Web Analytics, Management Information, ANSWERS! by Miles Bennett - A TargetStone Brand

Abbey and MBNA win the award for first phising email in 2009!

Miles Bennett — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Ok, what is a phising email I hear you ask. Right here is the wikipedia definition....

"In the field of ...

Facebook Group - For Our Armed Forces Heroes

Miles Bennett — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:52:00 +0000

A good friend of mine Bob Spour (http://cli.gs/WWWdPB) recently invited me to a Facebook group which promoted the ...

ClickZ's 10 Most Popular Experts' Columns of 2008

Miles Bennett — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:12:00 +0000

ClickZ has recently published an article where it says the 10 Most Popular Expert's Columns. Now I'm a little confused ...

Public Opinion Voting

Miles Bennett — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:50:00 +0000

Now I'm sure that there are a lot of people know about two of the biggest shows on British television ...

eConsultancy's Christmas Party

Miles Bennett — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:09:00 +0000

December is always the time of the party's and as I missed last year's eConsultancy party I was not going to miss this years. Ashley and the team always put on a really good show. They also managed to intertwine this with their Innovation awards.

Paul Cook and PositiveFeedback were awarded the innovation award for new product development for their TagMan solution. Now this is a solution which effectively by-passes the need to formal IT change management (we all know how long that can take and I think that from talking to colleagues in the WAA and around the UK - financial services are certainly not the best at that). From using javascript you can edit the section where the tag is placed and change the page parameters instantly.

Obviously, with a tool like this you need to be able to measure the page itself and note when they were changed and whether there was an increase in conversion - especially if you are changing the page title and the url structure for search engine optimisation purposes.

TargetStone Limited is proud to be a TagMan / PositiveFeedback partner.

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There was a very interesting conversation with Mark Patron (CEO for RedEye), Mike (BSkyB), Ashley (eConsultancy) and myself and we were discussing the benefits of segmentation and integrating non-web analytics data e.g. CRM. Now this is something which was also mentioned at great length at the Customer Analytics conference arranged by Henry Stewart Events back in April. Here we had a representative from Game talking how they were doing segmentation on their customer base (using their reward card as the customer identifier). Using this methodology they were also able measure online and offline behaviour.

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Mobile Marketing

I did have another very interesting conversation with a few mobile marketing experts (Dave Riley, Jana Ulaite and Anne Storeide). Now lets look at the situation in UK - we've got cheap mobile broadband available from all providers (no longer just available to business), we've got mobile broadband with push email technology, we've got the iPhone (which I'm currently getting used to - shame o2 didn't tell me that its not compatible with Office 2000 nor tell me about some of the finer prints of the terms and conditions but, I'll blog about that later).

So we're now in a situation where we can get instant internet anywhere and everywhere (well maybe not when on the London underground). However, how many of us check our banking balances online or make payments via their mobile? Despite the banks providing mobile services how many of us consumers take advantage of them? Have a look at www.barclays.mobi .

Now I must emphasise that this is not a new concept. I remember back in 1997/8 I had a friend called Jon D'Cruz and he was able to check his balance via text message (colour, WAP and XHTML compatible phones weren't around then).

Anyway, getting back to the conversation. Dave, Jana and Anne were all talking about the innovations in mobile marketing / entertainment however, they predict that this is something that won't take off till around 2010. I wonder what you all think of that statement? Please comment to this blog.

Finally,

Just want to say a thank-you to Ashley and the e-Consultancy team.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Dennis Mortensen's Book Available for Pre-Order

Miles Bennett — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:31:00 +0000

All,

Well little has been known about the Yahoo Web Analytics tool (ne Indextools). I'm sure a good portion of ...

Danny Meadows-Klue joins Board of Commissioners at the Direct Marketing Commission

Miles Bennett — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:26:00 +0000

Direct Marketing Commission is the new independant regulator for direct marketing in the UK. The definition of direct marketing has historically meant telephony and "snail-mail" advertisements. No Longer!!!

"Direct Marketing Channels can be defined as:

Direct Mail: personally addressed mail posted direct to you

Emails: personal emails sent to you

Telemarketing: calls from a company offering products or services

Leaflets, circulars and free publications: unaddressed communications and items delivered house to house by hand, including brochures, catalogues, local directories, money-off coupons and product samples (including items delivered with free local newspapers and unaddressed items delivered by Royal Mail)

Inserts: leaflets and catalogues inserted into paid for magazines, newspapers and supplements plus third party communications inserted within addressed communications such as statements and bills

People Marketing/Demonstrations: people giving out samples or promoting a product or service in the street or in a shopping centre

Customer Magazines: written for customers offering advice and information on the company’s products and services (e.g. Sky, Sainsbury’s, the AA)

Television and Radio Advertising: that gives a contact number, website address or that invites some action such as ‘see in store for details’

Newspapers and Magazine Display Advertising: (NOT customer magazines or inserts) that give a contact number, website address, or that invite you to ‘see in store for details’

Mobile Messaging: communications via your mobile phone inviting you to respond to a text message or use your mobile to respond to a communication received via another method

Interactive TV: using the red button on your TV to respond to or buy from advertisements or offers

Internet/Online Banner Advertising: a form of online display advertising where an advertisement appears on a web page; this is usually a graphic image containing advertising content. It is intended to attract visitors to a website by linking them to the website of the advertiser.

Place-based media: any invitation to participate in direct marketing ‘outside the home’ that appears on posters or inside/in close proximity to offices, stores, airports, educational and other activity centres."

Clearly this is something that we all need to be aware of and I'd recommend you read their code of practise. Unfortunately, I cannot provide the PDF as this is for members only.

Anyway, the main reason for writing this blog (two in two days....!!! a record for me) is because my friend Danny Meadows-Klue sent me an email updating me on his activities. He's now being appointed to the Board of Commissioners of the DMC.

CONGRATULATIONS DANNY!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation or membership of the DMA and this article is my comments and opinion only. I provide the links in this article for your information only and have no responsibility for the content of the DMA site. The work that I did for the DMA back in 1997 was on a contract basis.

Applied Insights joins Foviance

Miles Bennett — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:24:00 +0000

Applied Insights are to join forces with Foviance and Neil Mason is going to become their Director of Analytics Consulting. ...

Marketing Analytics Event - OFFLINE AND ONLINE DATA

Miles Bennett — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:34:00 +0100

The 24th April was a very busy day for me. Firstly I was speaking at Henry Stewart Evans' Marketing Analytics event. Unfortunately, I missed most the presentations but, I did see a very interesting one from GAME and the work that they are doing with 5one on segmenting their customers to 1. get a better understanding and 2. market to them as individuals.

YAHOO! Buys Indextools! (Press Release)

Miles Bennett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:56:00 +0100

Yahoo! Announces Agreement to Acquire IndexTools' Analytics Business

Acquisition intended to enhance platform for comprehensive Web
analytics and extend offerings ...

YAHOO! Buys Indextools! (Omniture's Response)

Miles Bennett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:55:00 +0100

“This is a very late move by Yahoo! into providing a web analytics offering to its customers which Google ...

YAHOO! Buys Indextools!

Miles Bennett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:54:00 +0100

Google redefined the analytics market in late 2005 with the release of a free, re-branded version of the Urchin reporting ...

WAA Event - London 20th March - #1

Miles Bennett — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:46:00 +0000

As Regional Coordinator of the Web Analytics Association for the entire UK I am responsible for delivering member value and ...

YAHOO! Full Analytics - How to implement right!

Miles Bennett — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:40:00 +0000

I am sure that everyone, like myself, has registered for many blogs and once in a while they get ...

Miles Bennett receives an award from the Web Analytics Association

Miles Bennett — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Miles Bennett has recently received a lovely award from the Web Analytics Association. So thanks to Jim Sterne, Brian Induni ...

RedEye Event - Jim Sterne.

Miles Bennett — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 12:59:00 +0000

I'm always a great fan of RedEye seminars. I've been going to many of them since I got into web ...

WAA Event - Montague on the Gardens, London

Miles Bennett — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 12:52:00 +0000

Jim Sterne was in town and a number of weeks ago he contact myself and Neil Mason (International Director of ...

WAA International Committee

Miles Bennett — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:39:00 +0100

The WAA's International Director, Neil Mason, has set up a team of web analytics professionals (mainly in the EMEA ...

Market Motive - a new organisation to teach internet marketing

Miles Bennett — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:13:00 +0100

Just received an email from John Marshall (founder of ClickTracks) who has now set up a training consultancy on a ...

I'm Back

Miles Bennett — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:28:00 +0100

I appreciate that people may be thinking I’m neglecting my readers by not posting on this blog. However, lots ...

Competitor Insight / Intelligence

Miles Bennett — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:09:00 +0100

More and more companies are going online and saying "Hey I need a website. Great way to earn money and its a lower cost per acquisition and in the long run a cheaper sales/marketing channel than telephony or retail/branch". Consumers are a lot more savvy with the

Web Analytics - Understanding and Accountability

Miles Bennett — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:15:00 +0100

Following my post the other day I've just come across another article from Fred Aun about a Web Analytics Association research papers that has been released. I have not read the full report (mainly because I'm writing this from Greece and I'm supposed to be on holiday relaxing - have a cold beer in my hand so that isn't too bad. ;-))

Jobs, Accountability and the Unknown.

Miles Bennett — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:43:00 +0100

Jason Burby has recently written about whether web analysts are accountable for the results that they publish. Now in terms of accountabilities how

Peterson goes it alone!!!

Miles Bennett — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:48:00 +0100

Well I remember seeing a post a few months back when someone was talking about the likelihood of Avinash going into consultancy... They did this rather comical graph of things like - man getting use of the right side of his brain to understand women (impossible!?), the human race successfully populating the titan moon (1000,000,000:1) and Avinash going it alone (1:1)...

Wonder what the odds were on Eric going into consultancy....

Well, we all wish you well..

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs! - Consultants! Consultants! Consultants!

Miles Bennett — Wed, 02 May 2007 23:01:00 +0100

Anil has recently posted a blog about the number of web analysts jobs that have been advertised recently. They have increased considerably over the past two years but, what (in the UK at least) is missing from Anil's report is that companies do not know what they are looking

Online sales to reach £78bn by 2010

Miles Bennett — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:45:00 +0100

IMRG has carried out some research which shows that the popularity of the internet as a sales channel continues to grow. The amount spent in 2007 will be equivalent to all sales in the West End (multiplied by nine!!). Global e-retail figures for 2007 are expected to be £250bn.

Top Ten Blogs - Avinash Kaushik

Miles Bennett — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:31:00 +0100

Avinash has listed the top ten blogs for web analysts to read - Occam's Razor is number one (and quite rightly so). For those that don't know (and I had to ask Avinash at the post eMetrics London dinner what Occam's Razor is) it is the theory of

"The principle states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating, or "shaving off," those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory. "

Wikipedia

However, I would like to say two congratulations. The first to my fellow European and my new friend (poor woman was subjected to my presentation on web analytics and financial services at the end of two days of presentations) - Aurelie Pols. She's moved up a notch in the top blogs.

Welcome to Anil Batra who has snatched the number ten spot.

If anyone is wondering why I am not on that list. It is because I've only being blogging a couple of months and have spent a lot more time updating my website on web analytics and management information. Nevertheless, I will be blogging more often from now on.

Top Ten Blogs:

1. Occam’s Razorby Avinash Kaushik
2. Web Metrics Guru by Marshall Sponder
3. Google Analytics Blog by Jeff Gills
4. Web Analytics World by Manoj Jasra
5. Eric T. Peterson’s Analytics Weblog by Eric Peterson
6. Increasing your website’s conversion rate by Robbin Steif
7. Unofficial Google Analytics Blog by Michael Harrison
8. Lies, Damned Lies…by Ian Thomas
9. WebAnalytics.be Blog by Aurélie Pols
10. Web Analysis, Behavioral Targeting and Advertising by Anil Batra

Leaving Comments

Miles Bennett — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:05:00 +0100

I've updated the settings so that you can now leave comments on your favourite blogs. If you have a comment or a follow up question then please ask it there (as others may be thinking the same thing as you). I'll regularly look at peoples' comments and post my replies to the blog. If you want to ask me something outside the blog then my email address is miles at milesbennett dot co dot uk.

Please note that when leaving a comment there is a username and password field. You do not have to enter anything.

Comments are moderated.

Miles

Natural Search vs. Paid Search

Miles Bennett — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 11:01:00 +0100

eConsultancy has just sent over one of their regular emails which a very interesting article about the British preference for using natural search rather than paid for search.

eConsultancy article.

What they are saying is that the 43% of internet users surveyed know the difference between paid for an organic and that "nine out of ten British customers prefer natural search results, and many lack trust in paid search".

More interestingly the article also tells us that - 58% would immediately go to a competitors site if the search results displayed something negative (now the article doesn't specify what "negative" means but, assuming it could be anything from spelling mistakes to google-bombing). The remaining 42% would abandon the search altogether.

"Seven out of ten British consumers will not click through to a company's website if search results contain negative comments about them. This must mean that McDonalds' site gets very few UK visitors."

Interestingly, this echos something that Mr Search (Mike Grehan) was talking about a couple of years ago when I met him at a RedEye seminar. Companies should spend a lot less on paid for search and concentrate on deploying a SEO programme.

Looking at it from a financial services point of view. We are an industry where customers buy products like loans and credit cards frequently (much driven by rate-tarts) but, rarely change their current account or mortgage because they like the perceived relationship/security with their bank. I'll try and find some solid research on this in the coming weeks and either write an article for milesBENNETT website or post it up here.

eMetrics 2007 London

Miles Bennett — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:34:00 +0100

I'm probably one of the last people to blog on a fantastic two days (I'm sure my mum is thinking, analytics a fun thing, I keep trying to convince her it is).

Some fantastic presentations -

Neil Mason (always an entertaining presenter and a good mate- talked about using customer data to build a more personal site and thus a more effective sales engine),

Avinash (his presentation style showed he was passionate about his subject - talking about competitor analysis for gaining a competitive edge),

Sam from Chinwag (the benefits of effective email marketing measurement),

Geraldine Tosh (my friend talking about how analytics have helped her company ipoints, make an effective presence online),

Matt Banks (how Lloyds TSB is using touch clarity for segmented targeting),

Dan O'Sullivan (another friend of mine and like me his first emetrics and first presentation) - he had the hard job of presenting in the big auditorium whereas I got the easy classroom style.

Ofcourse, there were the golden nuggest of information coming from Jim himself and the suppliers aswell. I got introduced to IndexTools and their COO Dennis Mortensen - seems like they have a really good re-seller package. Was always pleased to see my friends from WebSideStory (Simon Gibbard) and the SAS boys (Jono, Mal, Simon).

The dinner and drinks on the first night were really entertaining - apart from the 1am finish and the 4am start because I was so nervous and tweeking my presentation to the last minute. Oh, incidentally to those fabulous people who managed to last till 4.30 to come hear me talk about financial services - Ton, Reinholt, Dan, Peeter, Aurelie, Jerome, Andre and Maurizio. There were a few others but they didn't leave cards so can't mention them on here (but thank-you for attending anyway) - I'll post my presentation in PDF format on the milesBENNETT website so you can get the finalised version. I'll also put the Skinkers video on the site so you can view it in full (I stopped after the financial services element).

Thank-you again to Avinash and John Marshall (CEO of Clicktracks) for a fantastic evening meal and great conversation afterwards. I'm sorry I wasn't able to stay up till 4am like Jim but, there is always a next time......