Google Applications are “ready-to-use applications that
extend Google Analytics,”…providing solutions that take marketing tools to a
deeper level, using the analytics piece to report and provide greater value to
businesses. (“Find a,” 2016).
So what exactly are
these application extensions and why do they provide so much value?
For the purposes of this post, two Google applications will
be reviewed in greater detail based on the value they bring, as well as how
they can be connected together in one campaign to provide deeper value to a business.
The first: Phone call
tracking (Brand review: EASY CALL
TRACKER)
The easy call tracker allows for tracking of actual phone
calls from ad campaigns, email campaigns, website landing pages, etc. and is
reported in Google Analytics. According to the noted features and benefits, the
dynamic number method serves up a special phone number based on the Google
Analytics parameters added to URLs used in ad campaigns, email blasts, landing
pages, etc. This tool also allows for
offline tracking from TV commercials, direct mail, etc.
A few more specific features include (“Key features,” 2016):
- Online Call Tracking – Measure calls from SEO, banner ads, emails, referrals, etc.
- Offline Call Tracking – Measure calls from direct mail, billboards, commercials, brochures, etc.
- Google Analytics Integration – View call data in Google Analytics reports and dashboards
- Filter Call Data – Only count calls as leads in Google Analytics that last over a specified number of seconds
- Call Recording – Playback calls for quality control and training
- Instant Setup – Add, remove or configure tracking phone numbers within minutes
- Lots of Number Options – Local, toll-free and international numbers available
So
let’s put this into context for a marketing campaign. A statewide hospital is focusing
their 2016 strategy on awareness, new appointments, and repeat visits to their stroke
center. They have implemented a year-long media campaign, flighted throughout
the year, that includes paid digital advertising (with keyword ad search), television,
outdoor, and emails to existing leads in their system. In both the digital and
email campaigns, the leads are directed to a specific landing page within the
website that captures additional information and also provides a phone number
should the contact rather call than log-in digitally (many people are still
most comfortable with calling to schedule an appointment, especially
considering the age demographic susceptible to strokes). Additionally, with
both the TV and outdoor, each has a unique phone number that will also be
dynamically tracked and able to review in Google Analytics.
This
tracking allows brands and businesses to see where the majority of their leads
are coming from. And while you can’t assume the TV/Outdoor is going to draw in
as many as the digital leads, it’s still important when tracking the return on
investment for future campaigns and how media dollars should be structured.
The
second: Email Marketing (Brand review: ANALYTICS 360)
Another important tool for brands and
businesses alike is an email distribution software that allows for proper
tracking and distribution on a more professional scale. Mailchimp, a free email distribution platform,
allows for the following:
·
Greater flexibility in email design
(mailchimp.com, 2016)
·
Automation for online sellers
·
Advanced analytics (this is what will
be discussed in the following content)
(mailchimp.com, 2016)
·
Comprehensive mobile and tablet options
that allow for quick ease-of-use in building campaigns, reviewing templates and
sending emails
(mailchimp.com, 2016)
·
Integration with other apps, including
Google Analytics, Salesforce, etc.
So if we use the same hospital system
from the earlier analogy under the phone tracking system, this email program
and distribution software could be implemented as part of the Stroke campaign,
include a trackable phone number, and also provide Mailchimp tracking software which
is called Analytics 360. This software, which links Mailchimp’s Analytics 360
to Google Analytics, provides the same overview of data from Google Analytics,
and syncs properly to make sure the data is consistent, while also providing
valuable data regarding the specific email campaign. Whether it’s conversions
against the goals set for the specific email campaign, or links to the
website/landing pages, analytics are used to track the effectiveness of the
content and clicks through to the next stage in the appointment process (if
continuing to review the hospital marketing reference).
So how does it work? When campaigns are
created within Mailchimp, one of the questions asks if the brand would like to
turn on this tracking, and name it properly as to be able to easily reference
it within Google Analytics. These analytics associated with the email program
only relate to the visitors that have visited pages to the website/landing
pages from the email marketing campaign. It keeps specific data for each
campaign individually.
Furthermore, the campaign statistics within
Mailchimp provide the following (much of the same information that Google
Analytics provides, but includes link information, goals set against the
specific email campaign, campaign cost, etc.):
·
Campaign ROI (if in e-commerce
situation)
·
Campaign cost (price of Mailchimp
account, the number of subscribers and how often the campaign runs)
·
Conversion rate
·
Per visit goal value
·
Goal
·
Revenue created
·
Transactions
·
Ecommerce conversion rate
·
Per visit value (revenue divided by
visits)
·
Average value
·
Bounce rate
·
Visits
·
New visits
·
Average time on site
·
Pages per visit
So
what now?
While not completely necessary, Google
applications have the opportunity to bring more value to businesses by
providing greater insights into marketing programs and tactics that are working
properly or driving more traffic. Said another way, they allow businesses to
take a deeper look into where leads are coming from, what they are clicking on,
what is capturing their attention, etc. to better provide a return on investment,
which is extremely important in today’s atmosphere. Having an ROI is key to
continual development of ongoing marketing programs.
REFERENCES
Find a partner or solution. (n.d.).
Retrieved June 20, 2016, from https://www.google.com/analytics/partners
Integrate Google Analytics with
MailChimp. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2016, from
http://kb.mailchimp.com/integrations/e-commerce/integrate-google-analytics-with-mailchimp?_ga=1.217030993.612837420.1452871533
Key features and benefits. (n.d.).
Retrieved June 20, 2016, from
http://www.powermyanalytics.com/apps/easy-call-tracker/?utm_campaign=app_listing&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=ga_partner_gallery
No comments:
Post a Comment