Crappy Metrics - that's what so many of us are depending on according to Rohit Bhargava in a post he wrote titled Analysis: The Top 10 Most Overused Metrics of 2007. While the post is mostly written for link bait - I really never heard "crap metrics" used as a term, so I thought it worth mentioning the article:
"...Precedent means using the metrics you have always used and is always tempting. Particularly so when you are encouraged to fill out the same spreadsheets year after year comparing one year's effort to the last. Effectively, you are locked into a cycle of using crap metrics."
Why not go one more step and call all ten cited metrics "bullshit metrics"? Most of the metrics cited are the same familiar ones we're all used to collecting - according to Rohit Bhargava ...that's so 2007! However, 2008 will be a different story - and he's going to give 10 un-crappy metrics tomorrow.
OK - I am a full time metrics type person for one of the largest agencies in the world - whilst I agree that the article is right in almost every way ... I also think you have to benchmark and improve!
Depending on your site time on site and keyword conversion maybe exactly what you are looking for! A personal client of mine has a niche keyword that is generating stupid amounts of sales, this in itself is noticable and something he is working on...
My personal feeling as an analytics proffesional is that its horses for courses and you can't say that all sites share the same KPIs. Banner impressions do drive huge amounts of awareness (especially for charities)!
Posted by: Gerry | December 18, 2007 2:24 AM | Permalink to Comment