Tracking Analysis Reporting

Analysing and reporting (and the tracking that makes it possible) is seldom done for eCampaigning, and yet is can provide the insight and information necessary both to improve eCampaigning activity, and to convince managers' of its importance.

This topic proposes to enable participants to both discuss how to make it happen and how it can be used.

Event Notes

Basic web stats to monitor

Site visits and page views provide basic data.

Page hits are meaningless measure of traffic because based on number of images on a page.

MSF - Look for spikes in site traffic on a daily and even hourly basis - possible to see the effects of PR and Media activity on site traffic - MSF is using this to develop their relationship with media co.

Also by directing traffic back to your website from broadcast emails - better able to track response of particular campaign.

Amnesty - also monitored spikes on web traffic due to Press Releases.

Tracking techniques

Three basic ways to track traffic:

1. URL - make URLs? unique then able to track where traffic came from.
2. IP Address - when an individual browser requests info from a server this can be tracked. However IP addresses change regularly due to Broadband - can change every half hour / every session.
3. Referrer URL - monitor the URLs? of the sites visitors to your site last came from.

Most CMS Advocacy Tools offer basic reporting functions - make tracking and reporting on email campaigns relatively easy - basis data on open rates, click throughs, unsubscribes, links passed on to friends - but not what the friend goes on to do - although the friends IP address can be checked against log file.

Tracking auto thank you email also possible.

Tell a friend email - links can be tracked. Eg WaterAid?, noticing someone had forwarded an action email to loads of people in the same company, approached the company and they set up a payroll giving program there.

Open Rates not 100% accurate and should be viewed as suggestive only - an Open is measured when an image is requested from a server so only records emails opened in html with show images turned on. Also the new release of Outlook will automatically turn off images.

One way to overcome this is to provide personalised URLs? in broadcast emails - this identifies each supporter with a unique reference by-passing the issue of open rates based on Gif downloads. But must configure your system to discount eg google bots.

Google Analytics - useful tool for tracking site traffic

Alexa.com - also useful site

Hitwise.com offers site traffic analysis across many commercial and NGO organisations.

No data protection for companies in Europe. It only applies to individuals.

Generating site traffic

Search Engines are single biggest driver of traffic - 20-30 % of traffic comes via search engines. Also very cost effective.

Key word advertising also effective.

What about buying ads on commercial sites that have link to your campaign issue.

Check out Blogs that discuss your issues - icerocket.com, pumpsub, technorati.com offer blog searches. Post comments or send emails to likeminded blogs - they may even run your alerts.

Google give free ad space to charity sector - these ads are run on corporate sites when no other paid for ads available.

Search engine optimisation techniques

Search engine registration important - re-register once a year.

Must ensure web pages are search engine friendly:

• Use keyword descriptions in metatags for every page.
• Ensure key words in first few sentences on every page.
• Use CSS layout (ie style instructions are off site).
• Use descriptive names for links instead of click here.
• Including many links to other sites will give you a higher Google ranking.

Bid on words not deemed valuable by commercial sector.

Ask all staff to contribute to list of all possible words - include misspellings and all possible combinations.

Use Google links checker to see what sites link to your site - then back check on those sites to maximise good quality links and limit potentially damaging links. Increased Link popularity of your site can even generate additional search engine traffic to your site.

Web companies offering search engine optimisation overcharge - better to do it yourself.

Searchenginewatch.com - provides non-techy info on how search engines work and best practices to adopt.

Google Analytics is a free and useful tool which tracks user behaviour to determine which features keep visitors on the site and which ones make them leave. It allows you to figure out what keywords attract visitors, which promotions hold on to customers and how to design Web pages that draw attention.

Buying Keywords

Use Overture.com (Yahoo's ad network) and Google to identify what search terms to bid on.

Encourage all departments in your organisation to buy key words related to their lower level pages - don't rely on home page keywords.

Buying ads / Affiliate schemes - if you don't have the capacity to manage your own marketing online, there are affiliates out there who will do it for you. But they're just after traffic and will do all sorts of bizarre things to get traffic.

Stats to impress your boss

1. Conversion rate (either donation or take action) is easy to track and more useful than Open rate.
2. Cost of acquisition (and retention) via online route is usually very good. Amnesty achieved cost per new member of 0.5p - forced change in marketing strategy. World Vision cited online supporters staying 7 years and donated £18 per month on average.
3. One example given where average online donations almost double offline (£11.50 vs £6).
4. Also online donors more likely than offline to select Gift Aid (80% vs 40%)
5. Online also allows cheaper, more personalised communications.
6. Average offline donor in the UK is female 55+ and getting older. Online donors are younger and more affluent. Recruiting online campaigners provides younger, cash rich audience.
7. 60% converting to electronic comms at Water Aid when invited to do so.

Online surveys

Example 1: Simple questionnaire to establish basic demographic data (6 or 7 questions)

Questionnaire be run annually - but very low responses have been experienced.

However simple online surveys are not representative as responders self select - but any data is better than no data.

Example 2:

70,000 member organisation achieved 20% response rate to online survey using in-house survey tool. Small incentive helped boost response and winner of competition featured in newsletter. Online surveys also goo way to build focus groups.

Example 3:

List building - small charity ran national survey campaign to find out public attitudes to their issue. Used local radio (cheap media) to promote - gave phone no, sms, web. 18,000 responses in 1 day. 65% via internet, 15% via sms.

Sharing our experience

There was general agreement that it would be useful to post tips on tracking and analysis on the Wiki on an on going basis for all to access and add comments. Subjects to be covered:

1. The things to track
2. The cheap or free tools available.
3. Comments of issues with the tool
4. General tips for creating effective sites.

Interested Participants

comments:

... -- Wed, 18 Jan 2006 06:17:49 -0600 reply
Karina Oxfam GB