Hack3.Select the Right Vendor
Hack 3. Select the Right Vendor
One of the most important decisions you will make in web measurement is which vendor you're going to work with, keeping in mind that some are better than others but there is no one "best" vendor for every company's needs. The web measurement arena is littered with software and service vendors, some good and some bad, yet all eager to take your money. The vendor selection process is often the most painful step in setting up a web measurement program. Understanding the major differences between types of vendors and seeing a brief synopsis of the top vendors in the market can make this process a little less painful. Vendors can be categorized along two major axes: delivery type and the data collection mechanism. The delivery type characterizes how you use the vendor's services, and falls into two broad categories: software, which you install on your own servers, and hosted services, which are maintained by the vendor. The data collection mechanism describes how the vendor collects data, such as web server logfiles [Hack #22] or client-side JavaScript page tags [Hack #28]. Since a handful of vendors are now supporting both data collection mechanisms, and since often delivery type defines which data model you'll use, we'll focus on delivery type. 1.4.1. SoftwareThe software model for web measurement applications is essentially the "original" modelone very well understood and widely deployed. Companies generally choose software because they seek flexibility from the application and prefer to own the process from beginning to end. Software may be more expensive in terms of up-front fees and first-year investment, but cost savings are usually appreciated in the second and subsequent years when maintenance fees are 1722 percent of first-year costs (this will make sense when you read about hosted service model pricing). If you go the software route, you need to be ready to support the application internally, maintaining the software when necessary as well as the hardware it runs on. Software typically uses web server logfiles (Figure 1-4) as a data source. Figure 1-4. A web server logfile 1.4.2. Hosted ServicesThe hosted service modeloften referred to as the outsourced or application service provider (ASP) modeltakes advantage of the fact that some companies prefer not to run and maintain software internally. In the hosted service model, in-house IT groups are usually involved only during the original implementation and deployment phase, allowing business and marketing resources to tweak reports and data collection mechanisms on an ongoing basis. While first-year costs for hosted services are often much lower than software, the hosted service model is built on a "pay as you go" plan, much like your cell phone. Since you're paying for the page views your visitors generate on a "cost per million page views," you will continue to pay a similar or increasing monthly cost year over year. Hosted services, while not exclusively so, traditionally use a client-side JavaScript page tag as a data source. 1.4.3. Popular Vendors Providing Software and ServicesTable 1-1 summarizes the data source and delivery types for a handful of well-known web measurement vendors.
As you can see, a number of vendors support multiple data collection mechanisms and delivery strategies, and fourClickTracks, Urchin, Visual Sciences, and WebTrendssupport all available options. Here are a few other things you should know about each of these vendors to help you in the selection process.
1.4.4. Tying It All TogetherIf you've never looked at web measurement software before, you may want to ask around and see if anyone else you work with is familiar with these types of applications. Because the differences between vendor offerings are sometimes slight and often just a matter of preference, having someone with relevant experience work with you to vet vendors can be very helpful (kind of like taking your dad to buy your first car!). One resource I strongly recommend is the Web Measurement and Analysis Forum at Yahoo! Groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/webanalytics/). I founded the group in 2004, and as of this book's printing, the membership includes nearly 1,000 members, all happy to provide opinions and assistance. When looking at different software options, be sure to take a close look at what you'll be getting. Ask for a few demonstrations, and consider downloading and trying copies yourself if possible. (ClickTracks, WebTrends, Urchin, and Sane Solutions all offer downloadable trial versions.) If you're leaning toward a hosted solution, consider asking the vendor to conduct a limited pilot so you can see how your data will look in their application. Whatever you do, don't just jump right in with the first vendor you contact (or who contacts you). Again, like your first car, your first web measurement application is one you'll long remember, for better or for worse. |
EAN: 2147483647
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