Analysis Paralysis – Can you really have too much of a good thing? 10/04/2008

It’s time to log on and be counted – because everyone gets caught on the web, every page you view is monitored and timed, and every click is recorded. But are you really making the most out of your analytics tools?

Data – the raw stream of numbers and words spilling out of your server, cannot be counted as real ‘information’ where that initial mass of gobbledy gook has been refined and translated so it actually means something, and is therefore usable in business. With the availability of analytics packages widely available, and offering a whole host of numbers, figures, graphs and charts – the gulf between data and information has never greater, and perhaps you really can have too much of a good thing!

At the highest level, companies want to know what kind of response rate they should be achieving, whether that’s from clickthroughs from an email or a sales conversation on the website – They want to be able to benchmark campaigns and work out likely ROI for their marketing activities, working out how much traffic their website deserves and how much will make it profitable – that level of insight is exactly what internet analysis tools have made possible.

Possible, yes – but not always recognised. When you’re overwhelmed by data and don’t know where to start, it’s called ‘analysis paralysis’ and to avoid this you need to make sure you’re working with an agency who can carve your data into manageable chunks, sift out the rubbish, and present you with a well rounded, useful, analytics service, directly applicable to your business.

Of course the one thing companies often miss out on is the opportunity to enhance and verify data from both offline and online. Unless your agency can integrate both their web analytics with their other channels of research – you’re never going to have the full picture.

Clearsilver provide clients with highly technical online analytics tools, with the added aspect of having a professional to really dig out the data needed to enrich your business and increase ROI and profitability. Teamed with this, Clearsilver also offer analysis of offline consumer activity in the form of research questionnaires and other feedback methods, monitoring ads in print publications and formulating SMS campaign, constantly finding and refining communication profiles.

The underlying fact is that returns are greatest when companies use their channels in the same way customers do, switching between them as appropriate to ensure there is a continuous rapport with customers and prospects.

Visit our case studies to get a real feel for our great results using both online and offline analytics.

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