The document discusses the power of segmentation in Google Analytics. It explains that aggregate data treats all site visitors as identical, when in reality each visitor is unique. Segments allow users to analyze subsets of data based on visitor attributes and behavior. Examples include paid vs organic traffic, converts vs non-converts, and bounce rate. Advanced segments and custom variables provide flexibility to define segments. Analyzing segments helps optimize marketing campaigns, social media efforts, and increase goals like memberships or user generated content.
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Gamc2010 01 - the power of segmentation - barbara pezzi - swissotel
1. The Power of Segmentation
Truly understand your visitors
Barbara Pezzi
Director Web Marketing
Fairmont Raffles Hotels International
Google Confidential and Proprietary 1
2. The Power of Segmentation
"Analyzing data in aggregate is a crime against humanity."
Avinash Kaushik
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3. The Power of Segmentation
Aggregate data works on the assumption that all site visitors are identical
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4. The Power of Segmentation
The reality is:
• Every site visitor is unique, each with their own behaviour, intent and
requirements.
• Aggregate data cannot be actioned. Data without action is a pointless
exercise.
• Numbers need context to tell a story.
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5. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
Simple Examples:
• Paid vs Organic Traffic:
How do these 2 groups differ?
Do your paid visitors favour different products?
What keywords are they using?
Use the data to optimise both your PPC campaigns (landing pages, keyword
selection) and your SEO efforts (are there paid keywords which should be
implemented in your SEO strategy?).
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6. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
Simple Examples:
• Convert vs Did not Convert
Compare traffic sources, landing pages, keyword used and conversion funnel.
How was their site experience different?
Where did you lose them?
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7. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
Simple Examples:
• Bounce vs Non-Bounce: they came, they saw, they left. Why?
Compare traffic sources, keywords used, landing pages.
Look at the geo report. Is it possibly a language issue?
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8. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
More Creative Examples:
• Viewed 5 pages but did not buy. These visitors were engaged with your
content, but not enough to convert.
What were they looking for (keywords)?
Where did they leave (exit pages?).
How did they find the site (traffic sources?).
Is one of your referrers sending you the wrong traffic or is your content not good
enough to convert?
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9. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
More Creative Examples:
• Posted a comment (for blogs or sites which allow user interaction).
If your goal is to increase your User Generated Content (UGC), then these are
your star visitors.
Where are they?
How are they getting to the site (PPC, Organic, Affiliates..)?
What can you do to get more?
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10. The Power of Segmentation
Segments are a subset of your data generally referring to groups of
visitors whose behaviour you would like to see and analyze.
More Creative Examples:
• Stayed less than 20 seconds.
Sometimes a single page visit is not an issue (ex: blogs, contact details page,
map page). In these cases, it might be better to segment by time on site to
determine how many visitors really did not interact with the site. 20 -30 seconds is
generally a safe bet.
Alternatively, segment by pages/per visit: ex 2 pages or less
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11. The Power of Segmentation
Tools available in Google Analytics for Segmentation
• Advanced Segments
• Custom Variables
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12. The Power of Segmentation
DEFAULT SEGMENTS CUSTOM SEGMENTS
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13. The Power of Segmentation
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14. Advanced Segments Applied
Goal: run a PPC campaign for the Swissotel Stamford, Singapore
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15. Advanced Segments Applied
Goal: run a PPC campaign for the Swissotel Stamford, Singapore
• Step 1: Analyse traffic pre-campaign: who is booking us? Choose countries
for campaign
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16. Advanced Segments Applied
1st Month Review
• Step 2: Create Campaign segment
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17. Advanced Segments Applied
1st Month Review
• Step 2: Compare conversion to all visits, by country
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18. Advanced Segments Applied
1st Month Review
• Step 2: Review individually
We want more Brits!
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19. Advanced Segments Applied
1st Month Review
• Step 3: Dig deeper with individual campaign. What are the Brits looking at?
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20. Advanced Segments Applied
1st Month Review
• Compare and optimise by individual campaign:
Landing pages
Content viewed
Keywords used
Time partying (when did they buy the most?)
Ad position
Ad text
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21. Advanced Segments Applied
After 6 months of continued reviews and optimization..
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22. Advanced Segments Applied
After 6 months of continued reviews and optimization..
67.78% increase in revenue
21.78% decrease in costs
100% increase in ROI
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23. Advanced Segments Applied; Non Ecommerce
Goal: increase membership to our loyalty programme, Club Swiss Gold
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24. Advanced Segments Applied; Non Ecommerce
Goal: increase membership to our loyalty programme, Club Swiss Gold
• Step 1: create advanced segment
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25. Advanced Segments Applied; Non Ecommerce
Goal: increase membership to our loyalty programme, Club Swiss Gold
• Step 2: analyse traffic sources, landing pages, keywords, countries of
origin… and optimise accordingly
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26. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Goal: analyse our Facebook vs Twitter visitors to optimize our social
media activities
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27. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Goal: analyse our Facebook vs Twitter visitors to optimize our social
media activities
• Step 1: create advanced segment
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28. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Goal: analyse our Facebook vs Twitter visitors to optimize our social
media activities
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29. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Goal: analyse our Facebook vs Twitter visitors to optimize our social
media activities
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30. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Goal: analyse our Facebook vs Twitter visitors to optimize our social
media activities.
Next steps:
• Adjust our posts/tweets to the audience in each channel
• Add campaign tracking codes to main offers/promotions posted
• Set dedicated goals
?
Come back to next year’s GA event to see the outcomes..
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31. Advanced Segments Applied; Social Media
Bonus Segment: Social media traffic
http://bit.ly/Social_Media_Traffic
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32. Advanced Segments – In summary
• Extremely flexible: you can create countless variations tailored to your own
business goals
• Can be utilized for ad-hoc on the fly analysis without any re-tagging required
(unlike many other tools)
• Can be applied retroactively and tested on the spot
• You can share your segments
Additional information:
http://cse-sea.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-favourite-google-analytics-
advanced.html
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33. Custom Variables
Custom Variables provide you with the power and flexibility to
customize Google Analytics and collect the unique site usage data
most important to your business.
• Members vs non-members
• Content categorization: site sections
• New customers vs repeat customers
• Landing page
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35. Custom Variables Applied
Goal: Measure how the various languages are performing on the site
or sections of the site (ex a specific hotel page)
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39. Custom Variables – In summary
• Very powerful: you can now define and track visitors according to visitor
attributes (ex. member vs. non-member), session attributes (ex. logged-in or
not), and by page-level attributes (ex. viewed Jobs section).
• Can be used in advanced segments and custom reports
• Does require tagging so plan carefully
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40. The Power of Segmentation
Final Takeaways:
• Set your segments based on goals: return visits vs short visit, transactions,
members..
• Apply different segment based on the goals of each section on the site:
product pages, “about us” section, help pages, etc..
• Try different segments: location based, campaign type, traffic source, online
behaviour, keyword used, etc..
• Don’t go too specific to start with. Take a couple of main segments and then
dig deeper.
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41. The Power of Segmentation
“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it”
(Lord Kelvin)
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