So you’ve made the decision to implement Web analytics. Or perhaps marketing is providing some colourful dashboard reports for use in management meetings, but you’re wondering about more than just campaign successes. Web analytics are your organizations best Leading Indicator for metrics and benchmarking.
Effectively used Web Analytics can help your organization in more areas than just marketing. Correctly deployed, they can help HR understand recruiting programs, operations to plan for shifts and material input issues and shipping for seasonal trends. In this vein, marketing should not be the only ones looking at your Web Analytics.
Web Analytics are real-time, in fact they are the most real-time indicator your company will ever have. And they impact all aspects of your organization to help you make strategic and tactical decisions. This applies to government, large and small businesses and non-profit organizations.
With any client I encourage them to assign the Analytics to an individual or team to review the numbers and interpret the findings on a regular basis. Get your business involved, a “team” can consist of representation from Marketing, Finance, HR and Operations. The process usually involves providing the reports 2-3 days before scheduled meetings, reviewing key cross-functional numbers and generating a subsequent report for senior management.
An added benefit to this approach is building inter-departmental relationships so that each area better understands the issues that are important to them. This fosters a more collaborative work environment and may lead to increased productivity.