BUS572-5 Analytics Courses and Reflection

Although our client has not opted into utilizing Google Analytics, these Google Analytics Platform Principles and the Google Analytics Fundamentals have deemed very useful and informative; allowing me to pass this information along to business owners I know that could benefit from Google Analytics. 

I think that the presentation of this material was helpful, allowing individuals to work at their own pace; complete with lessons, activities, and videos.  It served as a helpful refresher to some key concepts that we have already learned, as well as teaching an more in depth version of how all the data is compiled and reported in Google Analytics. 

I found the Behavior Reports to be a very important report generated from Google Analytics.  This report allows you to identify how users interact with your website.  The information provided can assist with identifying the intent of your users and how easily they navigate through your website.  Having this information directly at your fingertips can be ever so useful in making smart business decisions about whether your website is working to your advantage. 

BUS572-4 Cookies, Search Engine Advertising and Google Analytics

 

 

Concept 1 - Cookies

 

In the fourth session, one important concept that I have learned is in regards to cookies.  Prior to this class, I was not aware of what cookies were or why one would enable/disable cookies.  Cookies are small files that store information on your hard drive about you or your computer.  Sites that run Google Analytics issue first party cookies that allow the sites to uniquely (but anonymously) identify first party visitors.  These cookies allow Google Analytics to make a distinction between first time visitors and returning visitors.  This proves to be very helpful for a business to identify how many new customers are viewing their website ("How google analytics," ).  Say for example that a business was hoping to gain brand awareness with their website, it would be very important to know if the advertising or marketing you have completed, worked by driving new users to the website.  On a side note, I have heard that having too many cookies stored on a PC could slow the PC down, has anyone else heard this information?  Do you think it is true?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concept 2 - An Empirical Analysis of Search Engine Advertising

 

Another important concept this week deals with the Ghose and Yang article we covered.  I found it very enlightening how they discovered that ads in the middle are actually more profitable than other advertisements (Ghose & Yang, 2009).  I would have thought that advertisements that appeared with a higher rank, would yield higher profits.  Another interesting fact that was discovered within their article was the notion that brand specific information in a keyword is associated with a decrease in both click through rates and conversions (Ghose & Yang, 2009).  However, retailer specific information in a keyword is associated with an increase in both click through rates and conversions (Ghose & Yang, 2009).  I have found this very useful prior to the completion of our project, as it may be less beneficial to use brand specific keywords.  Although their testing confirmed the case, I would like to complete an A/B testing to see if an Ad created for Brand versus Retailer would fair better.  Prior to reading this article, would you have thought Retailer Ads and Middle Ads would fair better?  Included below is an article indicating that generic keywords fair better than branded keywords.

 

Generic vs. Brand

 

 

Skill Set 1 - Google Analytics

 

The skill set I found most valuable this week was learning more about Google Analytics, the process behind the scenes and what you are able to accomplish by using it.  Although our client is not set up to use Google Analytics, it is very beneficial to know how it works and what tools and resources you have when analyzing your website.  As I mentioned before, my mother has her own luxury items website (including wedding accessories, jewelry etc...).  Since learning about the functionality that Google Analytics has, I have asked her Webmaster to set her up so that we can begin looking at analyzing what works and what does not on her website.  I anticipate that by viewing the pages that certain users are interested in, against which pages they drop off of, we could get a better handle on the type of products people are coming to her site to view.  The knowledge this week with Google Analytics will continue to assist with my mom and her business, far after ending this term.  Has anyone else identified that Google Analytics could help them in a personal endeavor?

 

 

Personal Reflection

I found this week to be very enlightening with the journal readings on empirical analysis and further information on Google Analytics.  I am excited to start the GOMC, having completed the pre-work and the foundation of how it all works.  I think the experience ahead of us will be rewarding to see how our work paid off in results and also challenging in identifying what changes we can make to obtain a better result for our client.  My learning goals are to navigate the campaign better and to assist with identifying additional possibilities to enhance our click through rates. 

 

 

Ghose, A., & Yang, S. (2009). An empirical analysis of search engine advertising:. Management Science, 55(10), 1605-1622. doi: 10.1287

 

How google analytics works: deeper dive into analytics with a focus on cookies. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/partners/

BUS572-3 Well Researched Key Phrases, Emerging Trends and Ad Scheduling

Concept 1 - Well Researched Key Phrases

In the third session, one important concept that I have learned is in regards to thoroughly researching key phrases.  Key phrases are defined as "the very foundation of search. When a user enters a query on a search engine, she uses the words that she thinks are relevant to her search. The search engine then returns those pages it believes are most relevant to the words the searcher used" (Stokes, 2013).  Through researching for the third installment of our project, along with the assigned readings this week, this concept was deemed particularly relative to the success of a web site.  What I found particularly helpful this week, in conjunction with our assignment, was the considerations when choosing a keyword: 

1. Search volume. How many searchers are using that phrase to find what they want? 
2. Competition. How many other Web sites out there are targeting that same phrase? 
3. Propensity to convert. What is the likelihood that the searcher using that key phrase is going to convert on your site?  
4. Value per conversion. What is the average value per prospect attracted by the keyword?(Stokes, 2013).

What I found most insightful and difficult at the same time, was the selection of the correct keywords and narrowing down of those keywords in order to maximize the results.  Did anyone else find this a difficult task?  When first looking at the client's website, with the products and services they offer, several hundred keywords come to mind.  The difficulty I faced, was narrowing them down and which keywords to make exact versus broad.  For example, I was surprised at how much testing is involved with whether to use a bracket or not to use a bracket.  It also puts into perspective the A/B testing we touched upon last week and how 1 difference can have a significant impact.  Selection of the right keywords is very critical to the success of the website.  A marketer truly has to stay on top of what their prospective clientele is looking for. 

Concept 2 - Emerging Trends

Another important concept this week, deals with the importance of emerging trends.  There are four strong emerging trends for SEO:

1. Localization 
2. Personalized search
3. Usage data
4. Real-time search (Stokes, 2013)

It is very interesting to me how search engines have the capability to perform such tasks such as localization and personalization.  Localization is defined as the "practice of creating a local version of a web site for a different country or language" (Stokes, 2013).  When speaking of personalization, I find that implicit personalization is a very interesting and important concept; the capability for a search engine to customize search information based on my previous behavior is both startling and rewarding at the same time.  Although I am one to live a more private life, I kind of enjoy that search results can be customized and tailored to what I am looking for.  For example, I am always looking for new high heeled pumps.  Say for example that I have viewed the same red shoes several times.  I have put them in a shopping cart, but never made the purchase.  If a search result identified that these same shoes are now on sale, I would be more inclined to convert to a purchase.  I am interested to know if our class sees the implicit personalization as an invasion of privacy or as a benefit?  This concept can be very important, the more the marketing team knows about their clientele, the more geared advertisement they can use to convert a customer. 

Skill Set 1 - Ad Scheduling

I believe the single most important skill set I have learned this week pertains to Ad Scheduling.  Ad scheduling helps you control when you want to run your campaign.  This functionality will be critical for our client, as we anticipate a high volume of searches after work and on the weekends.  For example, we will be more inclined to have our bids maximized during peak hours and minimized during non-peak hours.  This is a very critical concept because one can easily waste their funds during a time when there are not many clicks, conversions or impressions.  Does anyone see themselves making good use out of this bidding tool?  Do you see yourself using the basic or the advanced functionality?  Our group plans on using the advanced functionality. Below I have listed a link providing helpful insight for Ad Scheduling success:

Ad Scheduling Success

Personal Reflection

In this session, I particularly enjoyed the guest speaker Tim James and his insight on Google.  He seemed very passionate about his work and the tools that are out there for us to utilize.  His notions to identify what sets your business apart, how you would describe the products and services being offered and identifying the specific call to action, were all extremely relevant to our corresponding project.  He was able to simplify what the next steps were, in a way that it was easy to understand.  When first learning all of the marketing strategies and tools that Google has to offer, it can very easily become overwhelming.  Tim was able to put into perspective that we ourselves are consumers that are constantly searching through Google, if we were looking for our client's products or services, what would we look for?  A learning goal that I am setting for myself would be to become more accustomed to conversion goals to be set when no service is offered online. 

BUS572-2 Data Analysis, User Intent and Effective Text Ad Marketing

Concept 1 - Analyzing Data - Internal Search

In the second session, one important concept that I have learned is in regards to analyzing data; specifically an internal search.  An internal search is defined as the searches that users perform on the web site, of the web site's content (Stokes, 2013).  Prior to this course, I was not aware that what users search for within a website could be collected and used for research.  This data is very important, as it could easily identify customer wants and needs to the business owner.  With data available identifying "what keywords users search for, what pages they visit after searching, and whether they search again with a variation of or different keywords" , the business owner can make the necessary adjustments to their website to appeal more towards an ever evolving customer base (Stokes, 2013).  For example, if the business owner of a local pizza shop identifies through data collection of internal search patterns/trends that many individuals in the community are searching for more nutritious/healthier versions of pizza, he may cater his web site to focus on pizza made with whole wheat crust; or pizza slices under 200 calories.  A question comes to mind with whether data collection can be stored for an individual user, or only a group of users within a certain radius.  It would be very interesting to see the layout of the data collection and how it is trended and put into a relevant format for the business owner to review and make decisions.  Does it show the results in [Exact] word/phrase searches or does the program generalize into subcategories of common internal search items?

Concept 2 - Single Page Heat Maps

 

Another important concept this week deals with the importance of identifying the reason users are taking a specific action.  Having a good understanding of this concept is important in order to reach clearly set goals for your web site.  A Single Page Heat Map identifies where users click on a web page, whether they are clicking on actual links or not (Stokes, 2013).  This concept is very important because it identifies what areas of a Web site are clickable but draw in few or no clicks, as well as areas that are not clickable but have multiple users attempting to click there (Stokes, 2013). This information allows for maximum optimization for your website.  Using myself as an example, I am very impatient when I am looking for something online.  The web site must be able to point me in the right direction in order for me to become a conversion; if something that I am looking for is not immediately available or is "unclickable", I very well may move on to the next web site that is easier to navigate and provides faster results.  A question I am raising to the group would be:  If you are searching for a product, when landing on a home page of a website, how much time are you willing to spend before moving on to another website?  I would give myself 1-2 minutes tops.  

Skill Set 1 - Creating the Perfect Text Ad

I believe the single most important skill set I learned this week was that of creating a text ad.  Sarah Peduzzi provided extremely helpful information on the requirements, suggestions for effective marketing and best practices.  She provided 6 rules to follow when creating the perfect text ad (Peduzzi, 2014):

1. Include keywords in your ad
2. Tell customers how they can participate by using strong calls-to-action
3. Include prices and promotions
4. Match your landing page with your ad message
5. Be creative in writing the ad so you can affect how it appears in SERP
6. Use ad extensions where possible

The knowledge she provided will not only help in the Google Online Marketing Challenge, it will allow me to help someone close to me market their web site more efficiently.  With this skill set that I have learned this week, I am confident in my ability to create an effective text ad.  Has anyone else found this skill set useful?

Personal Reflection 

This session I have found particularly rewarding in regards to website analytics; specifically their tracking tools and outcomes they can provide.  The use of effective analytics can influence sales and profitability as well as increase the chance that same customer will return.  This second session was very challenging, using the keyword planner for the first time.  Google's keyword planner offers an abundance of information; it can be navigated pretty easily, however I found it to be overwhelming during the first attempt.  My learning goals for the next session would be to become more familiar with the keyword planner and setup for effective marketing.  I am most interested in Ad Scheduling in order to maximize our budget for the challenge.  Below is a link providing 5 ways Ad Scheduling can improve your AdWords performance.  

Improving AdWords Performance


Peduzzi, S. (2014). Introduction to search advertising and adwords mechanics 101. Informally published manuscript, Retrieved from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16264956/BUS572Chatham/Session 2/Intro to Search Advertising & AdWords - Peduzzi Lunametrics.pdf 

Stokes, R. (2013). emarketing: The essential guide to online marketing. (Vol. 1). Washington DC: Flat World Knowledge. Retrieved from http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/reader/19?cid=1515571 

BUS572-1 SEO Optimization and Campaign Setup

 Concept 1 - Search Engine Optimization

In the first session, one important concept that I have learned is in regards to Search Engine Optimization; specifically in mentioning what a search engine actually does.  Search Engine Optimization is defined as the "practice that aims to improve a Web Site's ranking in the search engines for specific keywords" (Stokes, 2013).  I found this concept particularly interesting because someone close to me recently started their own website within the last 5 years.  I was able to share the information with her regarding some of the reasons her website might take a long time to receive the popularity she is hoping for; without pay per click advertising.  It is helpful to understand the logic the search engine uses, when determining rank on their search engine results page. In using search engines numerous times a day, I always had a curiosity with how search engines filtered through the millions of pages to identify and rank the most relevant web sites.  I also found it true that users are unwilling to go past the first 30 results to find what they are looking for.  What I also found relevant to my preference is that I actually never click on the pay per click advertising, because most of the time it does not take you to what you are looking for, but to the home page of their website.  We learned this week, that a common flaw with the landing page is that it is irrelevant to the user's search (Stokes 2013).  Knowing how the search engines work and what they are looking for, could significantly impact the amount of visitors to a client's website.  One question worth mentioning would be if the bot separates the libraries that it indexes by the keywords and their lack thereof, for example would the tennis shoe be in one library and the shoe - tennis be in a separate library?

Concept 2 - Campaign Setup

Another important concept this week deals with the importance of campaign setup.  The 7 steps of campaign setup will tie directly into our Google Online Marketing Challenge for our clients.  Listed below are the 7 steps:

Step 1:  Do your homework - this is very important, in order to create the most effective campaign, one has to know about the client.

Step 2:  Define your goals - before setting up a campaign, one has to know their goal for the individual client.

Step 3:  Determine your budget, cost per action and targets - a budget is necessary to determine how much one can spend to achieve the predetermined goals. In our challenge, the budget is set at $250.00. 

Step 4:  Research keywords - identify common search words that capture the identity of the client's website.  This will be important, to separate the client from all the other websites. 

Step 5:  Write the advertisements - become creative in order to promote the client's business in just a few words.

Step 6:  Place the bids - a lot of preparation needs completed up until this point, determined based on the goals and keywords selected.

Step 7:  Measure, Analyze, Test and Optimize - Analyze how the process is working in relation to the predetermined budget and goals (Stokes, 2013).

The 7 steps will play an integral role in our successful completion of the client's goals and our outcome in the course.  A challenge we will face is going to be using the most effective keywords and stay within budget.  Creativity will play a massive role in the success of this project.  It would be interesting to find out the minimum dollar amount one has budgeted to receive an optimal financial result. 



Skill Set 1 - Emarketing basics

Up until this point, I was not familiar with how to set up a blog and how to use Google Adsense to potentially make money.  I particularly only used Google as a search engine, however in this first week I am able to see how much more there really is to a "search engine".  This knowledge will become very helpful as I help someone that is close to me with their online marketing.  As I mentioned earlier in the blog, it is my mother who set up her own luxury and fine goods website around 5 years ago.  Although the website is semi-successful, there is much more that can be completed to have her accomplish her goals.  With this skill set that I have learned in session 1, I am able to help her create a blog, sign up for Adsense and have her turn on Google Analytics. 


Personal Reflection

This session I have found particularly rewarding in identifying how "things" work.  The concept I found most interesting as I mentioned above, was how the search engines "search".  I found the first session challenging, being a new user to all that Google has to offer.  To one that has never blogged before, it appears to be a challenging yet rewarding recap of everything we have learned in session 1.  I enjoyed reading other's blogs to see if they identified the same concepts as being important takeaways.  It was interesting to see how emarketing relates to other fields we have studied in the MBA curriculum; specifically with the SWOT analysis and the importance of setting SMART goals.  I am looking most forward to identifying and learning more about keywords and how to create them efficiently and cost effectively.  Below is a link regarding the creation of SMART goals.

SMART GOALS
  

Stokes, R. (2013). emarketing: The essential guide to online marketing. (Vol. 1). Washington DC: Flat World Knowledge. Retrieved from http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/reader/19?cid=1515571