Mobile web analytics
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Mobile web analytics studies the behaviour of mobile website visitors, in a similar way to traditional web analytics (or desktop web analytics). In a commercial context, mobile web analytics refers to the use of data collected as visitors access a web site from a mobile phone. It helps to determine which aspects of the website work best for mobile traffic and which mobile marketing campaigns work best for the business; this includes mobile advertising, mobile search marketing, text campaigns and desktop promotion of mobile sites and services.
Data collected as part of mobile analytics typically includes traditional information such as page views, visits and visitors but additionally includes mobile specific information such as: mobile device, mobile network operator (carrier), country, language and a unique user ID (required since http cookies and JavaScript do not work reliably on mobile browsers). This data is typically compared against key performance indicators for performance and return on investment, and is used to improve a web site or mobile marketing campaign's audience response.
It is possible to browse websites on the majority of mobile phones produced today. Some mobile phones are better designed for this such as the Nokia N95 or Apple iPhone which provide a more comprehensive browsing experience. The W3C Mobile Web Initiative gives best practices and technologies to help web sites better support mobile phone access.
Many companies have used the W3C mobile web guidelines and standards to provide specific websites designed to work best on mobile devices. This includes sites such World Wrestling Entertainment.
Why not use standard web analytics technologies?
Collecting mobile web analytics data is not as straight forward as traditional web analytics since many of the common methods for data collection either do not work or are at best unreliable. Using traditional tools such as Google Analytics will still appear to work but will actually provide misleading data that represents only a small percentage of actual mobile traffic. For example, you may only see the most advanced mobile browsers such as those found in the iPhone and other smart phones and PDAs rather than all the mass market devices actually browsing your site.
JavaScript page tagging
This notifies a third-party server when a page is rendered by a web browser. Unfortunately most mobile web browsers do not support JavaScript sufficiently for this to work.
HTTP Cookies
Commonly used to mark and identify visitors, but HTTP Cookies are only supported by a small subset of mobile phones, which results in visitors not being counted. When cookies are supported they are often cleared between browsing sessions to save on handset memory or because the browser does not have access to persistent storage.
HTTP Referer
HTTP referer information showing where a visitor navigated from is not provided on mobile in the majority of cases. This is either because of limitations with the mobile browser or mobile network operator internet gateway machine.
Image tags
Using images for page tagging is impacted by handset caching mechanisms. In some cases caching of images on handsets is performed regardless of any “don’t cache me” headers output by the remote server.
IP address
The network address of the client machine will usually give some form of user identification and location on the desktop web. Unfortunately the client IP address on the mobile web refers to the internet gateway machine owned by the mobile network operator. For devices such as the BlackBerry or for phones using Opera Mini browser software, the IP address refers to an internet gateway machine in Canada or Norway owned by those companies.
All about your mobile visitor
Visitor Identification
This is probably the most important aspect of usable mobile web analytics and one of the hardest technical aspects to get right, primarily because JavaScript and HTTP Cookies are so unreliable on mobile. As a result, some mobile web analytics solutions only detect or count user visits today. The best solutions provide a reliable, persistent and unique user identity for each visitor which permits accurate measurement of repeat visits and long term customer loyalty.
Personalization and UI optimization
Personalization is more important on a small mobile device. It allows preferences to be remembered, logins and forms to be pre-filled and targeting of content and advertising. Some mobile web analytics solutions provide an API for accessing a persistent visitor identity.
Mobile specific information
Once you have an identified visitor there is a wealth of information you can get about them. This includes details about their mobile phone device, mobile network operator, country and language, as well as their browsing habits. In some instances it may be possible to query their mobile phone number (assuming the visitor has provided permission).
Ways to collect mobile web analytics data
Collecting mobile web analytics data requires a different approach to traditional web analytics. There are a number of solutions available and the best results are obtained through the use of more than one technology.
Image tags or beacons
Images can be forced to work on mobile providing the image is always unique. The level of information recorded depends on the architecture provided by the supplier and not all image beacon solutions are the same on mobile.
Link redirection
An important method of tracking mobile visitor activities. It is the only reliable way to record clicks from advertising, search and other marketing activities. It also records visitors clicking on links to leave a site - perhaps to a partner site. This is an important requirement that helps address the lack of http referer information on mobile.
HTTP Header analysis
Tells you a number of basic facts about the mobile phone and the browser. This can be used in conjuntion with a device database such as WURFL, dotMobi DeviceAtlas or Tira modd.
IP address analysis
An operator database is used to identify both the operator and their country based on the IP address of their internet gateway device. IP address alone does not identify all operators and countries - some operators share their mobile network with a virtual network operator or MVNO, for example Boost uses the Sprint network. These two operators have very different customer demographics making clear identification critical for good mobile marketing campaigns. MVNO identification requires additional steps on top of basic IP address analysis. Additionally, some carriers share their mobile internet gateways, sometimes across multiple countries and many change gateways or introduce new ones on a regular basis. Additional steps are also required in all these cases to constantly give accurate results.
Mobile web analytics solutions
The first mobile web analytics solution to market, Bango Analytics provides very reliable visitor identification and their operator identification includes detection of MVNO and shared internet gateways. This high degree of accuracy is achieved through relationships with mobile network operators around the world and was originally built as part of their mobile web payment product that charges visitors via their operator phone bill which mandates highly accurate operator and visitor identification. They have been driving the mobile web since 1999 and are listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Amethon
A hardware only mobile analytics solution that sniffs network packets to detect mobile visitors.
AdMob
Announced early access to a beta product that compliments their mobile advertising business. This helps customers understand more about the people clicking on their AdMob advertisements.