The intention of the “DEG Tech Update” series is to respect your limited time by putting together a succinct digest on news within the online space directly relevant to consultants, managers, and engineers. These are intended to facilitate discussion, discovery and foster the continuous drive for innovation for all audiences.

Google Website Optimizer
So you’ve redesigned and launched your website and you’re left with questioning if what you’ve designed is going to be effective. Will it achieve the results you want? There are two methodologies you can utilize for design analysis; A/B and multivariate testing. A/B tests and multivariate tests are methods in which you can conduct different types of experiments for optimization of a website. Ultimately you are trying to identify what approach will better help you meet goals such as keeping visitors on a site longer or engage in transactions.

A/B tests = testing two entirely different versions of a page. Generally speaking, with A/B testing — the following is true:

• You don’t get a lot of page traffic (less than about 1,000 page views a week).

• You want to move things around on a page or try a different layout.

• You want to alter the overall look and feel of a page.

Multivariate tests = testing different combinations of content on the same page. Generally speaking, with a multivariate test — the following is true:

• You get a high amount of page traffic (more than 1,000 page views a week, roughly).

• The layout and overall design of your page will stay the same.

• You want to change specific parts of your page, like a headline or image, simultaneously.

Google has a tool that enables you to conduct both of these types of testing, called Google Website Optimizer.

More information here:
» http://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer

Video here:
» http://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer/overview

Urchin Launched for Download
Google has updated Urchin (an analytics tool), a for-fee product when downloaded and installed on a company’s server. Urchin is the tool that is basis of Google Analytics. So what’s the differences between Urchin and Google Analytics? Why would you want to purchase something that’s already free?

Urchin Software benefits (vs. Google Analytics):
* Not necessary to tag web pages with JavaScript code.
* Control the processing schedule of traffic logs, including the option to process data immediately.
* Analytics can be extracted on traffic prior to the “install” of Urchin (re-process and post-process data).
* View all website traffic, including images, downloads, robots, status codes (e.g. 404s, 500s), and referral errors, including outdated links.
* Create customized reporting for different types of visitation data.
* Report data can be easily audited by 3rd parties.

Google Analytics benefits (vs. Urchin):
* Represents the latest in web analytics technology, and includes many advanced features not found in Urchin Software
* Is updated automatically when new features roll out
* Is tightly integrated with AdWords reports from the AdWords user interface.)
* Allows unique visitor drilldown - view session/path, platform, geo-location, browser/platform, etc. data for individual visitors (anonymous).

» http://www.google.com/urchin/download.html

It should be noted that analytics are only as good as the your ability to consume, interpret and act upon the information and insights.

Concept: “Every Page Is Your Homepage”
Consumers finding your content, primarily through a Google search box, that drops them somewhere in the middle of a big and bloated website is only going to do one thing, and Avinash describes their experience best: “they come, they puke, they leave.”

“The premise is simple: every page of your Website must now be considered a homepage. The hours spent tinkering on your current homepage needs to shift into ensuring that every page is a brilliant representation for the keywords and external links that drove someone to your site. Fewer and fewer consumers are coming in via the homepage. They could also care less about what your company does or the other products you sell. They were searching for something specific, and if it’s not there after they’ve clicked on a search result link, they’re you’re road kill on the information super highway.”

» Source: http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/every-page-is-your-homepage

Google Apps has been integrated with SalesForce

More information here:

» http://blogs.zdnet.com/SAAS/?p=490&tag=nl.e539
» http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/4/google_salesforce_deal_shows_google_not_insane_microsoft_disruption_continues

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Digital Evolution Group Consultant
mohsenr@digitalev.com
www.twitter.com/ramseym
www.linkedin.com/in/ramseymohsen