How to excite people about web analytics

In today's digital age, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the challenge of harnessing the full potential of their websites to drive business growth. Many businesses rely on web analytics to gather data and insights about their online presence. However, simply presenting raw data to stakeholders without context or purpose can be overwhelming and fail to create meaningful impact. To address this issue, this blog post will provide practical tips and strategies for SME owners and employees to leverage web analytics effectively, with the goal of driving outcomes and measuring impact.

#1: Do something surprising: Don't puke data out

When it comes to engaging stakeholders with web analytics, the key is to avoid overwhelming them with an avalanche of raw data. Instead, start by asking the client specific questions that tie their job and their life to the website.

"Please tell me a little bit about your job"

Or

"What's one question you wish you could get answered about your website, or what is one thing you would wish to learn about your website visitors."

By understanding their perspective and needs, you can tailor your analysis to provide them with the answers they seek. Think of it as serving them a delicious meal rather than regurgitating a pile of ingredients. By delivering insights that are specifically relevant to them, you can capture their attention and engage them in a more meaningful way.

#2: Start with Outcomes / Measure impact, not visits

Web analytics is not solely about tracking the number of website visits. It should be about measuring the impact on the business's bottom line. Focus on the outcomes that matter most to the organization, such as revenue generated or leads acquired. Analogously, imagine you're a pilot evaluating the success of a flight. Instead of fixating on the number of passengers onboard, you'd assess whether the plane reached its destination safely and on time. By measuring impact, you can align web analytics with business objectives and demonstrate its true value.

#3: Create heroes & data evangelists

Driving change and adoption of web analytics across an entire organization can be challenging. Instead of trying to convince everyone at once, identify a key individual or department that can benefit from web analytics insights. Work closely with them, helping them leverage the data to achieve their goals. Once others witness the success and value generated by this individual or team, they will be more open to embracing web analytics themselves. Just like a ripple effect, this approach can gradually spread the culture of data-driven decision-making throughout the organization.

#4: Use customers and competitors

To persuade key decision-makers in the organization, utilize the power of customers and competitors. The highest-paid person's opinion (HIPPO) will always pay attention to what customers are saying. By leveraging customer feedback and insights gathered through web analytics, you can demonstrate the value of making data-informed decisions. Additionally, highlighting how competitors are leveraging web analytics to gain a competitive advantage can serve as a powerful motivator for your organization to invest in and prioritize web analytics initiatives.

#5: To make it exciting, make it fun

Engaging employees in the world of web analytics doesn't have to be dull and tedious. To make the process exciting, consider organizing an A/B test contest within your organization. Encourage employees to guess the uplift resulting from different website changes or experiments. Those who come closest to predicting the outcome earn points, creating a friendly competition. Display a scoreboard to add an element of fun and foster a sense of involvement and enthusiasm. By infusing an element of gamification, you can make web analytics more accessible and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Conclusion:

Web analytics has the power to transform SMEs by providing valuable insights and driving meaningful outcomes. By following the strategies outlined in this blog post, SME owners and employees can unlock the full potential of web analytics, going beyond the mere presentation of data. By engaging stakeholders, measuring impact, creating data evangelists, utilizing customer insights, and making the process more fun will ultimately increase the success of any web analytics and digital strategy endeavor.