Data, Data, Everywhere

Often, the “analytics component” of a Web site redesign consists of sticking some code on a page, configuring a few goals and reports, and afterwards running some reports to show your board just how awesome (hopefully) the new numbers are. You might even run a few reports to show the success of a campaign or two. And then, analytics sinks into just another report you need to put together, dashboard-style, before your annual board meeting.

Why does web analytics sink into statistical oblivion when there is just so much to see and do? Maybe it’s because there’s so much to see and do. Dashboards filled with data show you when numbers go up and when they go down. You see page hits, bounce rates, and goal funnels galore. What does it all mean, and what can I do about it? Analytics is all well and good in the for-profit organizations with departments dedicated to this kind of stuff – but non-profit tech folks are busy people. Who has the time?

One proposed panel at SXSW this year, Data, Data, Everywhere: Drowning in a Sea of Analytics, says you have the time, and you should take it. Just because you don’t run eCommerce doesn’t mean your site doesn’t have goals. You run campaigns, you take donations, you provide member services. And with Web analytics, you can constantly strive to have a better, more engaging Web presence. As you make improvements based on analytics, you may actually save your staff time and your organization, money.

So vote for Data, Data, Everywhere, and we’ll see you in Austin!

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