10 Reasons Why Mobile Analytics Are Mission Critical to a Sustainable Mobile Strategy

February 8th, 2012

Topics: Analytics, Mobile, Mobile Measurement, Perspectives

I recently sat down with mobiThinking.com to discuss the importance of measuring what works and what doesn’t in mobile, what the customer likes and doesn’t, and what delivers ROI and what doesn’t. Here are my top tips:

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
Mobile analytics are mission critical to any brand that wishes to operate effectively in the mobile arena. In a very real sense, these data points are crucial to a brand’s ability to establish an effective mobile strategy and prioritize limited resources. In other words, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Not all mobile devices are created equal – one size won’t fit all with your mobile strategy.
Device detection helps marketers understand what types of devices are most commonly used by visitors to the mobile sites. Armed with this data, marketers can make rational decisions about prioritizing development of mobile apps, mobile web, SMS, quick-response codes, location-based services etc., according to what are the most appropriate channels to reach the target demographic.

Counting app downloads is pointless – app usage is what matters.
Mobile analytics provide key customer insights. Marketers need to know that all those people who are downloading their app are actually using it (which is the whole point, right?) rather than simply trying it once and then ignoring or deleting it. Understanding these sorts of interactions – and adjusting tactics accordingly – is the lifeblood of customer engagement.

Does your Web customer become anonymous when they switch to a mobile device?
If a marketer chooses an analytics solution that spans digital channels (including mobile, social and website) then it’s possible to understand consumer behavior, individually and in aggregate, across digital programs. Using this, marketers can create a digital profile for a consumer that allows them to deliver ever more relevant content across digital channels.

Can’t prove ROI? Don’t expect any more budget.
Implemented correctly, mobile analytics help marketers answer two critical questions: 1) is there adequate return on investment for mobile marketing programs? and 2) which tactics are reaping the highest returns? If you can’t answer these questions with hard data, then it’s virtually impossible to seek additional investment for the mobile channel or maintain job security for an extended period of time.

Read my other five top tips on mobiThinking.com here.

  • http://www.chaoticinflation.com/ Lothaire Ruellan

    Hi – this is an interesting post. Thank you. Just one question: how is it possible to track users across mobile/desktop/apps with WebTrends Analytics? From what I understand, the same visitor will have different cookie id’s for each site/app. Is there a way to consolidate visitor activity across digital properties with WebTrends Analytics?

    • Mike Ricci

      Lothaire ..not inside of WT Analytics itself .. we have a product we call Segments which allows us to track digital behavior across a range of digital channels.

      • http://www.chaoticinflation.com/ Lothaire Ruellan

        That’s interesting. We are also a segment/VDM customer, but we rely on the  same WT cookie as analytics, and therefore, eahc visitor is treated as new on each site connected to the VDM. Do you have documentation as to how to implement cross-property visitor tracking with VDM?

        • Galoredk

          Unless people log in with a unique ID, you cannot track them across devices. I cannot see any technology in the near future that would allow for that to happen.

          So the trick is, how do you provide the customer with something valuable enough for him to log in. That’s what Facebook solved, why not dig into using Facebook logins for extra benefits?

          • http://www.chaoticinflation.com/ Lothaire Ruellan

            My registered users do log in with the same id across mobile and desktop, but VDM doesn’t use this login to track visitors, unfortunately. It uses a visitor sys is that is automatically generated and that is site specific.
            I wish Webtrends would provide more actionable insights in their blog posts that are achievable with their current technology rather than invite guest bloggers who make far generic assertions that are hardly implementable with the current vendor solution…