Online Intelligence Solutions DATA QUERY: ADVANCED DATA MODELLING Marion JOFFRE, Product marketing manager WHITE PAPER
Summary Context 3 Accurate, detailed performance indicator monitoring 4 Data Query: a simplified data extraction interface 5 Examples 6 Measuring the performance of geo-marketing campaigns 6 Data integration techniques in external reporting tools 8 Consolidating Marketing & Social indicators within an updatable Score Card aimed at senior management 10 Conclusion: A step closer to Business Intelligence 12 2
Context Reporting has become central to all companies. Monitoring performances allows companies to measure whether or not objectives, set by management, have been reached. Nevertheless, it is not easy to set up simple, targeted and regular reports which will be used to monitor the evolution of important indicators at any moment. Monitoring performances allows companies to measure whether or not objectives To effectively monitor performance the following three common needs must be taken into account: 1. Optimise time spent on analyses and data interpretation 2. Consolidate all of the data for easier and immediate reading 3. Create made to measure reports, adapted to an individual company s KPIs AT Internet places agility at the centre of its innovation process and the company s goal is to provide a solution which responds to each of these problems which our customers have to deal with. By offering our customers increasingly customisable tools, we provide them with the agility that they need to extract information that will help them make the right decisions. 3
Accurate, detailed performance indicator monitoring Once there is a clear vision of the KPIs, web analysts will be able to detect points for ongoing improvement Throughout any project a web analyst will need to measure the performances of different actions which have been put in place. Before starting to monitor the different indicators the web analyst needs to formalise the different strategic and functional KPIs to be studied and monitored over time. Once there is a clear vision of the KPIs, web analysts will be able to detect points for ongoing improvement, whether they be part of a campaign, on a site or part of any other operation. AT Internet has a web interface, the Digital WorkSpace, which displays easy to read, formatted data, accompanied with easy to read charts, allowing analysts to do their job effectively. The interface also allows analysts to filter and sort data, making it an essential tool. However, it is sometimes necessary to study data more accurately. In order to do so DataExplorer, the segmentation module, offers users great flexibility in isolating groups of people based on multiple criteria. Analysts can also study groups in detail by segmenting on all metrics and dimensions of the Digital WorkSpace. Today, however, web analysts needs are becoming increasingly advanced when it comes to combining segments, metrics and dimensions. AT Internet has introduced its new data extraction interface to respond to these needs. 4
Data Query: a simplified data extraction interface Before having an in-depth look at Data Query, below is a brief reminder of some of the basic definitions: Web analysts can select the metrics, segments and dimensions that they would like to highlight - Dimensions are parts of analyses which are used as the bases for studying groups of data - Metrics are indicators which are associated with a dimension. Metrics analyse performance and traffic volume for each element that the dimension is made up of. Both standard and custom metrics can be used. - A site s visit shares have the same characteristics Web analysts can select the metrics, segments and dimensions that they would like to highlight thanks to a very intuitive drag and drop system. The analyst can then preview their request before validating it so that changes can be made if necessary. Analysts can save, deduplicate and share data templates with other users from the same account, making the interface easier to use. Several different formats for downloading data are also available to the user. Users can immediately download data via Excel, generate a REST URL (XML) or download an IQY connector to create dynamic dashboards. The different formats respond to both occasional and regular export needs. With Data Query, the data requestor, AT Internet is raising the technical limits of its API and is making its targeted data analysis increasingly accessible. Marketing teams can now benefit from the power and strength of the API and are becoming autonomous in using it. 5
Examples Measuring the performance of geo-marketing campaigns The marketing team of a large international group has just set a series of marketing campaigns in place for different targets: Prospect, category A customer, category B customer, all of which are spread over three different countries. The marketing team would like to find out exactly how each campaign is performing by crossing information such as campaign type with target type and country. All of the information required for this analysis is available in the Digital WorkSpace. The information which is collected goes through different segmentation phases as well as manual data consolidation. On the other hand, Data Query gives users automatic access to sets of data, saving them a significant amount of time and limiting the number of risks associated with manually retrieving data. With its system of drag and drops, users can create a data export model by selecting the dimensions and metrics that they would like to cross. As part of our example below we would like to cross the following information: - Dimensions: Sources, Countries - Metrics: Visits, - Custom metrics: Engaged visits (20+ page views per visit) To make the results easier to read a ratio can be used by adding a custom metric such as % engaged visits 6
The Excel export will immediately display the set of data that has been searched, providing users with a significant level of metric customisation. 7
Data integration techniques in external reporting tools In addition to exporting data, one of the major challenges of reporting involves consolidating internal and external data. Let s take the example of a Chief Information Officer who wants to implement a technical report for a web site s performance. The team is worried about display issues associated with the site which can be attributed to the different versions of web browsers that are used. In order to identify the blocking points, the team had the idea of creating a data table whose aim was to provide detailed information on browser performance for each version of web browser used on a country by country basis. Let s start with the principle that the technical teams retrieve information on a monthly basis. As standard, it would normally be necessary to segment and to export information directly from the Digital WorkSpace, after which the data needs to be reworked so that it can be integrated into the internal monitoring tool. With Data Query it is no longer necessary to carry out all of these manual tasks. Users can configure a data export table and retrieve a Rest URL directly in the Data Query interface. This means that the technical team has data that is available in a format which is more adapted to their needs (XML) and which can be easily reintegrated into their internal monitoring tool. 8
The REST URL is linked to the data export template and, from the internal monitoring tool, can be used right through to implementing an automated call from the URL. 9
Consolidating Marketing & Social indicators within an updatable Score Card aimed at senior management Extracting raw data is suitable for both operational teams as well as strategic management. Let s take the example of the senior management of a large e-commerce group who has asked the marketing manager to set up a score card which groups together all of the pre-defined KPIs. In an ideal situation the score card will be updated at the beginning of every month. The request follows the launch of a new communication campaign and has one clear need: to measure the performance of Social actions compared to Email Marketing actions. Here the use of Data Query has many advantages: it saves time and resources and increases autonomy. By constructing made to measure exports, it is possible to add custom sources (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) as well as custom metrics (Visits France, Visits Spain, Visits Italy). Each data export template will then be used to create made to measure data blocks. In order to dynamically create a link between the dashboard and the API a connector file, the IQY, will create a link between the Excel file and AT Internet. The advantage of the connector file is that it is a standard Excel extension. Once it has been downloaded, no further installation or update is required which is not the case for plug-ins or applications. Once a connection has been established, the dashboard can be updated directly from Excel. Each time a change has been made from the dashboard, API calls will be made to retrieve the new values and update the data. 10
The IQY connector plays a key role as it is the link between the API and the dashboard. Updating data becomes real child s play. 11
Conclusion: A step closer to Business Intelligence Identifying strategic KPIs and the operational KPIs which result from them are essential to creating a suitable report Thanks to the special relationship that AT Internet has with its customers, the company understands and anticipates analysts needs by regularly offering them new features which will make their daily tasks much easier and which will open up new opportunities and perspectives. However, it is important to note that to benefit from the power and all that Data Query has to offer, it is essential to identify the exact variables to be measured. Identifying strategic KPIs and the operational KPIs which result from them are essential to creating a suitable report. A team of experienced consultants is available to accompany our customers throughout the different phases of their projects, from identifying KPIs through to creating madeto-measure dashboards. In addition to exporting data, this new interface provides new, complete, immediate multidimensional combinations. For AT Internet this is a first step towards increasingly modular and high-performing tools, and a further step towards Business Intelligence. 12
Online Intelligence Solutions AT INTERNET AGILE BUSINESS DECISIONS AT Internet, European leader in the field of Web Analytics since 1995, helps companies drive their online performance and optimise their presence on all online marketing channels such as web and mobile sites, applications, e-crm, social media etc. The company s Online Intelligence solutions provide reliable, valid, complete decision-making data. AT Internet has placed agility at the heart of its innovation process to provide its clients with an evolutionary and 100% modular solution that responds to the challenges faced by companies today. The strength of AT Internet s technology and the quality of its customer relations are recognised worldwide. AT Internet has more than 3,500 clients all over the world from all sectors. The company, which has more than 150 employees, is present in 20 different countries through its subsidiaries and partners. Contact Bordeaux (HQ) / Paris +33 (0)1 56 54 14 30 London +44 (0)20 3178 5356 Madrid +34 (0)911 105 829 Montréal +1 514 658 3571 München / Hamburg +49 (0)89 / 324927-0 www.atinternet.com 2011 AT Internet. DE.CL.8-000001075