Measuring Engagement of Social Media websites in a Web 2.0 world Peter O’Neill Freelance Web Analytics Consultant www.aussiewebanalyst.com

The buzzwords Social Media the topic of this un-conference Web 2.0 content created for the internet Measuring need to measure something in order to understand how it is performing Engagement is one of the ‘hot’ buzzwords in web analytics but what does it really mean? Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

Social Media

the topic of this un-conference

Web 2.0

content created for the internet

Measuring

need to measure something in order to understand how it is performing

Engagement

is one of the ‘hot’ buzzwords in web analytics

but what does it really mean?

What does engagement really mean? The level to which one is engaged with a website Is generally measured based on interactions with website Engagement => Interest Interest => Satisfaction Satisfaction => Loyalty/Word of Mouth Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

The level to which one is engaged with a website

Is generally measured based on interactions with website

Engagement => Interest

Interest => Satisfaction

Satisfaction => Loyalty/Word of Mouth

So what does engagement really mean? Engagement is actually based on an old concept, the idea of loyal customers being good customers Is a metric or group of metrics used to approximate satisfaction/loyalty Therefore the likelihood to return and to promote the website to others Engagement is an approximation of success or likelihood to succeed Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

Engagement is actually based on an old concept, the idea of loyal customers being good customers

Is a metric or group of metrics used to approximate satisfaction/loyalty

Therefore the likelihood to return and to promote the website to others

Engagement is an approximation of success or likelihood to succeed

What are website interactions? Viewed pages Returned Made a purchase Submitted a form Downloaded a file Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com Viewed a video Duration on site Viewed specific pages Used on-site search Registered Wrote a post Gave a rating Uploaded content – videos, photos Subscribed to updates Chatted online Wrote on a wall Left a comment Shared content with a friend Added a friend Participated in a poll Personalised page Poked someone Threw a sheep at someone

Viewed pages

Returned

Made a purchase

Submitted a form

Downloaded a file

Viewed a video

Duration on site

Viewed specific pages

Used on-site search

Registered

Wrote a post

Gave a rating

Uploaded content – videos, photos

Subscribed to updates

Chatted online

Wrote on a wall

Left a comment

Shared content with a friend

Added a friend

Participated in a poll

Personalised page

Poked someone

Threw a sheep at someone

Which interactions are important It depends on the objectives for the website It is going to be different for different types of social media Blogs Social networks Online Community Online Media Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

It depends on the objectives for the website

It is going to be different for different types of social media

Blogs

Social networks

Online Community

Online Media

Which interactions are important? STA Travel – Online Community ‘ Inspire Me’ (to spend more on travel through STA) Actions most likely to lead to a purchase Downloaded tools subscribe to newsletter read travel tips Engagement (and conversion rate) per site feature Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

STA Travel – Online Community

‘ Inspire Me’

(to spend more on travel through STA)

Actions most likely to lead to a purchase

Downloaded tools

subscribe to newsletter

read travel tips

Engagement (and conversion rate) per site feature

Which interactions are important? Bebo – The Gap Year "The brand new daily reality show, from the makers of Big Brother" Revenue through sponsorship Canon, Tourism Australia, Jetstar NZ, STA Travel, PSP, Doritos, Az Jeans, Herbal Essences, RAF, Acuvue, Colgate Max White Product placement, competitions, links Popularity of site/show vs ROI for sponsors Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

Bebo – The Gap Year

"The brand new daily reality show, from the makers of Big Brother"

Revenue through sponsorship

Canon, Tourism Australia, Jetstar NZ, STA Travel, PSP, Doritos, Az Jeans, Herbal Essences, RAF, Acuvue, Colgate Max White

Product placement, competitions, links

Popularity of site/show vs ROI for sponsors

How to measure Engagement? Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com Current animated discussion in the Web Analytics world One metric or many? Which metrics? How to capture the data? How to report the data? How to use the data? Eric Peterson engagement metric http://blog.webanalyticsdemystified.com/weblog/2007/10/how-to-measure-visitor-engagement-redux.html

Current animated discussion in the Web Analytics world

One metric or many?

Which metrics?

How to capture the data?

How to report the data?

How to use the data?

What are the steps to follow Define your business objectives Define which actions on site can lead to achieving these objectives Ensure these actions are tagged Track performance of actions over time Track correlation between product features/traffic sources and engagement levels I think multiple metrics, not a single unified metric... I think... Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

Define your business objectives

Define which actions on site can lead to achieving these objectives

Ensure these actions are tagged

Track performance of actions over time

Track correlation between product features/traffic sources and engagement levels

I think multiple metrics, not a single unified metric... I think...

Summary Engagement is important in trying to understand the performance of any website Will be more complicated for social media websites as they contain more ways to interact Is going to become more important in justifying expenditure (ROI/accountability) Define, measure, interpret and use engagement metrics to make informed decisions Peter O’Neill www.aussiewebanalyst.com

Engagement is important in trying to understand the performance of any website

Will be more complicated for social media websites as they contain more ways to interact

Is going to become more important in justifying expenditure (ROI/accountability)

Define, measure, interpret and use engagement metrics to make informed decisions