Consumer data that pays off
A wide range of user data is available for online marketing, making it possible to tailor websites to users’ needs and requirements. Google Analytics, the Swiss market leader, provides us with this data free of charge and is continually expanding its list of features. There is a commercial strategy behind this expansion.
Google Analytics recently launched five new features. The "Digital Attribution" feature is reserved for companies that are willing to pay $ 150,000 per year to use Google Analytics Premium. Of the remaining four, three features are particularly valuable: "Browser Size Analysis", "Event Flow User Timings" and "Content Experiments".
What do visitors see on the screen?
The content "above the fold" (in the direct viewing area in the browser window) is, among other things, a decisive Google ranking criterion. Due to the numerous devices with different resolutions, it is difficult to determine what the "average" visitor sees. The "Browser Size Analysis" feature visualizes the viewing areas "above the fold" and provides important input for the design and search engine optimization of the website.
What leads to higher conversion rates?
Experience and common sense reveal the obvious optimization potential of a website, but when it comes to details such as the color of the shopping cart button, even experienced conversion optimizers are often surprised. Comparing two static versions of a page with A/B testing reveals visitor preferences. The new "Content Experiments" feature simplifies such A/B testing. Code adjustments are hardly necessary, the set-up is simple. At the moment, the functionalities are still limited, but according to Google, they will be continuously expanded.
Applications that get on your nerves
Slow websites are not only annoying, they also have a hard time appearing at the top of the search results. The "User Timings" feature measures the time span of actions on the website, for example:
- Loading time of plug-ins
- Duration of actions such as processing a search query
- Loading time of AJAX content.
This feature is particularly valuable for responsive design websites that
Dynamically reload content via AJAX.
Google makes itself indispensable
Attractive features are used to expand the Google Analytics market share at the expense of competitors. Analysis features are integrated into Google Analytics. The paid premium feature "Digital Attribution" is a first indication that Google will charge money for the still free business-relevant features as soon as its market position allows. In the absence of equivalent alternatives, we will follow Google down the path it has laid out for us, for better or worse.
The blog entry provides detailed information about all the new Google Analytics features:
Blog.dotpulse.ch
Imre Sinka & Nicolas Kaufmann
dotpulse web agency AG
www.dotpulse.ch
