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.
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
Yahoo! announced yesterday that it was acquiring IndexTools, (original post). Having been build from the ground up for flexibility and data analysis IndexTools is a robust analytics platform, i.e. it is superior (and a bit more complex) than Google Analytics. The platform itself offers less canned analysis, which then puts the hones on analysts to think more about their data, to help discover actionable insights. Since Yahoo, Google, & MSN are such fierce competitors in today’s web space I imagine that Yahoo! will offer this as a “Freemium” solution, where some functionality is offered to small and mid-sized businesses at no cost and incremental services will be available at a reasonable cost.
Competition Heats Up
How will this acquisition affect Google Analytics & Microsoft’s Ad Center? Yahoo!’s Michael Wexler, unofficially states that they’re approaching the market from a different angle. The goal, he as he describe it is to provide all users of Yahoo! products, (development, advertiser, shopping, and end user products) to analyze usage data in a comprehensive way to derive optimal use. He goes on to compliment Google Analytics’ success as a basic tool, but criticizes that it’s not designed for people that “really want to understand their data, nor is it aimed at the variety of ways people can work with Google (it ignores all that API stuff, for example).” Wexler views IndexTools as “the foundational start to understanding not just marketing and its impact on site behavior, but how to understand you online site usage to achieve your goals…”
The interesting play here is how this will undercut the other free offerings from Goolgle & MSN, but I expect it to have little impact if any to the enterprise solutions. On the other hand Eric Peterson has different take on the matter. As Eric puts it “this one is potentially the permanent game changer.” Time will tell.
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!
