Webtrends Announces Facebook Measurement Capabilities

March 1, 2010; 12:36 AM

Webtrends, an enterprise customer intelligence company, today announced new Facebook measurement capabilities within Webtrends Analytics, which provides marketers the most comprehensive tracking and measurement for the activities that happen inside Facebook.

The Need to Measure

Facebook’s popularity is well documented; with 400 million users spending an average of almost an hour per day on the site, marketers are clamouring to invest in advertisements, Facebook pages, custom applications, contests and more. According to Compete.com, this month Facebook overtook Google as the most visited site on the Internet.

"Many businesses have launched Facebook campaigns, without necessarily having the ability to measure their investments and compare them apples to apples with other digital channels," said Nick Sharp, vice president and general manager, Webtrends EMEA and Australasia. "Now marketers have the opportunity to take a more comprehensive approach to measuring Facebook, beyond just applications, and can understand the broader picture of how their Facebook investment is performing."

Webtrends can now show you how your tabs, apps, and share features are working.

A few examples are:

• Twitter activity driving to Facebook Fan pages

• Facebook Fan page activity overlaid with corporate blog posts

• Conversion performance if they happen in Facebook

• Custom applications, Facebook page tabs, and Facebook ad click performance

Webtrends believes Facebook is one of the key social channels for brands to invest in and these capabilities will help them validate those investments.

Webtrends Analytics for Facebook

Webtrends' new Facebook measurement capabilities utilise Webtrends Analytics 9, which combines a powerful real-time analytics engine with its best-in-class user interface. For the first time, marketers can view their Facebook measurement alongside other digital marketing investments such as websites, microsites, blogs, mobile apps, and more. Additionally, using Analytics 9's RSS overlay capabilities, marketers can easily see the impact of promotional efforts. Tracking custom tabs, applications, and sharing provides the most complete measurement of Facebook available in the market.

How Webtrends Analytics Collects Data on Custom Tabs

Custom tabs and applications have critical differences for data collection, due to Facebook's Terms of Service and its commitment to user privacy.

• Brands can't use traditional analytics methods for tracking custom tabs because Facebook does not allow Javascript, and they aggressively cache images.

• To overcome these limitations, Webtrends developed a new method that uses their data collection API to bring Facebook data into Webtrends Analytics.

In addition to tracking tab views, Webtrends can also measure:

• Tab views segmented by fans and non-fans

• Clicks on buttons and links, such as the Share button and its options

How Webtrends Analytics Collects Data on Facebook Applications

• Applications allow more tracking options both because they allow Javascript and because the Facebook's Terms of Service allows for collection of user level data.

• Webtrends utilises their Data Collection API to bring Facebook data into Webtrends Analytics.

• Webtrends can measure any type of application built on the Facebook platform.

Webtrends Analytics 9 for Facebook Webinar

Webtrends will also host a Webinar in April discussing how companies can take advantage of Facebook measurement in Webtrends Analytics 9. For more information including registration, date and time, please visit us here.

If you are interested in seeing more about how you can measure Facebook in Webtrends Analytics, please visit our solutions page here www.webtrends.com/Products/SocialMeasurement.aspx.

About Webtrends Inc.

Webtrends is an enterprise customer intelligence company that turns online and offline data into understanding. We help organisations realise a competitive advantage by providing insight-driven optimisation of their digital channels. Our leadership extends beyond the web analytics industry we founded in 1993 to the measurement, optimisation and integration of all digital content and customer intelligence, including web sites, social media and paid-search advertising. Our products and services are trusted by thousands of leading brands and global organisations, including Microsoft, Toyota, Renault, Visit London and ASOS. You can learn more about Webtrends products and services at Webtrends.com or by calling +44 (0) 1784 415 700. Webtrends is a registered trademark of Webtrends Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

For more information please contact:

Tom Flisher / Katie Potts

Octopus Communications

webtrends[at]octopuscomms[dot]net

0845 3700 655

Distributed on behalf of Webtrends by NeonDrum (http://www.neondrum.com)
Nicky Denovan
Tel: +44 7747 017654
nicky[at]neondrum[dot]com