As Web Analytics evolves (see earlier post) the possibility of organizations to map website—>organizational structure—> strategy —-> to execution via website analytics is an enormous opportunity. And this applies to the mission of the organization, its functions including Marketing, Investor Relations, Supplier Relations to Employee Relations. Here is how:
- Websites are becoming better with more efforts on digital marketing and even non-marketing functions like Human Resources and Supply Chain realizing that it's highly effective for their constituents as well.
- Organizational Structure includes the Organization Chart and the informal organization. Structures and Charts seem to constantly evolve with all kinds of re-structuring including those that arise due to mergers and acquisitions. The internal organization is supposed to deliver on a strategy goal. The mapping of this goal to a web page is just getting started.Consider the safety department involved with worker safety… while elaborate processes and documentation exists within organizations, some of it is also finding its way to the website so that employees,suppliers,visitors are aware of the safety efforts and processes of the organization.
- Strategy including the goals and mission is clear to the CEO of the time but gets progressively unclear lower in the organization. Listed companies CEO's spend considerable time and effort explaining the short term goals and performance to analysts. The investor section of the website seems to have some of this information. Organizations are just getting started in trying to map out the analyst projections of say sales and marketing to corresponding special offers that are available on the marketing parts of the website.
- Execution of strategy for each function can be helped if the public face of the the website has pages relating to the strategy and its execution. For example, if an old model is being replaced with a new model the website might have some special incentives for dealers or direct orders and this where the amazing power of web analytics comes in.
- Website Analytics is the enormous opportunity exists for every function in the organization. Starting with free tools like Google Analytics the manager can receive very detailed reports of actual behavior on websites in real time. For example HR doing a recruitment campaign via search advertising will know exactly which types of advertising sent candidates. Which social media helped? How many filled in the job application and what parts of the application form was too overwhelming and probably needs simplification. Similarly every function can benefit from web analytics that provides insights to the actual behavior of folks they want to serve or engage with.
Before web analytics the prospects of understanding a large segment (OK some do not use the Internet, but this population is getting smaller) of your target audience involved time consuming surveys,analysis,interpretation. And remedial actions would take months. Today, if acontact form is not working- alternate versions can be tested simultaneously and the better one deployed within days if not hours.
Organizations should therefore actively try to map their organization structure-mission to the website…… achieving missions will become easier and more transparent to all stakeholders. Just because web analytics has got so much powerful and even free for Google Analytics, for example. Contact StratoServe.