Why is there a certain ‘voodoo’ associated with web metrics and analysis? I would think most business owners and marketers when asked “do you need better analysis tools to measure your campaign effectiveness?” would immediately raise their hands. We all want better measurement of our $’s performance but are averse to understanding the data mechanics or even how to go about generating an insightful report.
This ‘Far Side’ comic reminds me of a company I previously worked for. This was the typical response from fellow marketers when asked what kind of metric reporting is being done to measure campaigns. Simply, no one wanted to own the metrics data or be held responsible for reporting it.
The Wikipedia explanation of the phrase origin “Lies, damned lies, and statistics” states the following:
- “…the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, and the tendency of people to disparage statistics that do not support their positions.”
There lies our second issue; the numbers are accurate but the interpretation and usage by the individual can sometimes be suspect.
In this three part series, it is my intention to dispel this voodoo and to provide a methodology for evaluating and measuring the success of your online program .
Part 1: Keep it simple – Too much data is just that – too much data!
By 1969 in Vietnam, the kill ratio for American jets during dog fights was plummeting. At one time, 20 to 30 enemy planes were shot down for every one US jet. By the end of the decade the ratio was one to three. American jets and their technology were far superior to the Russian Mig Jets but a disturbing trend was happening.
When they interviewed the pilots that were highly successful in air to air combat, they found something in common. As fighter information technology advanced, so did the pilot’s dashboard and instruments. The successful pilots identified and focused on a few instruments; ignoring the rest. One successful pilot had even taped over redundant instruments. In the engagement of the air enemy, life or death decisions were based on key critical information.
Most web analytics software programs, Omniture, Google, etc. offer the user so MUCH information in their web marketing dashboard to send the user screaming down the hall in frustration. Keep it simple and too much data is just that – too much data.
~Michael Senger
Next Week: Part 2 – Where do I begin to start analyzing web data?
