Web analytics at mbl.is

Ólafur Örn Nielsen

Morgunblaðið – a morning subscription newspaper founded in 1913

mbl.is – the web version of Morgunblaðið

10 years old

Overview

1.Web analytics at mbl.is2.Analytical findings3.Analytics and advertising

History of analytics at mbl.is

• 1998 – Log analysis

• 2001 – Centralized Modernus/teljari.is statistics

• 2007 – Deeper analysis – web analytics era

The beginning of web analytics at mbl.is

• We began working with the consulting agency Nordic eMarketing in the spring of 2007

• IndexTools chosen as our analytics tool

• Implementation began summer 2007

• The use of the tool is an ongoing project

Recent developments for mbl.is

• Average user growth 20,97% each year for last 5 years

• 17,61% growth in 2007

• Visits per weekly visitor went from 5,69 to 7,69 – up 25%

• More users and more usage

Source: Modernus

Web analytics in last changes of mbl.is

• Simplification of navigation based on analytics• News seperated from other content• Popular content like gossip and entertainment

received more visual prominence – 25% growth

• More content above the fold - bounce rate down 10%

Web analytics has helped us!

• Increased knowledge of user behaviour

• Decisions made in a tactical way based on facts rather than feeling

• Detailed and concise information for advertisers

mbl.is media kit

• Pinpoint the exact audience

• Get the most out your campaign

• Tips & tricks in online advertising & marketing

mbl.is media kit

• Explanations of statistics and surveys

• Web analytics terminology explained in a simple way

• References to studies and blogs

Knowledge database

• Combined objectives of mbl.is and the advertising market

• Fast development – mbl.is will take the lead with advertisers

Web analytics and advertising

• The centralized measurements of Modernus

• What do those numbers say and what do they mean?

• Activity matters matters just as much as unique users

• Same applies in online advertising as in other mediums – reach and frequency

Web properties of mbl.is

3 domains• The news web mbl.is• blog.is blog community• Barnaland.is

community for parents

Modernus, 3rd week 2008

This does not mean that 292.558 use the news portal!

Modernus, 3rd week 2008

This does not mean that 292.558 use the news portal!

• 83% use the news portal

• 42,3% use blog.is

• 22,1% use Barnaland

Modernus, 3rd week 2008

This does not mean that 292.558 use the news portal!

• 83% use the news portal

• 42,3% use blog.is

• 22,1% use Barnaland

It’s a summary of them all

Modernus, 3rd week 2008

Gallup’s media ratings

• Strong relation between Modernus measurements and Gallup’s media ratings

• Two web pages included, mbl.is and visir.is

• Frontpages are the entry point of web pages

Web analytics and advertising

• Noticable fluctuations in weekly unique users

• Averages over a longer period of time rather than one week at a time!

• Let’s take discussions of statistics and analytics to a more professional level

Reliable Web analytics everyone understands!

• No technical knowledge required

• Confidence in using

• This conference and the media kit

Activity matters!

• Visits per visitor

• Pages viewed per session

• Time measurements

Metrics that matter in advertising

• How many clicked the banner?

• What happens after a user clicks your banner?

• Set your goals with the right KPIs

• Use web analytics tools to measure performance

Measure performance

• If you have goals you can measure performance

• If you measure performance you can improve your campaign (in realtime)

• Do A/B testing with different advertisements on different web sites

• Don’t just look at the results. Use them to improve!

Summary

• The web is constantly expanding – 21% each year

• Web Analytics will extend your knowledge

• mbl.is media kit – web for advertisers

• Not just a question of unique users

• Relation between Modernus measurements and Gallup’s media ratings

• Metrics that matter in advertising

Thank you

• Presentation available at www.rimc.is

• mbl.is media kithttp://media.mbl.is

• Questions?

• Ólafur Nielsen oli@mbl.is