Web Analytics, a Life and Death Plot
A movie about murders triggered by Web site visits is far-fetched. Acting in real time based on visitors' behaviors on your site isn't.
A movie about murders triggered by Web site visits is far-fetched. Acting in real time based on visitors' behaviors on your site isn't.
The other day, my friend Chris pointed me to a new movie trailer. Sony Pictures is preparing to release a Web analytics movie starring Diane Lane, with a $57 million budget! Well kind of…
Actually, “Untraceable,” which is set to be released nationally next week, is about a serial killer who triggers (no pun intended) actions based on site visits and behavior. The killer kills his victims, shown live in streaming video, based on how many people log on to watch the killing. The more people who log on, the quicker the victim dies.
The idea is online behaviors, in this case visits, trigger other actions. Yes, the movie’s premise is far-fetched, but acting in real time based on visitors’ behaviors on your site isn’t.
How do you respond to different visitor behaviors on your site? Do you customize or change the experience? Do you make offline changes based on online behaviors? Most companies don’t, but a few are starting to see the power of doing so.
A few examples:
There are better ways to take real-time or near real-time actions (online and off-) based on your Web traffic than those in “Untraceable.” But too few companies are really leveraging them, despite their power. While not life in death, they can have a significant impact on your business.
One last thing on the movie. As a Web analytics professional, I was really disappointed to see the word “hits” used in the trailer. That word will never die!