media seo analytics | push2digital - Filed under 'avinash kaushik'

October 31, 2011

comScore's Got It Wrong ... Fix It!

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.

Filed under // analytics avinash kaushik comscore google analytics media nielsennet omniture quantcast webtrends

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April 26, 2011

Stop Chasing "More" ... Seek Out "Right" #Metrics

How often do you hear from bosses, clients, colleagues – “can’t we add more [blank]”? Unfortunately, with analytics the answer is almost always “yes”. But just because you can compare the number of users who viewed your site in FireFox vs. IE, doesn’t mean you should devote precious time to it.

In Avinash Kaushik’s 11 Digital Marketing “Crimes Against Humanity” – No. 9 jumps out at me – “Don’t Do Anything Without a Web Measurement Model.” In short, it means have a plan of what it is you want your website to do – or more accurately what action should it prompt in your visitors. Then track the metrics that lead to, record or increase the chance of that happening.

See the example below of a Web Measurement Model and notice it’s not about “more” it’s about the “right” metrics that support the goals of the site.

Filed under // analytics avinash kaushik goals web measurement model

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June 10, 2010

What Metric Categories Matter Most?

After catching up on my favorite analytics guru Avinash Kaushik, I wanted to share his great tip that simplifies what you're looking for within that sea of metrics. He points to three categories that should mean something to you. The post explains in great detail, but to summarize -- these three areas represent 1. How your visitor got there, 2. What he/she did while on site, and 3. Who converted (in other words -- bought your product, registered for a newsletter, shared your article, posted a comment, downloaded a .pdf, watched a video -- whatever is most important to your digital strategy.)

Web Analytics Segmentation: Do Or Die, There Is No Try!

My humble recommendation is that as a best practice you should pick at least a couple of segments in each of these three categories:

1. Acquisition. 2. Behavior. 3. Outcomes.

You'll choose to focus on the micro group that is of value to you, and just to you, in each category. You'll apply those segments to web analytics reports where you hope to find insights (and if you choose the right segments you will!).

analytics acquisition segment

Filed under // analytics avinash kaushik media segmentation

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March 22, 2010

Addition by Subtraction -- Killing Metrics That Distract

Avinash Kaushik's post on the "3 Levels of So-What?" is a great test to see if you're tracking the right metrics for your site. In short, up and down arrows are great, but if they don't lead you to actions that push toward your ultimate "more ... goal" (subscribers, sharing, linkbacks, sales, etc.) -- they're just consuming your precious time.

From Kaushik.net:

Remember, we don't want to have metrics because they are nice to have, and there are tons of those.

We want to have metrics that answer business questions and allow us to take action—do more of something or less of something or at least funnel ideas that we can test and then take action.

The "so what" test is one mechanism for identifying metrics that you should focus on or metrics that you should ditch because although they might work for others, for you they don't pass the "so what" test.

And killing metrics is not such a bad thing. After all this is the process that has been proven to work time and time again:

via kaushik.net

Filed under // analytics avinash kaushik media

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February 1, 2010

3 Keys To Custom Reports

Too many insights to list from Avinash Kaushik's latest post, but here's the nugget that jumped out at me w/ comments.

What I mean are custom reports that do three things:

1. Reduce the number of reports (kill! kill! kill!) and yet coalesce information into one place.[Over reporting -- it numbs people -- they won't sort through it, they'll ignore it.]

2. Match metrics up with the audience that needs it. Personalize, personalize, personalize! [Get the right report to the people who can take action with it]

3. Force you, yes dear darling you, to talk to people and truly understand what motivates them (and then you create a report!). [How can you create a report for someone until you understand their goals?]