Why do I need an analytics professional or consultancy if my data is free?
That question comes up whenever I discuss Google Analytics with small and medium sized businesses. They've added the tag and feel that they have too little traffic to analyze. But they miss the point of what they are spending when planning a digital presence.
Analytics data alone reveals what has happened, but cannot fully explain what your business needs to do, what actions are the most valuable in your given status. Thus your business need someone or a team to explore those actions and connect them to the purpose of your business.
Moreover, many analytic tools report basic metrics - not compound metrics such as lifetime value. Compound metrics are valuable, since they often incorporate metrics important to the business. Furthermore, dashboards need to be improved to collect the desired metrics. Delivering metrics and dashboards tailored to your business requires an investment in the right talent that will understand what metrics reflect how your business operations. That understanding is key for making analytics work as a valuable asset - a instrument for connecting with customers and determining the right support from your business.
So to derive true value from analytics, have someone (or a team) who understands marketing and website development help tie your website and digital marketing elements together.
Analytics professionals embody a good combination of marketing and internet functionality. That strengths makes its possible to extract the best ideas that offer the best ROI for the marketing strategy involved.
