Last month at the Los Angeles DAA Symposium I got the opportunity to speak about the Multi-Platform majority and how we as individuals have changed our media consumption patterns dramatically over the last few years. Chances are you’re reading this post on a mobile device. Or maybe you’re visiting this blog via your PC. Perhaps you started reading the post on one device, and then finished reading it on another. We are all consuming content in a different way given that many of us have phones attached to our hands at all times (bad, I know!).
However, you’re not alone. The multi-platform majority has arrived, and is here to stay. In the U.S., 54 percent of internet users now access content on more than one device, and that number continues to grow. Of course, this isn’t surprising. The past half-decade has been defined by platform proliferation, beginning with the 2007 introduction of the Apple iPhone, which ushered in the era of the media-centric smartphone. Apple’s 2010 launch of the iPad similarly marked the beginning of the tablet era, and as competitors introduced their own smartphone and tablet offerings, mass markets for these devices were established. Today, more than 140 million Americans own smartphones and nearly 70 million own tablets.
However, this new speed of digital innovation poses a challenge for businesses, especially when it comes to web analytics. Traditional metrics used in web analytics are quickly becoming unreliable due to the proliferation of devices that are coming online. It isn’t that the measurement practices of the digital world are flawed, it’s that the inputs themselves are technologically evolving at a pace that is difficult to measure.So what does this mean for your web analytics? Here are three points to consider as you start thinking about how to update your web analytics KPIs:
By adopting a unified and holistic approach to the digital consumer when it comes to web analytics, companies will not only ensure they stay ahead of the curve in this ever-changing environment, but they will also gain the insights needed to optimize their digital strategies and align around their most compelling long-term opportunities.