Difference and objective comparison between the 2 most popular Web Analytics solutions: Omniture SiteCatalyst vs. Google Analytics latest edition (2011).

1. OmnitureSiteCatalystvs. Google Analytics May 11 1

2. AGENDA 2

3. AGENDA 3

5. More advanced implementation is reasonably more complex.

7. Set-up can take weeks/months

9. 2. Input: Traffic filtering 6 Limited filtering options. Some filters can lead to additionnal cost. Filters can be set-up at report stage not at the profile stage. Pre-defined and custom filters available at the profile-level. Easy to set up. Examples: exclude IP’s, include only a site section, include geographic regions…

10. 2. Input: Tracking – Traffic sources/Campaigns 7 Tracking code must be implemented on all links to the website. Then, a classification file must be submitted to translate the tracking codes into SiteCatalyst report sections & sub-sections (SAINT classification).  extra step/effort in tracking campaigns. AdWords cost-source data cannot be integrated in the tracking code. Integration with Google AdWords exist at an additional cost via Adobe SearchCenter. Full integration with Google AdWords including cost-source data (free). Other links (banners, newsletters,…) should also be manually tracked with utm parameters to include campaign name, source and medium. Option to rename or group multiple campaigns/traffic sources in the reports with the use of filters.

11. 8 2. Input: Tracking – Goals/Events/Custom Variables Goals can be set up without any additional implementation (URL based). Funnel path and visualization report can be easily setup without any additional implementation in the code. Funnel report is not retroactive. E-commerce tracking requires one additional tag. Custom Variables (max. 5) and Event Tracking allow to track different segmentation or interaction type. Events can be set as goals (new GA version) Ability to track multiple variables and to breakdown the reports with any (calculated) metrics. Ability to track custom events, custom conversions, custom traffic (requires personalized implementation). Conversion funnel reports can be set up in the SiteCatalyst interface (for event metrics; do not allow calculated metrics). Funnel report are not pre-defined (unless bookmarked) and are retroactive.

12. AGENDA 9

13. 10 3. Interpretation: Metrics Ability to create calculated metrics. Calculated metrics allow to define important metrics that are not pre-defined in SiteCatalyst (e.g. bounce rate, exit rate, pageviews/visit, visits per visitors, %entry page, event conversion rate, …). DataWarehouse allows to store all the raw data and to perform custom/complex reports (can take up to 72 hours). Click-throughs and Instances often used as default metrics in reports. No ability to create calculated metrics. However, most important metrics are already defined in GA and are accessible across all reports and custom reports. Visit is mostly used as default metrics. Click-thoughs=Total number of times that visitors arrived at a page on your site through a particular campaign within the reporting period. Click-throughs are recorded on the landing page). Instances=The number of times a value was set for this data dimension within the reporting period).

14. 11 3. Interpretation: Dashboards Built from scratch. Dashboard can include report for every report that can be created. Retains filters and segments. Can be shared in multiple formats. Up to 20 dashboards per profile with max. 12 widgets (new GA version). Easy to customize and user-friendly. New: filter can be added to the dashboard reports. For the moment (new GA version), dashboards cannot be duplicated from one login to another. Can be shared in multiple formats.  Both tools provide qualitative custom dashboard and reporting options .

15. 3. Interpretation: On-site performance reporting 12 More flexibility and custom reports to analyze the visitor behaviour on the website. Reports include page-level click stream and cumulative click paths. Ability to add tracking code for internal campaigns (no classification file needed). Can only analyze previous & next page from a given page. Interactions with sections of the website (e.g. header, top menu sections, …) can be measured with Event Tracking.

16. AGENDA 13

17. 14 4. Other Differentiating Specificities Raw data availability, and extensive filtering options that can be used to create multiple profile. Easy funnel conversion report vs. SiteCatalyst fallout report (for pages) and conversion funnel (for events). Automatic integration with Google AdWords (no additional tagging required). Easy to use & to understand. Easy to share access (even to only a subset of data). New version & beta functionalities Great customization power (user behaviour, navigability analysis, …). Integration with 3rd-party /external systems (SAINT classification). Importing data via “Data Sources” into the system (data imported cannot be removed). Clickstream: page-level click stream and cumulative click paths (vs. only previous & next page for GA). Customer support. Calculated metrics. Comparing similar reports for multiple sites.

18. Conclusions 15 If you change from one web analytic tool to another, no historic data would be recuperated on the new tool. Are the additional features worth the transition cost? And the continuous investment (SiteCatalyst)? Decision should be based on assessing: - the cost of implementation, - your time/resource availability to perform the input, - your data interpretation needs, - your potential link with 3rd party data (integration need), - and your corporate ‘need’ in terms of SLA.

19. 16 Google Analytics & SiteCatalyst specialists at Semetis: Nicolas Debray Gabriel Goldberg Kelly Halfin Semetis | Search and Web Analytics Agency www.semetis.com Twitter: @Semetis 44 Rue des Palais, 1030 Brussels, Belgium