Jan 11 2013 learning lab 2013 show me the metrics

Show me the numbers: basic metrics Susan Mernit Oakland Local at Learning LAB 2013 Renaissance Journalism Center, SF University January 11, 2013

What we’re discussing •  How can I look at core metrics and use them to grow what I do? •  What are the basic tools and 8ps to work with? •  How do I make decisions based on metrics data? •  What are best prac8ces to follow working with metrics in an ongoing way? •  What are some good 8me management prac8ces around metrics repor8ng 2 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

QuesMons Answered How can I look at What are the basic How do I make core metrics and use tools and 8ps to decisions based on them to grow what I work with? metrics data? do? What are best What are some good prac8ces to follow Mme management working with pracMces around metrics in an metrics reporMng? ongoing way? 3 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

GeQng started with metrics •  Web analy)cs is the measurement, collecMon, analysis and reporMng of internet data for purposes of understanding and opMmizing web usage Metrics are CORE for any small site operator 4 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

• Google Analy)cs dashboard measures site data including • Traﬃc • Audience • Content • Geography knightdigitalmediacenter.org 6

EssenMal GA metrics to evaluate –  Time spent –  Pages viewed –  Returning vs. new visitors –  Referral source –  LocaMon –  Unique visitors –  Page views –  PlaYorms But it’s a matrix: Metrics are most meaningful in relaMonship to one another 7 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

Watching the GA connecMons to drive site growth •  Google AnalyMcs factors: –  Referral traffic: Where are the most engaged users coming from? (referral traffic/Mme spent metrics) –  Content behaviors: What is average )me spent per story? How do content stats per story (NOT averages) relate? –  Content: What keywords drive traffic for my site? –  What are top entrance pages (correlate with search engine traffic) All rights reserved. Houseoflocal.org 8

Decisions based on Google AnalyMcs •  Type of content (topics, trending issues, cost) •  Geographic focus (review of locaMon & mission) •  Social media markeMng outreach: Focus on top social media referral sources based on –  Top referrers –  Best Mme spent metrics from speciﬁc referrers –  Campaign reviews (newsleders) All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 9

Other core metrics tools Facebook Insights Twitter Likes Followers Comments Retweets Tweet reach Facebook Insights Measures tweetMeasures Facebook impactpage data 13

Facebook Insights-‐Admins can access Insights is the equivalent Of Google Analy)cs for Business—not personal-‐Facebook pages—need 30+ followers Data is exportable—correlate with Google Analy)cs in your analyses 14 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

Facebook provides INSTANT feedback Content & Audience Ads & social marke)ng •  What’s popular (views) •  Tracking response on social •  What’s being referred (viral) markeMng/promoMon posts •  Who is your audience •  Tracking likes & reposts (followers & demographics) Apply Facebook data to recruit new adverMsers, fine tune your content, define audiences, drive traffic to website All rights reserved. Houseoflocal.org 16

Tweetreach is a criMcal Twider metrics tool 17

Workﬂow and process best pracMces Source: http://fobango.com knightdigitalmediacenter.org 22

Create a reporMng dashboard to track stats over Mme-‐ Excel Spreadsheet trackingkey metrics month bymonth, quarter byquarter.Build or download atemplate to collectdataCheck data weekly23 All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org

Your dashboard should track Let’s discuss: how does this work •  Google Analy)cs as a weekly/daily report? •  Unique visitors •  First Mme vs. repeat visitors •  Time on site •  Pages per visit •  Bounce rate •  Top 10 Content (by page views or by unique visitors) •  Number of comments (conversion goal) •  Number of member blog posts (conversion goal) •  New members (conversion goal) •  Top referring sources All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 24

Your dashboard should track Let’s discuss: how does this work as a weekly/daily report? •  Facebook Insights •  Followers •  Demographics •  LocaMon •  Likes/virality •  Tweetreach •  Top Tweets •  Top Tweeters •  Most retweeted All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 25

When do you check stats? •  Daily or weekly •  Monthly – 30 minutes or less –  90 minutes –  Review all stat sources – Look at basic –  Build a monthly report weekly stats –  Compare 6 month trend • Top content data •  Google AnalyMcs • Top referrers •  Facebook Insights •  Tweetreach • Time spent/ bounce metrics All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 28

PuUng info to work-‐-‐Start with basic analysis Planning •  What is your site’s greatest strength according to Google AnalyMcs? •  Example: High number of returning visits, high Mme spent on pages metrics •  Use stats to portray your strengths-‐Create a 1 pager •  What is a problem you see in your site that Google AnalyMcs shows you? –  Example: High bounce rate, poor referrals from social media despite puQng investment there –  Use stats to portray-‐-‐Create a 1 pager All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 29

Workﬂow: Monthly reporMng? •  What does a monthly report about your site look like? –  Construct a monthly report across all data sources highlighMng metrics you consider meaningful/ important –  Make some inferences/asserMons and test them All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 30

Followup •  Should we have a peer learning circle? More trainings? YOU TELL US –  If yes, contact susan@oaklandlocal.com –  More on metrics (including the basics): hdp://slideshare.com/susanmernit –  More individual and group training possible— contact susan@oaklandlocal.com – See this preso and download at hNp://slideshare.com/susanmernit All rights reserved. Houseoﬂocal.org 31

Jan 11 2013 learning lab 2013 show me the metrics

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Jan 11 2013 learning lab 2013 show me the metrics