In today’s volatile economy, consumers are becoming much more cost conscious. So why should advertisers be any different? Every online marketing dollar that is being spent should be accounted for and profitable in its return to the company. If you are not analyzing the return of every marketing effort, both those you pay for and those you don’t, you are missing out on a great opportunity to improve those efforts.
So, how do you take control of your ad spending and maximize its return? ANALYTICS! For those website’s that do not currently use a website analytics program, now more than ever is the time to start. There are a variety of programs available ranging from no cost up through several thousand dollars a year and more. Even the simplest of services can provide great insights and data in helping evaluate online advertising performance and ROI. Some options to consider include:
Google Analytics – no cost, easy to use, tracks non-Google efforts.
HBX (Hitbox) & WebTrends – both offer levels of service; Professional is lower cost and less robust than Enterprise which is more costly and offers enhanced features and options.
Omniture – very comprehensive and robust offering, costly in comparison to others, but includes search management tools for CPC efforts.
Once you select and have installed your analytics program, the second hurdle is how to use it. Extrapolating the data you want can be challenging if you are not familiar with the program or its interface. It’s imperative you learn how to use this tool, which carries a wealth of information about the performance of your web site and every marketing activity you have underway. Both organic and paid advertising efforts will be displayed, along with details and specifics from site visitors – like Engine, Keyword, site activity (time on site and pages viewed, etc), conversion status, revenue generated, etc. MoreVisibility offers numerous training webinars, and custom sessions, to support the Google Analytics program. I would strongly recommend investing in training or consulting on your analytics program, if you aren’t intimately familiar with it. This will make a world of difference in how your marketing programs are evaluated; ultimately generating a higher rate of return and maximizing your ad spend. To learn more about analytics and its impact on a web site, visit MoreVisibility’s Analytics Blog for regular updates and feedback on what’s available and emerging in the industry.
