Tina Bean's Web Analytics Tips

Trulia, Alain Pinel Realtors, and VisiStat...a winning combination...

2008-03-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Back in, must have been 2003, I was a newbie Realtor at Alain Pinel, based out of the corporate headquarters in Saratoga, CA. Ginny Cain McMurtrie, the head of Marketing, announced at a weekly office meeting that they were taking a chance on a start-up company called Trulia. She believed they had what it would take to become market leader for real estate searches. (Way to go Ginny, you hit the nail on the head with this one!)

By late 2005, Alain Pinel was also taking a chance on a start up called VisiStat. Bingo with this one too! By plugging into VisiStat's real-time Web analytics, APR knew exactly the impact Trulia was having on their Website traffic.

Since then, Trulia has grown to be the single most referring Website to apr.com. Check out these stats:

2006: Referral Links from Trulia.com to apr.com= 19.2%

2007: Referral Links from Trulia.com to apr.com= 40.7%

2008: Referral Links from Trulia.com to apr.com= 55.3%

In mid 2006, APR wanted to extend their relationship with VisiStat and Trulia. Knowing the power of both their platforms, they wanted to be able to deliver this same exposure to their agents. That's when they delivered each agent their own individual VisiStat reporting from their stats on www.apr.com. Then, they embarked on a Trulia banner ad campaign that featured Alain Pinel agents in their cities of specialty. Each time a search was performed on Trulia.com for a particular city, an Alain Pinel agent appeared. More than 600 agents participated in this paid advertising. [See case study]

With the advanced use of VisiStat's AdCaM® technology, agents are able to identify daily click-throughs and conversions from their Trulia campaigns, thereby monetizing their investment.

With VisiStat intelligence in place, agents can also experience the power of Trulia's massive Web presence = increased Website traffic. And as a whole, Alain Pinel is able to understand agent visibility and listing traction on their Website. Sounds like a win-win all around. [Read more here]

To learn more about how your company can benefit from measuring banner advertising or monitoring traffic from Trulia.com, contact me (Tina Bean) directly. Tina (at) Visistat.com, or call 408-725-9377.

Website User Trends for the Real Estate Sector in 2007

2008-01-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I'm in New York right now, at the Inman News Real Estate Connect conference, and it's pretty exciting! And I wanted to drop you all a quick note about our new Real Estate Web Trends Report, released here at the conference.

It's getting quite a buzz, because VisiStat's reporting data has revealed some interesting figures about how consumers used real estate Websites in 2007. [Click here to see the 2007 Real Estate Web Trends Report]

I've got to get back to the event, but here is a copy of the press release we sent out about it. Hope you find the report as helpful and interesting as these New York real estate pros do!

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PRESS RELEASE

Consumer Use of Online Real Estate Websites Proven Strong in 2007

VisiStat.com released their year overview of Real Estate Web traffic stats, which shows home buyers are increasingly turning to online listings and resources

Campbell, CA – January 8, 2008 – A general report compiled from analytics and user statistics for the Real Estate market was announced at the Inman News 2008 Real Estate Connect conference. VisiStat, a provider of real-time Website visitor statistics, released the report. VisiStat has a large real estate user base and works closely with brokers and agents nationwide.

“We provide data for thousands of brokerages and agents across the country, and because of this, I have been working closely with brokers and agents for some time. It’s no surprise that the figures in this report coincide exactly with what I have been hearing from them, and that is, home buyers are using the Internet to educate themselves and find properties, often long before they engage an agent,” said Tina Bean, Director of Sales and Marketing for VisiStat.

The statistics compiled by VisiStat reinforce the fact that the real estate consumer is moving increasingly toward real estate Websites as their source for listings and industry information. Supporting indicators include:

Overall traffic growth for 2007 (over 2006) was 36.8%
Return visitors made up 47% of all Website visits
The average visitor clicked through 14 site pages during each visit
Monday and Tuesday were the most trafficked days of the week, with the highest activity in the 9 p.m. hour
March received the most visitor traffic of any month of the year

The VisiStat Real Estate Trends report is now available online. Read the full report or call 408-725-9377 to speak with a VisiStat real estate analyst.

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About VisiStat®

VisiStat, Inc. is the first on-demand Web analytics provider to focus on complete Website management and online marketing performance. VisiStat continues to be the price-performance leader in real-time site management tools, providing intuitive visual reports specifically designed for Web 2.0 business applications, marketing and Website productivity. VisiStat.com turns Website visitor tracking into actionable business intelligence. A privately held company founded in 2005, VisiStat, Inc., is based in Campbell, CA. Learn more at www.visistat.com or call 888-820-9866.

My Interview with RealEstateBlogsites.com: The Role of Web Analytics in Today's Real Estate ROI

2007-08-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Readers and friends know my love and dedication for our real estate industry. You also should know my devotion and passion for online tracking and Web analytics. What would, to some, appear to be very incompatible industries, have actually melded beautifully...and very successfully.

As a matter of fact, Web analytics and online Website management (which is what VisiStat believes Web analytics should be about) are incredibly powerful tools for the real estate agent, and more importantly, becoming unavoidable for brokers. Real estate is evolving, moving from print ads to the digital world. As realty movers and shakers, we are bringing our industry to the Internet...where our buyers and customers are looking for us! And because of going online, we have a fantastic opportunity to track, gauge, evaluate, watch, monitor, convert, and measure ROI, like never before.

This is an exciting development for real estate and Web analytics both, and I was very happy to sit down for an interview alongside my business partner at VisiStat, Stephen Oachs (major tech guru!), and talk about Analytics and the Real Estate community, and how to get on board with the digital age. I hope you'll enjoy reading the full interview, and get some helpful hints for your businesses! Below is an excerpt of the interview posted at RealEstateBlogsites.com. Read the full interview here.

I was invited to participate because I come from two arenas, real estate and Web analytics. Having been an active REALTOR® with Alain Pinel Realtors in Saratoga, CA, for years, I have personally experienced the benefits and success of merging online technology with real estate business models for the agent and brokerage. Web management and data tracking (analytics) are undeniably a real value proposition.

The discussion on the panel centered on being a visionary. Agents can't be complacent, and brokers need to align their agents with great search tools like Trulia® and Zillow™, and powerful tracking tools like VisiStat™, in order to effectively create measurable ROI. [more...].

Clean up those page names!

2007-07-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ok...wow, we've got some customers with some page names that are doozies! Here's a great example: http://www.TheirDomain?=IMG23754%20sdfasdfawer%20f.php

Who on earth can make sense of that? Well not to worry, VisiStat can help.

If you find yourself in this category, get in line. But no worries, because we've got three solutions for you. One that's easy, two that are kinda techie, but they are all extremely helpful.

Easy one first...In your page popularity report you'll see a pencil icon in front of each page name. Do not be alarmed, click on it. It will give you the option to rename the page in a more natural, user-friendly format. Can't remember which page it is? Not to worry either, it's an active link--so click on it and the page will load for you. If your site is not too many pages deep this is a good way to go.

Now for the simple techie explanation. If your webmaster had to install your VisiStat tracking code, stop reading here, turn and run... if you did it, then read on... In your account options section, we have instructions for CUSTOM PAGE NAMES VIA SNIPPET. This is a way for you to name your page at the snippet level. Simply stated: To apply custom name pages, simply add this line to your snippet, after your DID: var MyPageName='Your Page Name Here'; Piece of cake.

And the advanced-ultra techie explanation... If you have a site that's many, many pages deep, you may want to dynamically echo in the page name at the snippet level. Wow, sounds hard, but if you're an IT guy, you should be able to do it with your eyes closed.

Following any of the steps above will result in a much friendlier Page Popularity report thereby making your VisiStat reports much easier to read!

Sheesh, what will we think of next?!

VisiStat Addicts Unite!

2007-05-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

I’m the first to admit I’m addicted to VisiStat. I’ve said in previous articles that I couldn’t do my job without it… and lately that’s become an understatement. I log in first thing in the morning, multiple times thoughout the day, and at night when I’m in my kitchen doing the dishes. Don’t think I’m alone either. I’m watching you, too. Here’s an example of a typical VisiStat user’s log in history… Oy, you’re just as bad as me!

With all our new functionality, I take it to the max.

I use Alerts to tell me when someone "googles" me. ”Send an email to tina(at)visistat.com when the search engine keyword includes or matches 'Tina Bean'." Oh I love that one. The second I get that email, I log into my “Live Page Visits” and see who’s "googling" me and what they’re looking at (I see that through the Alerts History section). I have no idea why that gives me so much pleasure, but it does. For more information about how I win customers with alerts, check out my "Cha-ching...Alerts" post.

I’m always checking into our Live Page Visits. I love seeing the number of people surfing our site increasing. We also monitor our reporting area. We’re beta testing some new technology that will even tell you the identity of your logged in users. I feel at home when I see all my other “VisiCrack” addicts online, checking their reports. It’s fantastic to be able to say… of all the people on my site, these are the logged in users and this is what they’re doing. Stay tuned for the official launch of this technology called “Identities” (first week of June 2007). You’ll love it as much as I do.

Well, as far as addictions go, I guess I have to say that VisiStat is the one product it’s ok to be addicted to. The more we use it, the better informed we are.

Realtors, win your next listing with VisiStat: Your search engine report is a gold mine!

2007-05-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

I am constantly coaching realtors to take VisiStat with them to their next listing presentation. Where else can they show their clients (in real-time) the power and effectiveness of their Web presence?

I was just speaking with a North Carolina realtor the other day. She specializes in properties in Raleigh. She had just begun tracking with us and had collected just four days worth of data. Four days was not long, but it was enough for me to identify a gold mine...

As I looked at her search engines report, my jaw dropped open. "Holy Cow, do you realize what you've got here?" I asked. Like most, I'm not sure that she did... "You're sitting on a search engine report that is proof to your clients (and prospective clients) that YOURS (www.raleighhomesbyruby.com) is the Website people click on when they type in the search terms or "homes for sale in Raleigh, North Carolina," "Raleigh Durham," or "Raleigh Durham homes."

What a powerful statement to take to your next listing presentation! Image saying, "When prospective buyers search for homes in our area, mine is the Website they click to. I'm at the top of the search engines for relevant terms like "Houses for sale in Raleigh, NC and other Raleigh, Durham related terms. Take a look at my search engines report for the full list below..."

Now, she not only has a powerful statement about the strength of her Website presence, she's got the proof behind it. I challenge any other realtor to compete for that listing with such concrete proof of their marketing power.

Bravo www.raleighhomesbyruby.com!

Your "Oprah Moment"

2007-05-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

How will you know if you've had that mysterious phenomenon that's referred to as an "Oprah Moment"?

Everyone wants one (heck I do!) -- that fortuitous moment in time when Oprah Winfrey mentions your name or your product. We've seen it over and over, books soar to the top of Amazon.com's best seller's list the instant Oprah mentions them. Products fly off the shelf. Her word is golden. I'm the first one to say that I am driven to buy the products she recommends. I hunt for them in the stores. I search for them online. I purchase without hesitation.

I can't think of one other person on earth that has the same influence over me. She has such a powerful influence that an entire phenomenon was named after her...the Oprah Effect. Ahhh....

Supposing you were lucky enough to have the Oprah Effect directed to your product, how would you know (aside from being on the show)? How would you measure the impact, the sales, the attention?

Take a moment to daydream with me. Suppose it happened to my company -- to VisiStat -- and I hadn't heard yet. Walk with me through my day as I figure out what happens....

I start my day as I always do... check my VisiStat daily e-mail report summary to check on Website traffic from yesterday. "WHAT THE?!" My Website traffic has gone through the roof! 50 times the norm!" I rush to log in to the VisiStat reporting center and instantly check my launch pad. Today's visits have already beaten yesterday and it's only 8am. My hourly totals are cranking! I'm looking at the present hour. The number jumps in increments of 10. I've never seen this happen before. My blood races through my veins. In my excitement, I say out loud, to the room in general, "What's going on? Where is this Website traffic coming from?"

I quickly jump to my referral link tracking report....Real-time referral links are flying in -- OPRAH.COM!? Oh My Gawd! I've been mentioned on Oprah.com!!!!????" I instantly click on the latest link to shoot over to Oprah.com and see she talked about VisiStat on her last show. "Holy cow, it happened! I got a recommendation from Oprah!"

How many? I click on my Custom Referral link tracking report and quickly enter in Oprah.com. It's added to the list. I close my eyes then peek thorough my right one... Over a million hits from Oprah.com in less than 24 hours! This is incredible!

Then I head to my Search Engine report. My keyword list is wild. Mentions of Oprah mixed in with my product name and description. On and on. I've never experienced anything like this before. It's exciting, and a real adrenaline rush to see these report results!

I go to my page popularity report and see what they're looking at. Sure enough, they're going straight to my homepage, then accessing my live demo. I look at my subscription thank you page. Hot dog! The orders are flying in!

I do a little math and see that my conversion rates have tripled. Wow, the power of a recommendation from Oprah is incredible. The magic of the Oprah Effect!

I shoot over to my live page visits report. That will tell me what's going on right now. I can't help but talk to the computer, "I've got over 200 people on my Website right this moment!" The screen lights up as they toggle from page to page. I sit and stare mesmerized as more come on. I watch them move through my Website. "I'm going to keep this report open all day!" My heart is racing.

I turn on my e-mail and I'm overwhelmed with the Alerts that VisiStat sends me when my order "thank you" page has been accessed, indicating an order has been placed. The e-mail chimes sound remarkably like a cash register ringing. I giggle, clap my hands and rub them together as my shoulders touch my ears... this is a good day. I'll remember this one forever. Thank you Oprah!

Now it's your turn to daydream. Are you prepared to get the most from your own Oprah moment?

Cha-Ching... I won another Customer using our Alerts feature!

2007-05-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

The business intelligence I receive using VisiStat in my daily practice amazes me. An example is how I won a recent customer using our newly released "Alerts" feature.

Anyone who doesn't like making cold calls will love this...

Found on your launch pad, you can set up an Alert to e-mail you when any of the following instances happen on your Website:

A page view or unique visitor threshold is exceeded
A search engine keyword results in a visit
A visitor comes from a specified geographic region
A visitor comes from a specified ISP
A visitor comes from a specified IP address
A specified page name is visited
A specified referring address has brought a site visitor

Setting up an alert is easy -- they're just like the rules you can set up in Outlook. In my situation, I market heavily to real estate companies. Naturally, I set up an Alert to send me an e-mail when a visitor's ISP includes "Realty." By setting this up, Alerts sends me an e-mail notice when this occurs on my Website. Alerts hand delivers warm leads directly to my inbox. Wow...

They've taken the bait, now let's reel them in...

I log into my Website and check the Alerts History, find my Alert and click to get details on what the interested party did on my site. I'm shown a complete click path so I can identify their areas of interest and all the pages they viewed. It will also tell me if that visitor has been there within the past 90 days.

After receiving my Alert and gauging the customer's level of interest, I was able to make a call into this company and successfully turn them into a customer.

We're all here to work smarter, not harder! Alerts is a great way to be sure that you're working with intelligence on your side.

The Alerts tool is found on your reporting launch pad and is included in every VisiStat subscription. To see screenshots of this process, visit HERE.

And, don't forget to Alert me when you've won your first customer with Alerts! Tina at VisiStat.com

VisiStat™ can help you bring visitors back to your Website

2007-05-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

I love it when a customer calls enthusiastically to say they've seen our banner ads on sites like USAToday.com, Foxnews.com, Evite.com, Accuweather.com or Dictionary.com. I snicker because they think I'm spending a fortune on banner ads, when my secret is really Retargeting, a new feature inside of VisiStat™.

For an additional $19.95 per month the Retargeting feature inside your VisiStat reporting area can put your banners on the top of over 500 major Websites. It intelligently remembers your Website visitors, then, when they're out surfing the internet it flashes your banners in front of them, trying to entice them back. It also lends to the perception that you are a powerhouse because you're advertising on major Websites.

As the director of sales and marketing at VisiStat, I understand the needs of our customers. At VisiStat, we could think of no better way to close the loop than Retargeting. VisiStat reports have always told you how people found you and analyzed their behavior when they got to your Website, now Retargeting is able to follow them and hopefully bring them back to you, giving you one more chance to win them over.

If you're already a VisiStat customer and haven't used Retargeting, log-in and look for the tab on your launch pad. If you're not yet a VisiStat customer, hurry up! You can't afford to lose another customer!

I couldn't do my job without AdCaM!

2007-04-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

As the Director of Sales and Marketing at VisiStat, I'm constantly sending strategic e-mails to targeted customers. I use AdCaM to put tracers on my e-mails that identify if a customer clicked on my site. It even identifies the path they traveled during their visit. It's a fantastic way to know when to follow up and more specifically, I have intelligence on which products and services they were interested in.

Here's how it works...

1. I compose an e-mail in Outlook. I invite the customer to get more information at my website, www.visistat.com
Then I head into my VisiStat reporting area. I go to my AdCaM module and select "Start a New Campaign"

2. AdCaM guides me through a 3 step wizard that asks me to give my campaign a name, identify the date range (optional), or assign a campaign cost (optional),

3. Then it asks me to specify a date range of my campaign (I only specify one if I'm setting this up for the purpose of banner ad tracking). In the case of e-mails, I select "no end date"

4. Voila! AdCaM automatically delivers back a custom URL to embed in as a hyperlink in my email.

5. I go back to my e-mail, I highlight www.visitstat.com then choose, Insert - Hyperlink, and paste in the AdCaM URL. By embedding the hyperlink, this ensures that the customer only sees www.visistat.com, instead of http://visistat.com/index.php?pmc=RLTR-001

In a few easy steps, I've just created a custom landing page to direct my e-mail traffic to. By doing this, I'm able to separate all the traffic that comes from this e-mail into its own reporting area.

Now every time I log into VisiStat, I see the results on my launch pad. Once I see that my e-mail has been clicked on, I immediately get details and see what the person did on my site.

They've taken the bait. I've set the hook, and now all that's left to do is reel them in!