Web Analytics and Hippos

Some Web sites fall flat because they're designed by hippos. That's the name Avinash Kaushik , Google's analytics evangelist, gives to the highest paid opinion, or hippo, in the room. In citing an example, he said he did a search for a bathroom sink and the search results turned up Delta Faucet; the link took the visitor to a Web page featuring faucets, not sinks, Kaushik said

Avinash Kaushik hippo.jpg

Some Web sites fall flat because they’re designed by hippos.

That’s the name Avinash Kaushik, Google’s analytics evangelist, gives to the highest paid opinion, or hippo, in the room.
In citing an example, he said he did a search for a bathroom sink and the search results turned up Delta Faucet; the link took the visitor to a Web page featuring faucets, not sinks, Kaushik said. “What the hell are they thinking, selling me faucets,” he said, stressing that many other Web sites make similar oversights.

Kaushik had the audience laughing several times during a Web analytics discussion at SES NY.

Bringing up a theme raised by others today, Kaushik said clicks — as a success metric — shouldn’t be the ultimate goal. Generating revenue and profit for the business is what counts.

Citing another metric, he called the bounce rate a good indicator of a site’s shortcoming or “suckiness.” Why? “It measures, from a user’s perspective: I came, I puked, I left,” he said.

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Whitepapers

US Mobile Streaming Behavior
Whitepaper | Mobile

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

5y

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

Streaming has become a staple of US media-viewing habits. Streaming video, however, still comes with a variety of pesky frustrations that viewers are ...

View resource
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups
Whitepaper | Analyzing Customer Data

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups

5y

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics f...

Data is the lifeblood of so many companies today. You need more of it, all of which at higher quality, and all the meanwhile being compliant with data...

View resource
Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its people
Whitepaper | Digital Marketing

Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its peopl...

2y

Learning to win the talent war: how digital market...

This report documents the findings of a Fireside chat held by ClickZ in the first quarter of 2022. It provides expert insight on how companies can ret...

View resource
Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy
Report | Digital Transformation

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy

1m

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Exp...

Customers decide fast, influenced by only 2.5 touchpoints – globally! Make sure your brand shines in those critical moments. Read More...

View resource