Can the usage of Web site analysis tools be a waste of time and resources?
Web site analysis tools provide valuable insights into how site visitors like prospects, clients, partners or suppliers are using your Web site. However, exploiting the data of Web site analysis is time and resource intensive and calls for ongoing actions such as typically improving navigation structure or cross-linking pages. Only Companies with allocated budget for continuous site improvements, measurable Web site objectives and dedicated Web resources (not just IT staff that updates the Web site occasionally) should use Web site analysis tools to gain more insights and understand site visitors’ behavior (see PracticeByte, “Common Mistakes: Start Using Web Site Analysis Tools“, Nicolas Brki).
Companies that operate Web sites
- on a – me too – basis with typically no executive support or no or low dedicated Web budget should not perform Web site analysis. Measurement is only valuable, if the findings result in corrective actions (which involves budget or resources). Instead of wasting time to exploit Web site analysis data, eBusiness managers should first ensure executive support to allocate additional budget and resources (read PracticeByte, “Is your Web Site Damaging Your Company Brand“, Steve Telleen).
- with no measurable Web site objectives, should first define measurable business objectives (if you didn’t define site objectives, you can not prove how the site contributes to the business). eBusiness managers need to go out to their business colleagues (at least marketing, sales, support, finance and human resources) to start defining measurable and specific site objectives (read PracticeByte, “Who Should Set Web Business Objectives“, Steve Telleen). After commonly agreeing on Web site objectives, executive management is more willing to allocate budget and resources due to the proven business contribution of the Web site (see PracticeByte, “Business Value – The Touchstone of Web Site Improvements“, Steve Telleen).
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Nicolas Brki is the founder of www.effinfo.com, a European Web-Advisory research company. Before, Nicolas was a senior advisor at Giga (now Forrester). Nicolas helped global companies to increase the effectiveness of their Web sites, Intranets and enterprise portals.
Prior GigaGroup, Nicolas was the technical director of a French consultancy focusing on Internet technology solutions and a consultant at Accenture’s Centre for Strategic Technology.
