media seo analytics | push2digital

Apples and watermelons may be a good combination for Nerds, but terrible for analytics.

If you're in digital media measurement, you've probably heard this from your boss, "ComScore's got it wrong, our site has twice as many uniques. Have them fix it!"

Well, he/she is right; you probably do have twice as many. But guess what … in the end, it doesn't really matter [I'll explain why later], but first let's explain why they're different.

My favorite analytics guru Avinash Kaushik recently listed 7 common analytics mistakes and first on the list was ... "Never Compare Apples to Watermelons."

And one of the most common "Apples to Watermelons" examples I can think of happens in media measurement -- comparing internal metrics (Omniture, Web Trends, Google Analytics) to external metrics (comScore, NielsenNet, Compete).

There are 2 main reasons why this is a fruitless task ... let me count them.

1. Differences in the data source -- Most metric measurements are based off a specific data set. Typically it's the data the vendor or company has access to, has purchased or has built. Different sources will generate different results. Internal metrics generally rely on a javascript beacon that passes information. External sources don't have permission to drop a beacon on your pages, so they often use panel-based methods (large panels like Compete, or smaller targeted panels such as comScore).

Internal metrics depend on users' computers to accept cookies and run javascript. External metrics depend on mathematicians to extrapolate what 1 million people in a DMA do based off the actions of 200 monitored panelists.

2. Differences in the definitions -- a pageview is a pageview right? Well yeah, but what about reloaded pages, what about pages viewed by people not represented in panels, what about pageviews viewed from a mobile device? You can see how each source defines their metric by what they have the ability to count or estimate.

Great, then what's the solution?

Well, first is a discussion with your boss to help him/her understand that his competitors deal with the same 40% to 60% comScore metric discount that you do.

Second, measure yourself versus the competition based on same external metric source -- so that you're measuring "apples to apples". Then identify exactly how they compute their measurements and ensure your site is registered with all means possible. Adding tags to your site pages can aid a company like comScore or Quantcast in measuring your audience more accurately.

Third, measure your individual site performance based on the more detailed internal metrics. Focus on relative metrics like percentage growth, month-to-month and year-over-year. Focusing on magic number milestones can obscure recognition of true progress and serious problems.

As with most problems, there’s no black-and-white answer – but understanding the core issue is half the battle enroute to a more actionable strategy.

Are you tired of data visualizations yet?

Good, because here are 8 maps that bring some clarity to the crazy complex markets of display, video, search, mobile, social, e-commerce, funding and more.

They’re not pretty, but they’re pretty darn good. [Thanks LumaPartners.]

Analytics is about taking action. But if you don’t understand what the data is telling you, you can’t do much with it. 

That’s why data visualization is white hot in the rush to manage big data. In response, Google will be releasing flow visualization as a new feature in Google Analytics over the coming weeks. 

Google referenced what is considered by some to be the greatest statistical graph of all-time – a visualization that charts Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia, a campaign that had a casualty rate of 97.7% -- as the inspiration for the new feature.

Google hopes to brings this type of visual clarity to the fire hose of data it collects about your sites.

[Disclaimer: Your casualty rates may differ].  

Not a programmer? No worrries, neither am I.

Here's a great data visualization tutorial from the Knight Digital Media Center out of UC Berkley that walks through creating a Google spreadsheet, attaching a Google Gadget, adding public form entry fields and publishing it live to your site.

A very cool, well documented process that I can only think of 100 different ways I might use. Don't send your data out naked anymore, dress to impress with some free tools, a little Excel/spreadsheet knowledge and some elbow grease.

What does an ‘I heart analytics’ t-shirt and the Grim Reaper have in common?

Well, those who like analytics appreciate the data, but love the insightful, actionable decisions we can make because of it. The point is that the data does not always point to an exciting new green-light, beta-test, budget funded project.

Sometimes it harkens to the end of projects, processes and labors that have outlived and or never reached their potential. It’s fun to launch, but it’s hard to say goodbye. The natural reaction is – “We can’t kill it because that’s admitting it failed.” That’s correct, but not killing it is an even more criminal waste.  If you’re in the business of experimenting, you need to be equally devoted to pruning. There’s no shame in pulling the plug on what’s not working.

Google’s Larry Page doesn’t wear the Reaper costume [at least I don’t think he does] but Google’s not afraid to test, launch, analyze and yes spike the underperforming … aka Aardvark, Fast Flip, Sidewiki.

The good news is that we all need more time, money and resources, and by axing the underperforming, we instantly gain a lift via subtraction. Even if the labor is automated, the additional clutter distracts users from the best offers you do have. Maybe you have devoted resources to …

• Creating automated content product with no subscriber base
• Creating one-size-fits-all web reporting no one opens
• Posting long-form archive video that no one watches
• Maintaining a blog that has no specific purpose or goal
• Sharing content to a partner that generates no referrals

Today, ask yourself. What could I kill that doesn’t work, and where could you spend it that does?  And then picture the Grim Reaper in an ‘I Heart Analytics’ t-shirt.