A few weeks ago I posted Google Analytics Adds 8 New Features that covered some major changes to the Google Analytics platform. Just the other day, as part of a rolling release strategy for Google Analytics they have released a couple more new features and some updates to existing features. I’ve checked these out already (be aware that not you may have access to them just yet, but you will shortly) and I have to say I’m impressed. Google Analytics is really pushing the boundaries by taking into account how and what an analyst really has to go through on an everyday basis (it’s more than just reporting on the numbers) and is really beginning to make our (data) lives a whole lot better.
Custom Variables Now Available In Advanced Segments – “UPDATE TO EXISTING FEATURE – Multiple Custom Variables”: from my last post “Multiple Custom Variables lets you customize your Google Analytics to collect unique site usage data”. Until now, if you wanted to use Custom Variables you had to use the standard Custom Variables report under Visitors. Now, you can create custom segmentation on a any key and and combination of Custom Variables (visitors, sessions, or pages). I.e. if you have created a Custom Variable, let’s say “New Member”, you can now view that variable across all of your reports.
Custom Variables Available In Custom Reports - Now Custom Reports can be created with any of the key or value dimensions that have been associated with a Custom Variable. This allows you take ANY metric and match it with the behavior from a segment that you have defined in you Custom Variables.
New Analytics Tracking Code Setup Wizard - I’ll admit it, manually configuring your Google Analytics (any really platforms) Tracking Code is a pain in the behind at best of times. Think back if you’ve ever had to track campaigns, cross-domain tracking, multiple subdomains, mobile, PHP sites, etc. I believe you’ll recall it was “less than fun”. Well now there is a new tracking code setup wizard to help you out that automatically generates your tracking code based upon your specified setup options in your profile. View Full Size
Annotations – This feature is OUTSTANDING! From day one as an analyst you are taught that as a best practice you always write down & track what you’ve done, discovered, tried, etc. The problem of course has simply been “where you keep those notes”, i.e. a notebook, word document, local on your computer, etc. Well no more! The Annotations feature allows you leave a quick little note to yourself or others, such as “why that spike in traffic happened over the Holidays”. Now if you think about that for a moment, not only can simply leaving ‘notes’ for you or someone else be a real time saver, but Annotations can act as a central repository for managing your Business & Design decisions. And there was much rejoicing! Be sure to check out this video for details.
Coming Soon – Updates to the Google Analytics API will include: Support for Advanced Segmentation, new data dimensions and metrics.
Google Analytics has made quite a stir and there has been lots of talk regarding the newest 8 features into its existing tool. These new features include: New Engagement Goal, Expanded Mobile Reporting, Advanced Table Filtering, Unique Visitors Metric, Multiple Custom Variables, Sharing Segments and Custom Reporting Templates, Analytics Intelligence, & Custom Alerts.
In case you haven’t checked them out or don’t now what to do with them let’s take a quick look at what they can do…
New Engagement Goals – lets you define up to 20 goals site conversions per profile. It also now measures user engagement and branding success through allowing you to set thresholds for “Time on Site” and “Pages per Visit”.
Expanded Mobile Reporting – lets you track your mobile applications and mobile websites performance through your iPhone or Android phones (apps: SDKs and documentation). And if you are tracking non-Java-Script enabled phones, that’s OK too! (code instructions)
Advanced Table Filtering - allows you to quickly filter through rows in a table based on various metric conditions. This video shows how your could filter thousands of keywords to identify only the keywords with a bounce rate of less than 30% and that referred at least 25 visits!
Unique Visitors Metric - this feature allows you to track how many actual visitors (via unique cookies) arrived at your site.
Multiple Custom Variables - lets you customize your Google Analytics to collect unique site usage data. Similar to the _setVar() function, but with the addition that you can define and track visitors based upon visitor attributes – section viewed, returning, not logged-in.
Sharing Segments and Custom Reporting Templates – if you created a custom report for a client or a particular tea, e.g. marketing, all you have to do now is share the URL for that particular report and it will import the pre-formatted template into that user’s account.
Analytics Intelligence and Custom Alerts - an algorithm-based monitoring system that will send you an alert on a trigger that you set up on various metrics or dimensions. I.e. you can get an alert for a 250% surge in visits from Twitter referrals last Friday or let you know visitor bounce rates from New York increased by 35% three weeks ago.
Asynchronous Tracking Code - helps speed up the performance and accuracy of your Google Analytics tracking. The new script (yes you do need to swap code) optimizes how browsers load “ga.js". You can also place your analytics snippet higher in the page without impacting content loading.
Overall these are some really nice and useful features that can really help you drive greater insights from your website or mobile application. If you want a more in-depth intro be sure to register for the Google Analytics Webinar on December 9th 2009.
Omniture announced yesterday the release of SiteSearch. Hooray! This is a major milestone for the major analytics players, since traditionally none of them have ever incorporated site search as an integrated part of their platform. The workaround was for you to have your search results pages export to a designated URL that you could then track with your analytics tool, or you could always look /enjoy a day or so in your log files (remember those???).
Given that there are only two ways in which people find content on your website, the first and most popular “Browsing” – using links and navigation and the second and often forgotten about, “Site Search” – assuming you have search on your website of course. Internal site search is often treated like the red-headed step child – it’s rarely acknowledged, doesn’t get the respect it should, and is not treated as a member of the family. Hopefully Omniture’s SiteSearch will turn the red-headed stepchild of site search into a full fledged member of your website!
Some key points about Omniture SiteSearch:
Automatically promote best-performing products and content based on business rules driven by SiteCatalyst
Lead visitors to relevant content or products through marketer-defined information categories—refining search results on-the-fly
Dynamically change the format of search results based on the type of search, the set of results returned or the context of the search
Automatically aggregate and display content from the SiteSearch index based on defined business rules
Provide actionable insight through keyword reporting around what visitors are searching for—including top keywords and failed searches
Does anyone still use Coremetrics ? Of course they do, I just haven’t had a client in some time know that uses Coremetrics, they all use . With the acquiring of so many in the competitors in this playing field these days I was wondering what Coremetrics would be doing to stay in the game. And then came this.
“This new round of funding will enable us to significantly enhance our already strong historical performance,” said Joe Davis, CEO of Coremetrics. “There is an unlimited market opportunity for us as more online businesses see the advantage of using our marketing optimization platform to grow their companies. With current sales win rates approaching 70 percent, we see a tremendous opportunity to accelerate growth by leveraging our existing product leadership position with increased marketing investment and quota carrying sales force.”
“3i understands the digital marketing space well and Coremetrics’ strong industry position provides an excellent opportunity to join a market leader as an investor and strategic advisor,” said Al Yau, Director of 3i. “We are excited to be part of their continued success by leveraging our broad international network to accelerate growth, especially in Europe and Asia.”
“We are as bullish on the company’s prospects today as we were when we funded their first round and are excited to be part of the next phase of Coremetrics’ growth,” said Dan Nova, General Partner at Highland Capital Partners.
So here’s to Coremetrics staying in the game and going after their competition with a renewed vengeance!
