iMedia Connection: Research & Metrics

Before you abandon that click…

Here are four reasons why marketers should still look to CTR first when evaluating a campaign's success.

Give web analytics the human touch

Getting the right web analytics tool is only half the battle; the real focus of your web analytics program should be the people who work with it.

Metrics: your mileage may vary

When measuring your online campaign's success, keep in mind that your brand has a unique set of objectives. The appropriate metrics may differ from what you expect.

Spin visitor feedback into site gold

For loyal, satisfied customers, stop thinking of site visitors in terms of clickthroughs and page views. Here's what to focus on instead.

Dear Dawn: metrics make me crazy

Our experts help a reader make sense of online marketing metrics and the companies that provide them.

The rise of performance-based advertising

Performance-based metrics offer both advertisers and publishers greater value than impression-based ones. Here's the inside scoop on this new model.

Online customers: how we are failing them

Online CRM requires a delicate balance between efficient automation and personalized service. eStara's CEO discusses two cases where the brand crosses the line.

The counting controversy: a user's guide

The mainstream press has thrust the metrics debate between publishers and advertisers into the limelight, but the story being told is incomplete. Here's the lowdown.

Enhance marketing research with netnography

Doing a netnography search as a first step allows companies to streamline their research efforts and analyze the sentiments and opinions expressed by online consumers.

Improve your campaign's results in 5 steps

Follow this process outlined by [x+1] to make data and analytics work for you.

Analytics standards set, sort of

The WAA has released much needed web analytics standards, but are they sufficient? Read ThinkMetrics' CEO's evaluation.

Google Analytics changes tack

Calculating time on a site is a thorny issue in web analytics. Let's hope Google's documentation and support can raise standards.

Call Tracking for Campaign Longevity

If advertisers and agencies are only tracking the success of online campaigns through clickthrough rates or online conversions, they are missing out on the true value of advertising.

How to Avoid Overpaying Affiliates

Tracking the activity generated by affiliates isn't as simple as it seems. Zanox' U.S. country manager describes what can go wrong.

3 Key Skills for Web Analysts

The role of web analyst is critical to a successful internet presence and maybe even the success of entire organizations.

How Long Tail Economics Will Improve Web Analytics

Acceleration's online analytics director describes the evolution of web analytics, predicts where it's going and makes the case for standardization.

Make Imperfect Metrics Work for You

Sharpe Partners' CEO outlines five ways to successfully measure results.

Web Analytics Nightmare

Can you identify the single biggest threat to your site's metrics? The answer might surprise you.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Data Integration

Data integration should start with definitions. Acceleration's technology director walks you through the process.

Take Action with Interactive Data

Jed Meyer explains how Nielsen DigitalPlus' new set-top box measurement initiative will benefit interactive advertisers.

Worst Website Measurement Mistakes

Web analytics guru Brandt Dainow explains why he doesn't bother reporting total page views anymore, and why you shouldn't either.

How to Fix Your Traffic Measurement

Because log analysis figures are misleading, ThinkMetrics' CEO advises switching to page-based tracking, and helps you through the process.

Why Google AdWords is Always Right

In his third article on the "accuracy" of Google's AdWords, ThinkMetrics' CEO explores the company's explanations for discrepancies.

Google AdWords Under the Microscope

In his second article on Google's AdWords, ThinkMetrics' CEO explores the company's responsiveness to its clients.

Setting the Standard in Web Analytics

Red Door Interactive's analyst explains the importance of web analytics in making sense out of chaos.

The Best Website Metrics Are...

Check out this approach for a smoother analytics process that will boost your site's ROI.

Get Web Analysis Fundamentals Right

Keep an eye on the game and avoid social media strategies that go beyond rational return on investment.

Web Analytics Pitfalls to Avoid

Web analytics tools can focus your web strategies in many useful ways, but they can also lead marketers down the wrong path.

Use Data to Influence the Future

Hitwise's CMO discusses key objectives to leverage and manage your new data points.

Analytics-- Not Just for E-Commerce

Red Door Interactive's president explains how B2B companies not engaged in e-commerce still should be using analytics to measure their site's online success.

The Score: Home Furnishings

Traffic to retail sites in this category has grown dramatically during the past year. Find out who's going where.

Measurement: A Tale of Two Adages

Some say that if you can't measure something, you can't manage it. But Carat Fusion's director of "client services" says this old adage isn't the answer when it comes to metrics.

2004 Ended on a High Note

The recent IAB/PricewaterhouseCoopers report shows record revenue for interactive marketing, with search still leading the way.

SEM Spend Surges

eMarketer reports that search engine marketing spend outpaced general online advertising spend in 2005.

Increase Sales by Piggybacking News

Marketing Experiments discusses reasons why running email news items related to the products or services you sell can generate a spike in sales.

When Metrics Lead to Bad Decisions

While metrics are valuable, this Carat Fusion VP, director, client services, explains how sometimes ignoring them is a marketer's best strategy.

The Top 5 Web Analytics Problems

Acceleration's director of online analytics discusses how to overcome these big web analytics challenges.

Functionalism: Metrics to Believe in

The SEMphonics president describes a rich, formalized web analytic strategy, and how to implement this methodology for maximum responsiveness.

Merge Metric Systems for Better Results

Unica's senior product manager explains how uniting web analytics and Business Intelligence helps marketers better define their customer and media targets.

Searching Your Customer's Mind

Hitwise's senior research analyst examines how internet searches reveal the wants and needs of consumers.

Searching MySpace and Its Competitors

Hitwise's senior research analyst examines the brand strength of "MySpace" through search queries and provides a snapshot of its competitors.

Yahoo Tops Google in Purchase Influence

Which search engines influence what purchase decisions? New findings from BIGresearch show Yahoo leads the pack.

Prime Time for Video Games

New findings from BIGresearch show that video game usage is clashing with prime time television.

What Drives Purchase Decisions?

BIGresearch finds purchase decisions of online searchers are influenced by a broad number of offline sources.

Reach + Influence = Increased ROI

BIGresearch's Joe Pilotta shares data on the varying reach and influence of media on Hispanic females, and explains what that means for media planners.

The Score: NBA Draft

Data show that sites dedicated to the draft draw a highly sought-after young male audience.

Hitwise: Britney Spears

Searches on the term "Britney Spears" increased 117 percent after recent TV appearances.

Hitwise: Celebrity Baby Photos

Hitwise tracks searches relating to celebrity baby photographs that were recently published in People magazine.

Hitwise: World Cup and Soccer Searches

Hitwise reports on World Cup and professional soccer player-related searches.

The Score: Technorati's Meteoric Rise

According to analysis, the popularity of MySpace has also boosted the success of Technorati.com.

Behavioral Targeting Online Ad Spend

eMarketer reports how many marketers are focusing on behavioral online advertising to better target their audience.

Marketing Technology Online

eMarketer looks at trends in online computer hardware and software advertising.

2006 Online Marketing Plans

eMarketer reports that many marketers plan to update their websites, as well as increase the amount of sponsored links and online ads.

Hitwise: Basketball Searches

Hitwise tracks searches on basketball websites and terms relating to the NCAA tournament.

Podcasting: Who's Tuning In?

eMarketer's Mike Chapman explains why early adopters listen to podcasts, and he projects that the podcasting audience will hit 50 million by 2010.

Do It Yourselfers Turn to eBay

The auction site's home channel heads the list of top home & fashion sites rated by NetView data.

Online Theft and Fraud

eMarketer reports that identity theft occurs more frequently offline than online.

Online Retail: Who's Not Buying?

eMarketer explains why some consumers still shy away from ecommerce.

Demand for Mobile Video Rising

An M:Metrics' survey shows that more consumers than are currently downloading mobile games will view mobile video in the near future.

Hitwise: Insurance Searches

Hitwise tracks searches on insurance product terms, quotes and company sites.

The Score: Teens Highly Engaged Online

Having grown up with broadband internet access, those aged 12 to 17 have integrated online activity into their daily lives.

Recover Unfinished Sales through Email

Marketing Experiments discusses ways that email can help you generate sales from abandoned shopping carts.

MapQuest Ranks Top Visited Travel Site

NetView data shows the map site receiving the highest unique audience, but visitors spend the most time on American Airlines' site. Find out more.

The Score: Movie-Related Activities

Analysis shows that consumers increasingly are using the web as a resource for movie information and for purchasing tickets.

Hitwise: IMDB Searches

Hitwise tracks visits to IMDB.com and terms searched on the site.

Which Page Improvements Boost Response?

Marketing Experiments discusses how small improvements to pages compound to deliver dramatic results.

It's a Wonderful World for Disney

Once again, Disney Online heads the list of top Family & Lifestyle sites ranked by NetView data.

Traditional Retailers and Ecommerce

eMarketer reports that future ecommerce success will depend increasingly on how well retailers manage their multiple sales channels.

Content Channel Preferences

eMarketer breaks down U.S. media consumption by content delivery channel.

Hitwise: "Dancing with the Stars" Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to the "Dancing with the Stars" website, as well as on search terms for contestant Stacy Keibler.

The Score: Boomers' Interests Online

Analysis shows that aging adults frequent sites within the Home, Travel and Health categories.

The Move to Broadband

eMarketer reports on the broadband landscape, and why some consumers still prefer dial-up.

Where America Gets its News

NetView data rank the top 10 news and information sites for the week ending February 12.

Where is Ecommerce Headed?

Social networks and product visual tools represent the wave of the future.

Hitwise: Bank and Financial Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to bank and financial institution websites, as well as on search terms.

The Score: Looking for Jobs Online

Analysis shows that record numbers of Americans are visiting Job Search sites; younger women make up the biggest audience.

Music is Hotter than Sports Online

Sites offering music top the list of popular entertainment sites for the week ending January 29; sports sites near the bottom 10.

Digital Music Sales Grow

Reports indicate that North American and Western European digital music revenues will grow by billions of dollars over the next few years.

Google Takes Third Place

Yahoo! and MSN head up the list of top online search engines/portals and communities sites for the week ending Jan. 29.

Hitwise: Travel Search Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to travel agencies websites and searches for travel related information.

The Score: It's Tax Time Online

Analysis of January data shows more people visiting tax-related sites this year than last, with the bulk of those visitors being younger adults.

The Rise of the Retail Chains

eMarketer reports that retail giants are driving an increase in online retail sales.

Super Bowl Ads Searched Online

Hitwise reports on the dramatic increase in online searches for Super Bowl commercials.

College Students Embrace the Web

eMarketer reports on how and when college students use the internet.

Hitwise: Superbowl Search Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to Super Bowl websites and searches for information relating to the game.

The Score: Crowding Out MySpace?

New social networking sites are attempting to siphon away users from MySpace, but have been only moderately successful.

Cultural Choices of Video Game Platforms

Results from BIGresearch's Simultaneous Media Study show who's using which platforms, and how that affects video game marketing.

1st Stop for Car Buyers: 3rd Party Sites

Third party auto sites dominate the list of top online automotive destinations for the week ending January 22.

Finding an Audience in Western Europe

eMarketer looks at some of the factors advertisers should consider when targeting consumers in Western Europe.

The Score: Super Bowl Fans Online

Over the past few years, online activity has surged during the Super Bowl, offering marketers insight into this lucrative audience.

Income Tax Prep Gears Up

With three months until tax deadline, the IRS site was the most visited government and non-profit site for the week ending January 15.

Windows Media Player Dominates

eMarketer gauges consumer use of Windows Media Player versus that of RealPlayer.

The Score: Getting Fit Online

Data shows that people increasingly are turning to the internet for help in achieving their New Year's resolutions.

Hitwise: Entertainment Awards Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to entertainment awards websites and searches for movie celebrities.

CareerBuilder Topples the Monster

Job search sites take the top three spots on the list of most visited education and careers destinations for the week ending January 8.

Hitwise: Automotive Data

Hitwise reports on traffic to automotive websites and searches for gas-efficient hybrids.

The Score: Satellite Radio

Howard Stern's move to Sirius has boosted the visibility of satellite radio. Here's a comparison of Sirius and XM listeners.

Clicking on Mickey

Disney Online tops the list of most visited family and lifestyle sites for the week ending January First.

Hitwise: Video Search

Hitwise reports on the most popular video websites and their traffic patterns.

The Score: The Tune of Online Music

The availability of legal downloading and a proliferation of players have boosted traffic to sites in the Music Category.

eBay Has It

For the week ending December 25, when people presumably were doing last minute shopping, eBay topped the list of multi-category commerce sites.

Hitwise: Music Snapshot

Hitwise ranks the top music sites and search terms.

The Score: Online Trading Site Trends

With many Wall Street prognosticators forecasting 2006 as a strong year for the markets, online trading sites represent an increasingly attractive opportunity for advertisers.

Get Real

Real.com tops the list of entertainment sites for the week ending December 18.

Motorola Leads Mobile Category

Mobile phone users favor Motorola and its wireless data services.

Google Doesn't Top Portal/Net Services Lists

Yahoo! is most visited search engine for the week ending December 11, but AOL's Instant Messenger gets more action than Yahoo! Mail.

Satellite Radio: The Howard Stern Factor

Howard Stern's move to SIRIUS will boost subscriptions to the satellite radio station, but will it be enough to cover the cost of the show?

The Score: Ticket Buying Online

Analysis shows that high-income entertainment seekers are increasingly using the web for their ticket needs.

Hitwise: Holiday Shopping Snapshot

Hitwise looks at consumer search trends for jewelry and jeans websites.

Land Mail More Popular Than Cyber Mail

Holiday gift sending boosted visitation to UPS, the U.S. Postal Service and FedEx sites during the first week of December.

The Score: Jewelry, Luxury Goods

Visitation to high-class retailer sites has increased over last year, as consumers gain trust in their security and reliability.

Wikipedia Tops Information Sites

Wikipedia has outpaced Dictionary.com for audience share, and it gets more traffic than NYTimes.com.

Scripps: Top Home & Fashion Brand

The company that produces HGTV and Food Network drew more visitors to its site than Sears or The Home Depot for week ending November 27.

The Score: Online Classifieds

Google ponders entering this market, which has grown 65 percent over the past year.

Hitwise: Health & Beauty Snapshot

Hitwise looks at consumer search trends for health and beauty websites.

People Ask for Directions Online

Map sites top the list of online travel sites visited the week ending November 20.

IM Accounts on the Rise

Instant messaging accounts are expected to number 1.2 billion by 2009.

The Work Force is Surfing

eMarketer's Ezra Palmer reports that office workers are actively browsing and shopping online.

Online Shoppers Branch Out

eMarketer reports that online shoppers are diversifying their baskets -- now buying food and beauty supplies on the internet.

Americans Seek Health Information

This week's Week in Review by Nielsen//NetRatings reveals that the avian flu and natural disasters may be sending people to the U.S. Department of Health site.

Where the Money Is

Online ad spending predicted to make double digit annual gains through 2009.

Nielsen//NetRatings' Week in Review (07/17/05)

Top search engines & communities, and telecom/ISP sites; entertainment and consumer goods advertisers.

The Score: Mapping it Out

comScore Media Metrix reveals that Memorial Day jumpstarts summer traffic to travel and map sites.

Nielsen//NetRatings’ Week in Review (05/08/05)

Top travel, and education & careers sites; public services and automotive advertisers.

Who Moved My Cookie?

The internet gives marketers unparalleled ability to target consumers. Now if consumers would just get with the program.

eMarketer Quick Fact: Fast Access

Broadband penetration continues to rise around the globe.