Top 10 tips for data analysis specialist

The main goal of web analytics is to organize the maximum efficiency of the site and advertising in order to increase the profit of the business. Analytics systems make it possible to analyze how visitors behave on the pages of the site, its traffic, usability, determine traffic sources, useful and useless advertising channels.

Check these top 10 tips to improve analytics results.

• Forget about 100% accuracy

Usually, programmers and technical specialists are guilty of this. They want to get absolutely accurate data: “Now we will finalize the script here, and then here we go and …”. Forget it, you will never have 100% accurate data, because you work with web analytics, not tracking systems. Learn to work with assumptions. There is 80% probability of data – great, make decisions based on it.

• Forget about time on site

Modern web analytics systems (Google Analytics, for instance) measure the time spent by the user on the site incorrectly. This is a technical problem that can be solved by using alternative systems (for example, Open Web Analytics), if there really is a need to measure time correctly.

• Be afraid of the averages

It is almost never possible to draw conclusions from averages. They are often deceitful or hide the real state of affairs. Fear them, avoid them, and try to train your colleagues to do so.

• More than an analyst

You shouldn’t dwell only on your tools and website. Look more broadly, evaluate the external environment of the business, the level of prices in the market, the release of a new competitor’s product, etc. There are many statisticians, only a few analysts. First talk about numbers, second — about the trends and decisions that the business must make. Know both the technical side and the marketing side.

• Read and Learn!

Buy good books, read blogs of professionals, attend events where they talk about the effectiveness of marketing, data analysis consulting, business. Ultimately – ask colleagues, communicate with business owners, you must understand their goals, aims and fears.

• Stick to the 10/90 rule

Invest only 10% of your money in tools and 90% of your time (= money) in data.

This is simple and understandable: no matter how great a web analytics tool is, no matter how beautiful and unusual a report it builds, if you do not have time to study the tool and the collected data, then you will not get any return from it.

It makes no sense to set up a system for recording user behavior, develop your own system of statistics, if you do not have the time = financial resources to work with the data obtained.

• Learn to present your ideas correctly

Found a problem and know the solution? This is not enough. Your job will be done when you convince others of the need for change and the changes are implemented. Therefore, it is important to be able to write such reports that would “sell” your solution.

• Ask yourself questions

Are you stumped? Not sure how to move on? There is an indicator, but you do not know what affects it? Build logical chains, alternately asking yourself questions: “So what?”, “Why?”. It is very helpful in getting to the point.

• Be mindful of money

You were not hired to work with data, you were hired to make money through expertise, problem solving, and hypothesis. A business needs you to optimize its processes: website, sales funnel, marketing communications, etc. More on https://www.dataart.com/services-and-technology/security/penetration-testing. 

• Pass Google Analytics Individual Qualification

This will serve as proof that you know how one of the best web analytics systems, Google Analytics, works. Before passing the exam, you will undoubtedly learn something new about this web analytics system, familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of its work and show the level of your knowledge to others.

Try it and you will succeed!