Ambient and Transparent

Questions I always hear with regards to SEO and marketing optimization:

• How does Google Analytics improve my search engine optimization (SEO)?
• How can I get more out of my SEO?
• What is the real effect of ranking on search engines for my business?

I am hoping the case study below will shed some light on these questions. If you apply a similar analysis you can help your customer, manager, or whoever is delaying your SEO effort. But instead of answering “the importance of ranking” question, maybe something more quantifiable and measurable might get your decision makers’ attention! How about “how does ranking on a specific keyword, or lack thereof, impact the bottom line?” Answering such questions will help us make the most of our marketing spend during these tough economic times and help us do a more effective job in marketing and campaign optimization.

I’ll use real time data and analysis but won’t mention the name of the website for privacy reasons. Here are the details:

• Website type: eCommerce
• The website used to rank near the top of Google on two competitive keywords until August 2008.
• Historically, these two keywords have driven traffic to the site. For a specific time period, these two keywords drove 5,684 visits and led to 46 conversions for a 0.81% conversion rate.

If you have your Google Analytics eCommerce features properly configured and working, the above data is easily accessible under the Traffic Sources -> Search Engines -> Non-paid report. The inline filter was used to get data for just these two keywords.

• We then start examining the time period when the ranking for these two keywords took a big hit.
• Next, using the date comparison function in Google Analytics, we compared the traffic generated by these two keywords for this year with poor ranking versus last year with better ranking. Here is the result:

The table on the left is for one of their keywords and the table on the right is for the other. As you can see, a significant drop in visits in 2008, 4471 to be exact. So the negative impact of the drop in SEO ranking was less opportunities to make sales on their primary keywords!

• The 4471 visits might be a small percentage of the overall website traffic but when you put a dollar sign next to it, we typically react to it more quickly. Take the 4471 visits and multiply it by your average conversion rate for these keywords, which is 0.81%, and then multiply by the average order value, which is $846.
• 4471 x 0.0081 = 36 lost sales
• 36 x $846 = $30,456 of lost revenue!

Now one can argue that this number is not accurate because of many factors BUT the findings are very actionable! If I were to present this analysis to my boss or client, I would add 2-3 other scenarios:

• Scenario 1, with a higher conversion rate of 1.62% after improving the design and usability of the site, the lost revenue would be $60,852. (ouch!)
• Scenario 2, with a lower average order value and the existing conversion rate of 0.81%, our lost revenue would have been $15,228.
• You could create a table to show the range. The main point is that there was between $15K and $60K of lost revenue. In tough economic times, wouldn’t you rather have that revenue?

Depending on your company size, marketing budget, and other factors, the $30K might be a significant number or it might be a rounding error. But at the end of the day, $30K of lost revenue is $30K of lost revenue, especially in times like these where cutting cost and marketing optimization is more important than ever. By doing similar analysis, you can find other lost sales opportunities, monetize them, and get some corrective actions underway.

I think you can take this analysis to a business owner or marketing manager, and I am pretty sure they would get the SEO effort prioritized.

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: actionability, actionable insight, conversion, google analytics, integrated marketing, marketing strategy, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, tips for internet consultants, web analytics

Here at E-Nor, we recently completed a project for the The Learning Community (TLC), which happens to be a collection of links to informational websites, articles, and videos based on different subjects that affect child development.  Their mission - to provide that “children’s manual” parents never seem to receive with the baby!

The project initially started in December of 2007 as a conversion of their original pure HTML site to Dotnetnuke (open-source Content Management System), but ended up turning into a significant redesign and restructuring project.

The services we provided were:

• Basic online marketing consultation
• Creating a new, brighter aesthetic look.
• Implementing a different site-structure based on our understanding of their users flow.  (We also took some tips from their more successful and professional competitors, such as the commercial magazine www.parenting.com)
• Improving their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by cleaning up their meta tags and recommending some content enhancements. Their site is now on the first page of Google for some keywords when previously it was nowhere to be found.
• Helping promote their videos on Youtube.
• Cleaning up their Google Analytics setup to properly track where visitors are coming from, which external sites they are going to, and which PDFs they are downloading.

Oh yah, I forgot to mention the project was done PRO BONO. We had a great working relationship with the client, in that any work we recommended, if they could find volunteers to implement, they did, which saved us time.  Any technical implementation we could throw in, we did, and they practically understood that since the work was pro bono, it would take priority accordingly with respect to our other projects.

E-Nor encourages our clients, partners, and blog readers to support non-profits.  Though altruism may already be inline with your corporate and personal values, a year’s worth of pro-bono work may scare even the most giving of companies and people.  However, here are some benefits you may not have considered (in no particular order):

1. Necessity is the mother of innovation. The nature of non-profits is that their revenue is limited yet they provide great services to the community. Thus, they may require strong functions for their site. You’ll be forced to learn valuable work-arounds when their budget may not cover high end modules or spending, giving you great ideas for options when you need to close a sale with those paying clients who are a little tighter with their money.
2. Practice makes perfect. Just like anything you do in life, the more you do it the better you will get. You can chalk this pro bono run as practice. For us, TLC being a year project, it strengthened and even expanded our research on techniques, functions, modules, etc, that we can now apply to all our sites!
3. A non-profit “word-of-mouth” could still lead to profit. We know that as technology evolves, so does marketing. If Google has taught us anything, free services and products actually go a long way in branding and exposure, and could result in lucrative opportunities in the future. Non-profits do have friends that could end up being your paying clients with the right referral. And because your existing relationship had no financial motives, the trust and rapport has already been built.
4. Had a bad day? They’ll pick you up. For all those clients who didn’t see the extra work you did for them and who complained instead of showing gratitude, you could expect the opposite for your non-profit pro bono clients. They can’t help but see the void you filled for them and be grateful for it.
5. Testimonials. Along the same lines as the above, a testimonial will virtually be an everyday occurrence if you’re doing your job right.
6. Pat yourself on the back.  You did a good deed! Because of the site you provided for a parenting non-profit or a domestic violence shelter, a lost parent now has a little bit of direction or a helpless victim is a little bit safer.
7. Experimentation (with the permission of the client). Since your client doesn’t have dollars riding on this project, they are more likely to allow you to do light experimentation on it, within reason of course. Not only are they more comfortable since no hard earned grant money is at risk, but that also means there’s a more flexible timeline for you to play with the site. For example, if you see a new module you wanted to try or your organization is new to analytics and you need a site to try it on, especially if the end result could possibly benefit your client, non-profit free sites may in fact welcome experimentation. Don’t forget to back up, though!

written by Farid Alhadi \\ tags: dotnetnuke, internet consulting, marketing strategy, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, tips for internet consultants, web design

Back in November of 2006, our friends at GA Experts posted a method to get detailed PPC keyword data from Google Analytics. This method involved creating a seperate profile and using some intimidating but powerful filters. I really liked and referenced this method because it isolated the changes to a single profile and didn’t involve any updates to the GA tracking code. Obviously I would prefer if this feature came built-in to GA but at least now you could get to some very useful data with very little work.

As Google Analytics was updated over time, the way the filters were using Custom Field 1 was no longer possible and so the profile broke. The smart folks over at ROI Revolution came up with another way to get to the exact PPC keyword data using the User Defined field and adding 2 lines to the GA tracking code. This was a great solution and probably suitable for a lot of people. However, I preferred not having to update the tracking code (this can be very difficult on some client sites), saving the User Defined field for other uses, and also being able to isolate the keyword extraction and concatenation to one profile.

I still see some blogs referring to the original method that doesn’t work anymore so one day I tried playing with the original filters approach and after 2 months of observing the data, it appears to be working correctly. Please follow these screenshots & instructions to give it a try for yourself.

Filter 1 - look at only paid traffic data.

1. From your account, click on Filter Manager.
2. Click on Add Filter.
3. Give it a name such as Data Filter - PPC.
4. Filter type is custom filter.
5. Select on the Include option.
6. The filter field should be Campaign Medium.
7. The filter pattern can be cpc|ppc
8. Click on Save Changes.

Filter 2 - extract the actual keyword that was typed and concatenate it to the paid keyword that was matched.

1. Assuming you are still in the Filter Manager, click on Add Filter.
2. Give it a name such as Data Filter - PPC Keywords.
3. Filter type is custom filter.
4. Select the Advanced option.
5. Field A -> Extract A should be set to Referral and the value needs to be (\?|&)(q|p|query)=([^&]*)
6. Field B -> Extract B should be set to Campaign Term and the value needs to be (.*)
7. Output -> Constructor should be set to Campaign Term and the value needs to be $B1 - ($A3)
8. Field A required, Field B required, and Override Output Field all need to be set to Yes.

Please click on the screenshot to view the full version.

Finally create a new profile with a name such as PPC Keywords Data and all your usual settings (default page, search settings, goals, etc). Make sure you apply these two new filters to it.

This method seems to work for Google, Yahoo, and MSN paid traffic. Below is a screenshot with sample results. Let me know if it works for you!

written by Rehan Asif \\ tags: google analytics, msn adcenter, pay per click, search engine marketing, tips for internet consultants, web analytics, yahoo search marketing

We’re pretty happy to be included on Alltop.  You might be wondering what Alltop is.  Alltop is sort of like an online magazine rack or a blog of blogs.  You can use it as a starting point to explore groups or aggregates of topics.  It can save you the work of using an RSS aggregator if you are subscribed to a ton of RSS feeds and need the incoming information to organized and sorted.

Visit http://webanalytics.alltop.com/ for exciting web analytics news and visit http://www.alltop.com/ for top stories.

written by Rehan Asif \\ tags: rss, tips for internet consultants

Don’t forget, Google released enterprise-class features for all Google Analytics accounts on Monday November 10. Implement these enhanced features and improve your analytics!

• Account Management Dashboard
• Advanced Segmentation
• Custom Reporting
• Data Export API
• Integrated Report with AdSense
• Motion Charts

Read more about these features on our original post.

Interested in learning more about Google Analytics?  Attend our upcoming Google Analytics workshop in the San Francisco Bay Area.

written by Shiraz Asif \\ tags: custom reporting, google analytics, tips for internet consultants, training, web analytics, workshop

Don’t miss out! GAACs are in town and Google is sponsoring this Web Analytics Wednesday. If you haven’t signed up yet, it is not too late to sign up here

I am pretty sure you’ll have a lot of fun, network with your industry colleagues, and even an opportunity to get some of your GA questions answered

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Venue: Gordon Biersch
Address: 640 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: google, google analytics, tips for internet consultants, web analytics, web analytics wednesday

Your website isn’t just a luxury anymore.  Save this data and improve your ROI!
Learn industry best practices for Google Analytics implementation and cutting edge techniques for marketing optimization!

Save the date and join us in our upcoming Google Analytics implementation and marketing optimization workshop. The training workshop will be held at the Westin, San Francisco Airport, from 9:00 to 4:30 and we will provide lunch.

We have some amazing feedback from our last workshop in the Bay Area (see testimonials at the end of the post) and we are doubling the dose this time around! Yes, two days of nothing than Google Analytics, from the ground up, from basics to advanced topics, including all the new and cool features recently announced by Google.

What are we planing to cover?  Day 1 is dedicated to implementation and setup, ensuring you have GA properly installed, filters, profiles, overview on reporting, the new user interface, and more.  In Day 2, not only we will cover more advanced implementation techniques such as advanced filters, event tracking, and custom segments, but we will also dive into marketing optimization, measuring and ROI, KPIs, dashboards, and much more. Please preview the detailed agenda.

Day 2 builds on the topics discussed on the first day so we recommend you attend both days to maximize your learning. If you have attended our previous Google Analytics workshop then you are ready for day 2 of this upcoming training.

You will have ample time to speak with our Google Analytics specialists and log into your account to show us issues that we can troubleshoot for you.  We will cover case studies in real time.

As an added incentive, register before Dec. 3 and receive a free copy of Web Analytics - An Hour a Day.

Again, visit our site for more information and click here to register. We have a limited capacity so reserve your seat today!

Testimonials

Hello Feras,

I wanted to thank you for yesterday’s workshop.  I found it to be immensely valuable.  I’m sorry I did not have a chance to thank you in person, but I had to leave early to catch a train back to San Francisco. Thanks again.  Please keep me posted about the advanced training. Also, a colleague of mine may be interested in attending the intro class.

L. G., Internet Communications Coordinator

I just wanted to say thank you for the most excellent and helpful seminar on Google Analytics. I learned many useful tips and tricks that I would probably never have learned otherwise w/o digging deep into some forum or random blog posting. Please do keep me in the loop for future seminars, I’ll be first in line.

E. N., Online Marketing Specialist

I want to tell you that I very much enjoyed the class and that I felt you did an excellent job.  I am less interested in the specifics of how to implement Google Analytics and more interested in what I must look for.  I want to tell you if I ever have the right client, I would recommend your firm and hope that is the case.  It was excellent all the way around and I look forward to reading the book and all the rich wealth of materials you provided.  Thank you sincerely.

R. S., Marketing Consultant

Very good, lots of good information that I didn’t know, even though I’ve been using GA for 1-1/2 years.

T. P.,  SEM Specialist

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: google analytics, integrated marketing, marketing strategy, tips for internet consultants, training, web analytics, workshop

I am looking for input from the Internet Marketing consultants attending the WSI Global conference in Las Vegas on September 16.  Social networking is the theme of the conference and I’ll be presenting on “web analytics and social networking”. The title of my session is “Analyze as you Socialize” (Arti and team get all the credit for this cool title! ).

I am known to be a last minute guy, but believe it or not, I am well ahead on this presentation and might have it all ready in the next couple of days!

I’ll be covering a number of topics, one  I know people want to hear about is “event tracking” in Google Analytics. I plan to show some reports and analysis of video tracking.  But my challenge is to meet the needs of the audience since we will have beginners, intermediate and advanced level consultants.

I would really appreciate it if you can post a comment or email me directly (feras at e-nor . com) with what you like to see in the presentation. I’ll attempt to refine the presentation to address the needs of the audience and also include references & materials that consultants can use right away.

Thank you in advance and hope to see you there!

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: event tracking, google analytics, tips for internet consultants, video analytics, web analytics

On June 14, I attended a networking event hosted by OPEN Silicon Valley. It was an all day event with an impressive list of keynote speakers and entrepreneurs, including Howard Dean (DNC Chair), Mike Mortiz from Sequoia Capital, (the VC firm that funded Google and many other big name internet brands today), Steve Westly, and many others.

I took some random notes of tips and proven practices form those that are more experienced and those with a track record of success and accomplishments. I took my notes on my Blackberry.  From the looks of some people, I felt like my teenage daughter at the dinner table when we ask her to stop text messaging :).

The notes are not very structured but I hope you find them useful as I did and pick one or two golden nuggets that would help you grow at the personal and professional level.

• Mike Moritz said when they look for start-ups and entrepreneurs, they are inclined to invest in companies that require “small” funding initially. Also companies that are about to catch a huge tail wind. They also look for companies that can have a healthy margin, so they can turn cash-flow positive quickly and reinvest in growing the company. He also looks for entrepreneurs that are big on the mission, and want to do great things for their customers.
• There was a discussion about investing in a company where the founders/key players are “young”. One of the characteristics of being young is that you are single-focused on your start-up. Mike Mortiz did acknowledge that fact, but also said they invested in companies (e.g. eHarmony) where the founder was a grandfather, but he still had the fervor and passion to accomplish his goals.

What is Success?

• A panel of successful entrepreneurs addressed this topic. The answers varied: “Having a lot of fun and make some money along the way, and also make a dent”. Others said “Success is about positive relationships”. One speaker said a key element to their success was by “always having a mentor in my life”.

Making it big without VC funding, possible?

• A session was dedicated to this topic. 5 very successful founders of now-established businesses spoke. They echoed the same themes we hear all the time. You have be optimistic and realistic. You have to work hard, long hours.. One panelist said that since he was 16 he has been waking up at 4:30am and working 14 hours/day. He does his spiritual routine, swims 40 laps, then off to the challenges. He is now in his mid 50’s and reaping the benefits of his hard work. Others attributed their success to how they built their companies around taking care of the customer, about strong relationships they have had with their customers for year after year.

I always enjoy attending such events and mingling with bright minds; you share what you know and most importantly learn from others!

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: integrated marketing, marketing strategy, tips for internet consultants

Last week I moderated a panel discussion organized by NSHMBA and hosted by Google at the Mountain View campus.

The event was well planned by NSHMBA organizers with a very impressive line of speakers:

Cisco - Guillermo Diaz, VP of Information Technology.
Oracle - Vince Casarez, VP of Product Management.
Google - Gonzalo Begazo Escobedo, US Controller.
Safeway.com - Michelle Marian, VP of Interactive Marketing.
Moderator: E-Nor - Feras Alhlou, President.

The panelist’s discussion was very insightful and offered some very practical advice to the audience. A few points that I really liked:

• Don’t be left behind! Even if you are in a non-technical field, embrace new technology and applications. Use them in your personal and professional life (blogs, social networking, wikis, etc.)
• Listen to the customer! Get end user input throughout your process. Don’t wait for your products/services to be “perfect” before you introduce them to the user. Gonzalo from Google pointed out how Google applies this a number of Google products that are released as “beta” to collect end user feedback/ideas/suggestions for improvements.
• Reach your customer where they are and again listen to their needs and wants.
• Use collaboration/connection technologies (hardware and software) to improve productivity and stay in touch with team members, especially those that work virtually in other offices or in different time zones.
• Mobile is big and will only be getting bigger… (this needs a separate post altogether!)

written by Feras Alhlou \\ tags: integrated marketing, marketing strategy, tips for internet consultants