David Iwanow, from Australian based The Lost Agency, have done an analysis of the use of web analytics in the automotive industry. He reviewed 21 automotive manufacturers and found that nearly all of them are using web analytics on their corporate sites. A figure ahead of most other verticals. Omniture is clearly leading that space (73% of the sites), followed by Google Analytics (13% of the sites). About 30% of them are "double dipping" (using more than one web analytics solution), most of the time Google Analytics. This number is consistent with other analysis I've done myself. Get the complete web analytics automotive industry report.
Headquarters vs localized sites
The study from The Lost Agency is interesting, and what I have also uncovered is the huge difference between the headquarter, official website and localized sites. For example, when I looked more closely at Canadian sites in the automotive space, I realized a number of them are using Google Analytics even if SiteCatalyst is being used on the corporate site.Sites using Omniture SiteCatalyst:
- Acura.com
- AudiUSA.com, AudiCanada.ca
- BMWusa.com
- Fiat.com
- Ford.com
- GM.com, GM.ca
- Honda.com
- HyundaiUSA.com
- Infinityusa.com
- Kia.com
- Mazda.com
- NissanUSA.com
- Subaru.com
- Toyota.com
- VW.com, VW.ca
- Chrysler.com, Chrysler.ca
- HyundaiCanada.com
- Infinity.ca
- Kia.ca
- Mazda.ca
- Nissan.ca
- Porsche.com
- Subaru.ca
- VW.ca
- BMW.com, BMWusa.com, BMW.ca
- Chrysler.ca, Chrysler.com
- Ford.com, Ford.ca
- Mazda.ca
- Suzuki.com
- Toyota.ca
- Renaud.com (Nedstat)
- Acura.ca
- Honda.ca
- Lexus.ca
A matter of cost, maturity & control
Cost: I've been to a number of eMetrics conferences in the US, either as a speaker or attendee. What strikes me between the US and Canadian markets is the significant difference in investment in web analytics. Having worked with a number of Canadian companies, I have witnessed first hand how hard it is to justify the cost of high-end web analytics solutions. After all, a small US site is likely to receive more traffic than a large Canadian one! Different scales, and thus, the TCO are also very different when put against traffic and online revenues. If we think of multivariate testing, behavioral targeting and even voice of customer, Canadian sites are also generally less advanced than their US friends.Control: The last element pertains to the justifiable and natural goal of uniformity across the brand, which often leads to a less flexible framework. The counterpart of that is the natural human tendency to try to solve problems and get information with the least amount of effort and political constraints, leading to "behind the door" implementation of non-officially approved tools, again, most of the time Google Analytics.
This point goes well beyond web analytics. I have seen a number of global organizations aiming to uniformly address the online channel while teams working on localized sites were striving to bypass those frameworks in order to gain flexibility and deliver on what they are accountable
Maturity: The other consequence, or reason (we're in a catch 22 here) is the web analytics maturity level is generally lower in Canada. Lower maturity leads to fewer investment in web analytics and ancillary applications, which makes the free Google Analytics much more interesting.
The Web Analytics Maturity Model was the topic of my eMetrics Toronto presentation. I will present a longer version of it at eMetrics San Jose, coming up in early May.
If you are on the Canadian side, do you perceive those differences? Do you agree about my view of cost/control/maturity? If you are working in a global corporation with localized sites, what's the best model to balance control and cost efficiency vs flexibility and empowering the localized teams?
11 comments:
This is a very good post.
Ankit
Interesting to see how it differs from the European market where situation is quite different (http://www.kaizen-analytics.com/2008/10/automotive-web-analytics-in-europe-what.html), lead by a local player (but for how long?).
However there is one main common point: Google Analytics presence whether as main solution but in most case as "complementary" solution (mainly for Adwords/PPC tracking I guess)
Cheers,
Michael
(www.kaizen-analytics.com)
Michael: I should have referenced your post! Yes, indeed, the picture is very different in Canada vs Europe and US. And I agree, Google is clearly sneaking in gaining ground everywhere!
Hi there,
I saw Fiat.com amongst companies using Omniture Sitecatalyst.
Actually Fiat.com is not using Omniture yet.
Where have you found that information?
Thanks.
Marco
In fact, if I go to fiat.com today, I see Omniture Test & Target being used. Which, in fact, I learned could be a customized implementation of Touchclarity for the automotive industry (which was purchased a while back by Omniture).
Hi Stephane, thanks for this.
Actually I am using FIDDLER to check it out, and what i get is fiat.touchclarity.com
Is this what you think is Test and Target? Or how do you see T&T?
Many thanks for your help.
Best,
Marco.
Marco: yes, that's exactly it, except I'm using WASP... a lot easier than using Fiddler :)
Hi Stephane,
thanks again for your explanation.
And i must try WASP asap! :)
By the way I was reading some articles in internet and I noticed that there was a special deal between a company called Sophus and Touch Clarity Feb 2006 (i guess before Omniture bought it).
http://sec.edgar-online.com/omniture-inc/8-ka-amended-current-report-filing/2007/05/15/Section6.aspx
It sounds like Sophus has a special license for touch clarity, and actually the tags that you see on Fiat.com come from Sophus and not Omniture T&T.
Is there any way to differentiate Sophus from Omniture tags?
Marco: yes, Sophus offers a special version for the auto industry. I will look if I can make the difference between the two.
I really enjoyed reading this. Nice coverage of this industry. You think GA adoption is mostly a price decision, I mean what does GA cover than the other paid solutions can't?
web analytics: sometimes it's an easier way to get started than having to go through a formal RFP and purchase process... but it also reflects the organizational maturity when it comes to web analytics.
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