link was clicked by a visitor
Click-through rate – the number of times a link was clicked divided by the number of times it was seen (impressions)
Page views per visit – the number of page views in a reporting period divided by the number of visits in that same period
These are the terms that tell you how visitors reach your web site, and how they move through the web site. The way that a visitor navigates a web site is called a click path.
Looking at the referrers, both internal and internal, allows you to gauge a click path that visitors take.
Content characterization:
Page exit ratio – number of exits from a page divided by total number of page views of that page Single page visits – visits that consist of one page, even if that page was viewed a number of times
Bounces (single page view visits) – visits consisting of a single page view
Page views per visit – the number of page views in a reporting period divided by the number of visits in that same period
These are the terms that tell you how visitors reach your web site, and how they move through the web site. The way that a visitor navigates a web site is called a click path.
Looking at the referrers, both internal and internal, allows you to gauge a click path that visitors take.
Content characterization:
Page exit ratio – number of exits from a page divided by total number of page views of that page Single page visits – visits that consist of one page, even if that page was viewed a number of times
Bounces (single page view visits) – visits consisting of a single page view
Bounce rate – single page view visits divided by entry pages
When a visitor views a page, they have two options: leave the web site, or view another page on the web site. These metrics tell you how visitors react to your content.
Bounce rate can be one of the most important metrics that you measure! There are a few exceptions, but a high bounce rate usually means high dissatisfaction with a web page.
When a visitor views a page, they have two options: leave the web site, or view another page on the web site. These metrics tell you how visitors react to your content.
Bounce rate can be one of the most important metrics that you measure! There are a few exceptions, but a high bounce rate usually means high dissatisfaction with a web page.
Conversion metrics: note
Event – a recorded action that has a specific time assigned to it by the browser or the server
Conversion – a visitor completing a target action
Other metrics which apply to eMarketing tactics include:
Impression – each time an advert or a page is served
Open – each email that is deemed open. Usually if the images are loaded, an email is considered open
In order to test the success of your web site, you need to remember the TAO of conversion optimisation:
Track
Analyse
Optimise
Using your goals and KPIs, you’ll know what metrics you will be tracking. You will
then need to analyse these results, and then take appropriate actions. And the testing
begins again!
Event – a recorded action that has a specific time assigned to it by the browser or the server
Conversion – a visitor completing a target action
Other metrics which apply to eMarketing tactics include:
Impression – each time an advert or a page is served
Open – each email that is deemed open. Usually if the images are loaded, an email is considered open
In order to test the success of your web site, you need to remember the TAO of conversion optimisation:
Track
Analyse
Optimise
Using your goals and KPIs, you’ll know what metrics you will be tracking. You will
then need to analyse these results, and then take appropriate actions. And the testing
begins again!
