Google Analytics and Google Plus will be integrated soon, reported by Marketing Land, following an official Google presentation that leaked to two Dutch websites: Dutch Cowboys and WebSonic.

According to the slides with the watermark “Google Confidential”, Google Plus users will be able to add an analytic code to their profile page and follow the traffic sources, number of visitors, average time on page, etc. The social network statistic data will be measured separately unconnected from other websites attached to the profile owner.

Currently, Google Plus users cannot track the activity of their Google Plus business pages or profiles, except for following the number of shares and counting the “pluses” added to each status.

Recently Google Analytics have announced adding social media reports that will provide statistical data about a website social activity on and off-site. Google are most likely not to receive Facebook and Twitter cooperation.

Google has announced expanding the SSL encryption to all of their local search engines. Google has begun using the SSL encryption only for users who are signed in to their Google accounts on October 2011; the SSL protocol will be applied on all Google domains during the next few weeks. This movie is purposed to improve security and privacy of Google users, mainly of those who use it while connected to an open network. From the search engine marketing point of view, it means that large and important part of the referral data expected to be displayed on Google Analytics reports will be hidden, and a larger portion of the budget will be dedicated to search engine advertising.

Search on Google.co.il and other local search engines will become encrypted during the next few weeks; http://www.google.co.il will turn into https://www.google.co.il – only if the user is signed in to his Google account – and the search queries will be hidden from users who share the same network, and at the same time from the webmasters of the websites they surf. The latter, who use Google analytics for statistical tracking and are interested in knowing which search terms generate traffic to their websites, are expected to receive less referral information. In fact, they are pushed by Google to prefer search engine advertising (PPC), where the information is visible in exchange of money.

When Google first talked about search encryption on Google.com, they estimated that the move will affect only about 10% of Google users. Now the affect rates are expected to be much higher.

Moderator: Ophir Cohen, Universal McCann Search
Speakers: Yehoshua Coren, Analytics Ninja; Adam Tal, adamtal.com; Ariel Hochstadt, Google Israel; Adir Regev, Go Internet Marketing; Daniel Waisberg, Online Behavior.

Adir Regev of Go Internet Marketing:

What is Actionable Data?

From the business point of view – more profit and an increased volume of sales.

What parameter defines profitability/Volume?

Example: Dan Hotels

Profitability means transaction;

Volume – conversion rate

Analytics show many transactions from Russia, what led to new pages in Russian. The results – rise of 65% in conversion rates. Now they think of how to split traffic to get the right traffic to the right side (English/Russian).

Example #2: Materna

Israeli child’s nutrition company who had low sales online

Profitability was defined by page views, members registration.

Volume – traffic/advertising costs

Results of local online advertising campaigns showed high costs and low volume.

Example #3: Walla tours

Profit – online/offline sales

Volume – traffic, phone calls

Monitoring 15,000 phone calls – sync with adwords campaigns keywords

Results – raise in sales and in traffic.

Conclusion: look for simple data that can create the highest effect in the shortest time. Show the client’s the bottom line, the raise in percentage, etc.

Ends with a Google analytics commercial:

Adir Regev Analytics presentation

Yehoshua Coren of Analytics Ninja

Going Beyond the Page View – Event Tracking

Tracks: category, action, label

Category – the most broad

Action – can be whatever you want (registration, download, etc)

Label – describes action

Navigation – which refine people use the most

Test different options

Category page – what category people are clicking (best sells, etc..)

Test different product presentations

Cross Sells – how many people add actions to their purchases

Interaction that doesn’t load new pages on the site – track with event tracking (java pages, submissions)

Custom Variables – the who. Events – the what

The impact of design on different page elements; even moving the location of the shipping impacts conversion rates.

Yehoshua Coren Presentation

Daniel Waisberg (Online Behavior):

The power of custom variables

Custom variables – things people do on the websites (sign to newsletter, see specific content..) is the most important thing in Google Analytics. Allows you to define additional segments to your visitors (countries, browsers), add information to the cookie of the visitor (more options on the paid version).

Hierarchy of custom variables:

Three types of identifiers: visitor level – personal and unchangeable, visit level – change daily and page level – change every time the visitor changes pages.

Sign up form – optimize so the sign up won’t be shown for users who have already signed up (or returning buyers), an example of a visitor level type of custom variable.

Tracking internal campaigns – example of a visit level.

Group pages under variables (sports, technology), conversion site per section – Page level.

Ariel Hochstadt, Google Israel

Optimization of landing pages

• If there are people in landing pages’ Image – they should look at the button.
• Since you have less than a second to convert the user, don’t make them think –  do not use too many information. Instead, choose for them.
• Locate important information above the fold – don’t let them scroll down.
• Use lots of photos – big images of the product, happy people
• Direct different users to different pages (for example people who search “buy product” comparing to those who search “product review”).

Sign Forms

- To convert users, short and simple forms – no “clear fields”

- Include only necessary information

- Collect emails or even phone numbers.

Also see Adam Tal presentation about landing page optimization and Ophir Cohen presentation about Google Analytics new dashboard.