Web Analytics, SEM News: Free Tools, Guides, Resources

Recently in e-commerce search engine marketing (SEM) and analytics news:

• iPerceptions and Web analytics guru Avinash Kaushik announce an upgrade to their free online survey service.

• Logic361 announces its "SEM Opportunity Dashboard" designed to maximize pay-per-click campaigns.

• Plus, Yahoo's testing of rich media ads in paid search listings show promise for prosperity.

• Finally, we provide links to a Google Analytics guide and Website Optimizer's new YouTube channel.

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Ask and Ye Shall Receive: Online Survey Segmentation

Analytics firm iPerceptions Inc., recently announced that its free 4Q Web site survey solution, developed in collaboration with noted Web analytics author and blogger Avinash Kaushik, now offers advanced visitor segmentation capabilities.

Beginning this week, e-commerce site owners can use 4Q to capture visitor feedback on "path-to-site" and visit frequency, gaining the ability to segment responses by visitor group and type. 4Q users can cross-tabulate these data points with the core 4Q insights on task completion and site satisfaction to gain a clearer understanding of how well their sites are catering to the needs of their diverse visitor segments, according to the company.

The company 4Q was launched in March 2008, and helps companies understand why and how people interact with their Web sites by asking the following four survey questions: What are my visitors at my Web site to do?; Are they completing what they set out to do?; If not, why not?; and How satisfied are my visitors?

4Q requires a single line of code and can be installed in minutes on any Web site, according to the company. All surveys are permission-based and employ a two-stage invitation process that minimizes session interruptions. A real-time results dashboard is available through a secure online reporting tool to help 4Q users use their findings to make Web site changes that engage, retain and convert more visitors.

"It is a crime of the highest proportions not to segment your visitor base when doing any type of analysis," said Kaushik. "With the new segmentation capabilities, 4Q users are now be able to efficiently and quickly pinpoint specific action items for use in helping to convert or retain their most valuable visitor segments."

With the upgrade, Web store owners can use visitor frequency data, which is tied tightly to proven outcome metrics such as task completion and site satisfaction, to better execute content and usability strategies designed specifically for higher, moderate, and lower frequency visitors.

Marketers can also more accurately ascertain landing page relevance, points in the buying cycle where shoppers drop off and overall branding effectiveness among visitors driven to their sites from both offline and online marketing campaigns, according to the company.

Jonathan Levitt, vice president of marketing at iPerceptions, says, "By mixing in visitor segmentation capabilities, we've added enterprise-level power under the hood of this free solution. There really is no excuse now. All sites should be leveraging 4Q to start real conversations with customers and maximize online conversion."

By the Dashboard Lights: Keyword Bid Management

Logic361, Inc., a pay-per-click search advertising analysis software company, just announced the launch of SEM Opportunity Dashboard. It is the latest upgrade to the company's free, hosted search engine advertising analysis software application for Google Adwords and Yahoo Search advertisers.

The SEM Opportunity Dashboard has the ability to expose tens of thousands of dollars of hidden opportunities to increase revenue and decrease costs for pay per click (PPC) search engine advertisers, says the company. For instance, it is capable of instructing a search engine advertiser to "increase bids on these keywords and pause those keywords" or "re-write these ads and pause these other ads."

"Sophisticated data analysis of search advertising combined with automated bid and ad recommendations is long overdue," Stephen Schramke, chief executive officer, Logic361, said in a statement. "Search advertisers are increasingly pressed for time and spreadsheet data analysis is too time consuming and not powerful enough for deep analysis."

Chris Gilpin, marketing director, BuyAutoTruckAccessories.com, agrees. He says, "I rely on the SEM Opportunity Dashboard recommendations to pinpoint my highest priority bid and ad changes for my Google Adwords and Yahoo advertising accounts."

SEM Opportunity Dashboard is immediately available and included in SEM Profit Analyzer, a free, (for a limited time), hosted software account. Sign-up information can be found at the site's SEM Profit Analyzer Sign-up page.

For Richer: Yahoo Adds Video, Images and Links to Search Ads

Yahoo announced that its testing of rich media ads — or those with video, images or a custom search box included — in its paid search listings is proving to be prosperous. The program, officially called "Rich Ads in Search," has been available to a small group of advertisers and a test group of searchers during the fourth quarter of 2008. The results are positive, as according to Yahoo, advertisers testing the rich media ads saw click-through rates rise as much as 25 percent.

According to Jeff Sweat, one of Yahoo's blog editors, the program lets advertisers:

• Post images and video, which can increase the branding impact of search advertising.

• Create deep links to relevant pages, which can help drive conversions directly from the Yahoo search results page.

• Include boxes within the listing that lets users search for their desired product or a store location directly without additional navigation. For example, Esurance's listing lets users enter their ZIP codes from the results page for insurance quotes.

• Show their logo, which enhances user trust.

"Rich Ads in Search is currently by invitation only to a small group of our brand advertisers, but we will update you as it opens up," wrote Sweat. "In the meantime, start thinking of what your search ads could do for you."

The Missing Manual: Eisenberg's Comprehensive Google Analytics Guide

Bryan Eisenberg, author and co-founder of FutureNow, has published a comprehensive Google Analytics guide on his company's blog. The guide is comprised of links to what Search Engine Watch called "some of the best information about Google Analytics out there, from Google itself to various online marketing blogs." Whether you're a beginner looking for tips on initial setup and goal setting or want to get the scoop on internal search and campaign tracking, it's all covered here, according to Search Engine Watch. Check out the Missing Google Analytics Manual if you need some helpful resources.

Google Website Optimizer Channel on YouTube

Next time you find yourself procrastinating by watching videos at YouTube, why not get a little work done anyway? Google Website Optimizer has launched its own channel on YouTube.

If seeing is believing, this gives you a chance to learn things like how to set up landing page tests and how to interpret the results. There are also Webinars and case studies, too.

Michelle Megna is managing editor of Ecommerce-Guide.com.

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