Digital Media Buzz > Capturing Clicks: Find the Right Visitor Metrics Software For Your Needs

Capturing Clicks: Find the Right Visitor Metrics Software For Your Needs

By Thursday Bram

For a publication offering content online, the ability to measure visits accurately is crucial: that information forms the basis of the prices that a site can charge for advertising. One other metric is also vital, especially from an advertiser’s point of view: the cost per thousand page impressions (CPM). On any given ad, the value of the ad is calculated by measuring the number of clicks registered on that ad and calculating how much the advertiser is spending per thousand clicks. With the growing opportunities for click fraud, accurate metrics are a requirement for any media website.

The number of analytics packages available for media sites grows every day. There are packages that operate as part of an existing content management system and others that offer the ability to add measurement along with the ads that make those metrics worthwhile — many online advertising networks even use custom measurement tools and require publishers to use them as part of the prerequisites for the network finding relevant advertisers.

SiteCatalyst, by Omniture, is one of the better known web analytics packages on the market. It is only one of Omniture’s products for analyzing and improving website conversions. It tracks a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs), including differentiating several different kinds of visits — for instance, the tool separates visitors using mobile devices to access a site, in order to build a more accurate profile of how a site’s audience accesses and uses a media site. The reporting system offered through SiteCatalyst also offers benefits for a site needing to calculate metrics both for internal purposes, such as improving content for target audiences, as well as providing data for external purposes, such as an advertiser who needs to know the results of a new campaign. Jeremy Butler has used Omniture SiteCatalyst on Grasshopper.com and GotVMail.com. He gives the package an “A+ on customization and service,” noting that the expense is the only drawback.

One of the difficulties facing many measurement tools is the ongoing development of rich media: a Flash animation or a video that requires more information from the server than a text-only article might skew results. SiteCatalyst does have the capability to accurately track site visits despite this issue, but it can be a sticking point in choosing an analytics package. As more media sites explore advertising options such as offering spots within video, advanced measurement tools are necessary to accurately reflect the value of such ads.

Similarly, sites that focus on specific niches may need to make use of specialized tracking tools that can provide more in-depth reports on readers’ demographics. A hyperlocal publication, for instance, will require a level of tracking the geographic location of readers far beyond the needs of the average media site. Such tools are available, both within analytics packages, and as stand-alone tools.

Being able to provide verifiable data about a site’s visitors — and their behavior with regards to clicking on ads and other actions — is a necessity of operating a media website today. Without such metrics, many advertisers feel uncomfortable about the potential return on their advertising budgets, making it impossible in many cases for a site to earn money. The question is not whether to measure a site’s traffic, but instead which tool to use. The answer points to choosing tools that can offer the most relevant information for both the types of ads the site offers and the audience it reaches.

Below is a list of some web analytics companies:
Mint: Provides visitor numbers, as well as information on the behavior of visitors, such as interactions with ads.
Google Analytics: Free analytics package that integrates visitor information with AdSense results.
Clicktracks: Integrates data from email marketing, PPC bids and web content in one package.
Omniture SiteCatalyst: Analyzes visitor data to provide information on how to increase ad clickthrough and conversion rates.
Unica Affinium NetInsight: Offers an analytics package focused on marketing.
VisiStat: Tracks visitors in order to measure website performance.
WebTrends: Collects data on visitor behavior, especially in relationship to advertising.