KISSmetrics takes a somewhat different and more targeted
approach to analytics in comparison to Google Analytics – KISSmetrics tracks
real people – where they come from, what they do, and who purchases.
“When we understand our customers, we understand how to grow
our business”
KISSmetrics allows brands to discover where the best
customers originally come from by connecting all of the historical data from
anonymous visitors to a customer profile as soon as they become a “customer”.
The data KISSmetrics provides on real customers allows
brands and business owners to see which features on the site are actually being
used. But, not only what is being used, exact orders and events triggered by
individual users are also being tracked. KISSmetrics shows how a real person
uses the site.
Tracking customers through KISSmetrics shows which traffic
sources new, and existing customers come from.
Customer analytics ties the data back to an actual person, and refrains
from tracking visitors, sessions, and visits (KISSmetrics, 2014).
Features KISSmetrics Tracks from the convenience of a
dashboard:
1.
The effectiveness of marketing channels.
2.
The time it takes for a user to convert.
3.
Engagement metrics with Cohort Analysis &
Remarketing.
KISSmetrics features reporting based on person-centric data,
comparisons of customer behaviors, and real-time tracking. It is intended for
freelancers, mid-sized businesses, and small businesses but is not specifically
built for large corporations. KISSmetrics does not support any language but
English, so would not be a great international analytics choice (GetApp, 2013).
There is a monthly charge for KISSmetrics starting at
$99/month. The main benefit and differentiator of KISSmetrics is its ability to
capture what happens before a customer becomes a customer, and ties that
anonymous activity to their known activity once they have become a customer.
Google Analytics provides the complete package when it comes
to web analytics and tracking website statistics. It provides reporting and
data across advertising and campaign performance, analysis and testing,
audience characteristics and behavior, cross-device and cross-platform
measurement, data collection management, mobile app usage, product integrations,
sales and conversions, and site and app performance (Google, 2014).
Overall, Google Analytics allows brands and businesses to
measure sales and conversions, as well as give insights into how visitors use
the site, how they arrived on the site, and how to keep them returning. It is
built for freelancers, large enterprises, mid-sized businesses, non-profits,
public administrators, and small businesses (GetApp, 2013). Google Analytics is
a much more broadly used and accepted form of analytics tracking than KISSmetrics.
If a brand is working in international business, Google
Analytics is the choice between the two.
The tool provides multiple language translations and is supported across
a variety of countries.
A key benefit to Google Analytics is the product integration
across all of Google’s products including AdWords, AdSense, Google Display
Network, Google Tag Manager, Google+, and Wildfire, and the free pricing plan.
Unless a site is generating more than 10 million hits per month, the analytics
program is free (GetApp, 2013).
Both Google Analytics and KISSmetrics provide data funnels
to watch customers make their way to a purchase, as well as “events” that can
be tagged throughout the site. They also both show the acquisition through
social media channels and referrals.
KISSmetrics is lacking the site metrics that Google
Analytics provides. Including but not limited to, page views, bounce rate, site
speed, and exit rate. But, Google Analytics lacks the in-depth customer data
that KISSmetrics can provide.
The good news is…
KISSmetrics is a great analytics tool to use in conjunction
with Google Analytics. Using the two of these together creates the ultimate web
analytics solution with the powerful page statistics and data from Google
Analytics and the layer of people-tracking Google Analytics lacks. The programs
work well with an API integration and the process to set them up together is
simple, and well worth it for business initiatives and to meet conversion goals
(Poston, n.d.).
While both programs can track how people come to your site,
which channels work best to bring them there, what the conversion rate is, and
when people slip out of the sales funnel Google Analytics just gives the clicks
that are not associate with a specific person. KISSmetrics relates those clicks
with a person, and brings the data to life. It allows business owners and
brands to see exactly which customers take advantage of a trial, when specific
people slip out of the sales funnel, and which customers are using which features
of the stie (Poston, n.d.).
But, the full package of data is not there unless integrated
with Google Analytics. This combination gives site data and all of the
functionalities of Google Analytics like integration between products, clean
easy reporting, creative testing, the use of goals and events, and the specific
integration with Webmaster Tools along with being able to call out and track
specific customers and see exactly what they are doing on the site rather than
having to generalize by clicks alone.
Each analytics platform has its benefits and each is able to
provide users with unique features. But, at the end of the day the true
“winner” comes down to what the end goals of the user are. If feasible, it is
ultimately best to use the platforms in conjunction with each other but, if
not, ensure the business goals and plans are at the top of the decision maker’s
mind when choosing a analytics platform.
References:
GetApp. (2013). Key features of google analytics. Retrieved
from http://www.getapp.com/google-analytics-application
GetApp. (2013). Key features of kissmetrics. Retrieved from http://www.getapp.com/kissmetrics-application
Google. (2014). Analytics features. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/analytics/features/
KISSmetrics. (2014). Features. Retrieved from https://www.kissmetrics.com/features
Poston, Leslie. (n.d.) How to combine kissmetrics with
google analytics. Retrieved from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-combine-kissmetrics-with-google-analytics.html
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