analytics: getting the data - 500 startups accelerator marketing hell week

Andy Young // @andyy // [email protected]

How do I analytics?a practical guide forpragmatic startups

Part B: Getting the Data


TO RECAP:Today’s tools make it super-easy to track

thingsGoogle Analytics

MixpanelKissMetricsLocalytics

Branch Metrics..


Today’s tools make it super-easy to track

thingsBUT they also make it really easy to

- become overwhelmed with data- focus on the wrong things


Typical analytics challenges/pitfalls

Drowning in too much data

Failure to select + focus on the top metrics that matter

Not tracking the data you need to answer key questions


Why analytics?

1. How are we doing? - are KPIs on the right track?

2. What are the results of our experiments?- so we can learn

3. What’s happening right now?- did something great or terrible just happen?


Getting the Datas


Collecting data

Don’t use Google Analytics!


Don’t use Google Analytics!It’s the wrong type of tool for most key

questions.

Designed around sessions & pageviewsInstead: focus on unique users and key actions

Specific user journeys are not that importantInstead: what % of unique users

reached a particular step eventually?

Collecting data


Collecting data

Use an analytics tool focused on trackingevents/actions

and individual user behaviour

e.g. Mixpanel, Localytics, Amplitude


Collecting data

Events vs. Properties vs. People

Events: something happenedProperties: something about what just happened

People: connect events to particular users(people can also have properties)


What to Track?


What to Track

All key user behaviours

● pages/screens viewed, key actions taken

● anything that writes a new row or updates an existing row in your database or user’s session store

○ e.g. add to cart, post new content

● do you have all key steps in the user funnel?

● anything that has external impact, e.g. share


Tracking events

Tip #1: Choose easy-to-read and meaningful event names

Short!Pick a convention; stick to it

Omit superfluous words

“user_viewed_homepage”“Viewed homepage”


Tracking events


Tracking events

[Object] + [Action]


Tracking events


Tip #2: Track each user based on a distinct ID

Don’t use email address -use autogenerated user_id from your own DB

Use aliasing to connect up events tracked pre/post signup

Tracking events


Tip #3: Annotate your users with source data

referrer; utm tags; install tracking via AppsFlyer1. Track a signup event

2. Add as user properties3. Potentially also as properties to key events

Tracking events


Tip #4: (Mixpanel specific) - People vs. Events

Mixpanel won’t let you query for userswho did particular events

So, our options:- Do this using your own DB

- Annotate your users (People) with properties for each key event

Tracking events


Tip #5: Ecommerce/revenue tracking

Mixpanel/AppBoy etc havenative support for tracking revenue

Annotate your Purchase events with revenue data using the relevant properties for each platform

Tracking events


Tip #6: Use a development project for testing

Tracking events


Track events from where?Client/app vs. server

Tracking events


Tracking the funnel


Tracking the funnel

Start with the pirate metrics AARRR

Top of funnel: acquisition; signups/installsMid funnel: post-install events; engagement;

retentionBottom of funnel: purchase / monetisation.


Tracking the funnel

Looking at each stage (AARRR) in aggregate is a good start

but it will only get you so far

the “truth” is much more nuanced


Tracking the funnel

Users acquired via different channelswill have different behaviours

Different cohorts will have different experiences of your product

Different users will have been exposed to different A/B tests


Tracking the funnel

Key: these are all properties of your users

UTM tags: source, medium, campaign, termsLanding pageSignup time

A/B test bucketsReferrer

Viral source


Tracking the funnel

Annotate your users in your database/analytics system with these attributes

UTM tags: source, medium, campaign, termsLanding pageSignup time

A/B test bucketsReferrer

Viral source


Let’s get Technical..


Implementing Tracking

Use aTag Manager

(e.g. Google Tag Manager)

Check outSegment.com

for flexibility & agility


www.sitehound.co

- Free c

ode! -


Implementing Tracking

Add yourFacebook + GoogleCustom Audience / Remarketing Pixels

Now!

Start building your audience


RevisitingCohort Analysis


Problems with Cohort Analysis

Time consuming

Delays to get the latest data

Inflexible


Rolling Cohorts


How?


Use your existing database

Users

Learn SQL! It's not hard

Just need a slave database for analytics- “read replica” - i.e. a live copy


Use your existing data

Users

SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users



Users


WHERE created > ‘2013-07-01’

AND created < ‘2013-08-01’




LEFT JOIN sales USING (user_id)

WHERE users.created > ‘2013-07-01’

AND users.created < ‘2013-08-01’

AND sales.date < DATE_ADD(users.created, 1 MONTH)


1. Automate running queries (every hour!)

2. Store the results in a simple database

3. Create a page to graph the results (HighCharts..)

Roll your own


Visitor numbersUsage / engagement

Revenue Conversion rates

Pirate metrics


Good luck!

analytics: getting the data - 500 startups accelerator marketing hell week

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