Doug Hall, who heads up our conversion and analytics team tells you all you need to know about the problem and how to solve it.

http://www.conversionworks.co.uk/blog/2011/02/25/how-self-referrals-harm-your-web-anaytics-data/

“We’re really pleased to be working with Spurs, not only are they a great client but they have a one of the most recognized brands in the UK. We’ve already got started on helping them to role-out tests and improvements to their site”
Russell Sutton, Managing Director.

Planning your ecommerce business on known, cyclical, seasonal peaks such as holiday seasons is sound practice but something as unreliable as the weather is another thing – weather forecasting is also known as horoscopes with numbers!

One of our clients sells upmarket eye wear.  Whilst analysing their Google Analytics data, ‘gut feel’ started to hint at some weather related factors influencing sales. There were signs of correlation between temperature, rainfall and revenue metrics.  Look at this graph based on weather data and revenue figures – the data has been manipulated for privacy reasons:

It ‘feels’ like hotter weather offers better sunglasses sales. Isn’t stroking a pretty graph a bit like gazing at tea-leaves to run a business? For sure! We need something stronger. Enter Pearson’s Product Moment Coefficient…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_and_dependence#Pearson.27s_product-moment_coefficient

This intimidating sounding beast is actually a pussy cat given that most decent spreadsheets (OpenOffice) offer some sort of correlation coefficient function. Basically, comparing two sets of numbers, the formula returns 1 you have a positive linear relationship – when one variable goes up, so does the other. -1 means when one variable goes up, the other goes down, a negative linear relationship. 0 means the two sets of variables are independent, there is no correlation. The closer you are to 1 or -1, the stronger the correlation.

So, having removed data outside the 95th percentile, dropping in the values for sunglasses revenue and temperature by day yields a correlation coefficient of 0.32 indicating a positive linear relationship is present but not strongly so. With rain vs. revenue though, it looks as if the two data sets are more or less independent but with an expected lean towards a negative linear relationship of -0.15.

Although, not shown on the graph for clarity, when we plumb in the sales revenue for regular prescription eye wear with rainfall and temperature data, the correlation coefficient is much stronger than for sunglasses: -0.45 for temperature and 0.62 for rain.  Rainy, cooler weather yields stronger performance for prescription glasses rather than sunglasses.

Whilst these values are not absolutely conclusive due to small data sets, they demonstrate how we can apply statistical formulae to operate with greater sophistication, accuracy and precision compared to ‘gut feel’ when looking at external influences on our client’s businesses.   Be advised that when investigating relationships between two sets of data:  Correlation is not equal to causation; it is only a requirement for it. This means that even though sunglasses sales correlate to a reasonable degree with temperature, sunny days do not necessarily make customers buy high fashion eye wear.  You still need a great site and to market it well!

This small case study demonstrates a small set of the techniques that we have used to deliver strong performance gains to our client by combining our marketing, testing, design and technical expertise.

“We spend time with the site owner reviewing their website and giving them instant direction on where to get started. Many clients know changes and improvements need to be made to their site, but knowing where to start is the difficult part. Conversion rate optimisation and multivariate testing is the number 1 technique to increase sales and get a better ROI from your Adwords advertising, so these sessions really help to get companies started on the process.”
Russell Sutton, MD of ConversionWorks

If you would like to attend one of Google’s Conversion Clinics email russells@conversionworks.co.uk

As ‘the new guy’ in the team I have noticed on numerous occasions over the last six weeks how everyone’s passion for web analytics plays a huge part in delivering value to our clients.

A third of us are GAIQs!

This drive and enthusiasm has been translated into a small army of new GAIQs. With unavoidable alliteration I’d like to give hearty congratulations to Karen, Ken and Craig on becoming new Google Analytics Individual Qualification Certified and joining our existing GAIQs.

What does this mean for our clients?

This growth in talent and expertise translates into even more bandwidth to enable us to service our clients. With our growing phalanx Google Analytics Individual Qualification certified resources we are adding to our existing quadruple Google certification and strengthening our team.

With a third of the company now qualified in Google Analytics, Google Adwords and Google Website Optimiser we’re flush with expertise to add value to our existing clients and to your business. We’d love to talk to you about how we can help you grow your business sustainably and with the precision of data driven business decisions. Feel free to get in touch.

Our analytics team have been working with Sony Music to implement a new Google Analytics tracking system for their Brightcove video players. The new system tracks all video plays regardless of which website they’re shown on and rolls-up the data into a user friendly set of reports.

Sony Music have tens of thousands of music videos for their artists running across websites throughout Europe.  They needed an accurate an effective system for measuring and understanding how that content is watched and consumed.

Some of the artist websites that will be using the new Google Analytics system on their videos include Sade, Beyoncé, Kesha, P!nk, Susan Boyle, Foo Fighters and Michael Jackson.

If you’d like to learn more about using Google Analytics to track your video content or Brightcove players please get in touch.

Like several of the UK’s best known brands, The May Fair Hotel’s E-Commerce team understand the power of an intensive web analytics campaign coupled with multivariate testing.

They’ve commissioned ConversionWorks to run a series of multivariate tests across their website aimed at increasing conversion rates. It’s early days yet but after a rigorous review of their web analytics we’re confident that improvements can be made to deliver a more persuasive and profitable website.

Interested in learning more about multivariate testing and conversion rate optimisation?

Watch our webinar with Google or read more about how our four step optimisation process

Quality has always been of upmost importance for us. We passionately believe there is a right way and a wrong way to build a website and that quality isn’t something that’s optional.

Here are just five of the small things that go on behind the scenes when we build a site. Each has a huge impact on the quality and delivery of the end product:

1) We build accessible websites that meet the UK Disability Discrimination Act

Not only is this a legal requirement it’s also the right thing to do. Websites should be accessible to as many potential customers as possible.

2) Our code is W3C standards compliant

What does this mean?  The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the web’s governing body, setting the industry standards and guidelines for developing quality, accessible and reliable code. Our websites are built to these high standards.

3) Our websites are cross browser compatible

Our websites work in Firefox 2+, Internet Explorer 6+, Safari 3+, Opera 9+ What browser do you use? Does your website work on a PC and a Mac? Did you think about this? I’m sure your customers do when they can’t get your website to work!

4) We build Google friendly websites

From the ground up our websites are built with Google in mind.  This is something we passionately believe is important which is why we follow Google’s 37 page document for search engine friendly website development.

5) We love relationships

We love relationships and like to work with you as partners and not simply suppliers.  The more involved we are with your team the more passionate we become about delivering a website that truly works.

Any questions about how we like to go the extra mile and pay attention to the detail get in touch. You can email me at yousafa@webexpectations.com

p.s. did we forget to mention our websites make you money too? We’re Google Conversion Professionals

• Increased conversion rates
• Lower cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Improved return-on-investment (ROI) from your online advertising budgets

Google Conversion Professionals (or GCP’s as they will be known) will use the latest analytical and site optimisation tools to get real actionable insights into client’s websites. In practice this means convincing more of your site’s visitors to act and convert e.g. buy, get a quote, sign-up etc.

Russell Sutton, MD of ConversionWorks/Webexpectations featured in Google’s video launching the new GCP scheme.

Google have launched the scheme to help customers improve the performance of their websites and get more sales from their existing online marketing spend:

“We are delighted to offer our advertisers the services needed to really drive conversions and profitability. Google Conversion Professionals are industry leaders in achieving the best return on investment for online businesses. There is so much room for website improvement that I encourage websites of all sizes to consider a consultation with one of our experts.”
Alan Wrafter, Google Conversion Programme Manager.

Visit Google’s new GCP website to learn more.

Contact Us – if you would like to improve sales and the conversion rate of your website.

Lucky enough to attend it was clear that Google are putting huge emphasis on the importance of conversion rate optimisation and the need for retailers to improve the performance of their stores using tools such as better website analysis and multivariate testing.

For me personally Bob Thacker, CMO of Office Max stole the show with a rising presentation on the opportunities made possible in a recession. Enjoy!