Final Stretch

This week will be about finishing some final tasks before exams.



Internet Literacy:

• HTML Review: Basics, Image Codes, Tables, Forms.

Web 2 and 3:

We will work on image maps and layers.

• Image Map Tutorial


• Show/Hide Layers

I'm about 2/3 through grading the semester projects. I ask that you check out: JKassay, JTryjada, EDieckman, KBarsevich, CWilm.

If for some unknown reason you didn't turn in your project--please don't talk about it, provide an excuse, etc...Put it in UDrive (on your own time) and accept the penalty.

Reminder

As we endure tough times I read this article today about what tough times really look like.  Be thankful for what you have.

Video about Darfur from today's NYTimes site.

When you submit your files to the UDrive please check and proofread.  Have a partner check!

Complete this form when your project is submitted.  

I found it curious that more of you weren't using forms/surveys in your sites.  I thought that would be a good way to make each of these sites more interactive.

Analytics, AdWords, and Big Spenders

In the spirit of the holidays, we would like to offer tips on how to increase visibility into your e-commerce performance and your advertising spend using Google Analytics. For many, seasonality influences purchasing decisions and affects business revenues. Analytics can help keep a close eye on your advertising spend and e-commerce trends to run a cost conscious business.

We recommend 3 simple methods captured in the videos below. You can find these videos and more on the new Google Analytics Youtube Channel.

1. Use Google Analytics to track your e-commerce activity. As an e-commerce site, you likely want to know who is visiting your site and the goods they are purchasing. By enabling E-commerce tracking on your site, Google Analytics will provide vital metrics including overall revenue, revenue per product, average transaction amount, and more.

Coupled with our Motion Charts feature, you can easily see how the the products trend over time by various dimensions including: revenue, quantity, and average price.

2. Identify your high spenders to better target your website promotions and ad spend. With additional information on ROI for keywords and spending trends, you can focus your efforts on the traffic you care about the most.

3. Link your AdWords and Analytics accounts to track ROI, Revenue per Click, campaign and keywords performance. Added benefits include drilling down to the ad campaign, ad group, and keyword levels for goals conversions and e-commerce transactions.

And don't forget, even a few minutes a day with Google Analytics can help your website.

Posted by Melissa Hsieh, Google Analytics Team

Uh-Oh

I have been told that it might snow tomorrow. This will impact your project timeline.

"A" students: they don't care about the snow. They've finished their layout and are working on their content. They have plans for what they can do at home and bring in on Monday. They are using their google notebook and bookmarks and will do their citations and other items at home and save time at school for serious coding work. They might even bring their codes home so they can work on in them in HTML on Notepad on their computers. They will get it done.

"B/C" Students: they aren't sure there is enough time. They haven't done any work at home and haven't quite planned things out yet. They wonder how the A students are getting it done.

"D/F" Students: they don't care. They probably would turn it in late if they had 100 days to do it because they skip steps, or don't plan effectively.

People trust people that they can depend on (plumbers, doctors, salesman) and hate people who they can't depend on (plumbers who don't show up on time, etc...). We do projects to learn how to get things done well and done on time.

Finally, a reminder that your website must include a video with a voice over and you must only include creative commons images. Not doing this might be OK in your book, but it is NOT this assignment and you will be graded accordingly.

Be sure you have this link in your bookmarks as you search for information. Use tools effectively!

Good luck!

Stuff

Interesting article in todays NYTimes about blindness that may relate to our Beethoven project.

Make sure you ahve checked out this article about the redesign of the ESPN site. Sounds like our project!! Do you read this article differently than you would have four months ago?

L'introduction d'un nouvel ami: the Google Analytics blog in French

Bonjour! We couldn't be happier to announce a new Google Analytics blog for all you francophiles - le blog officiel de Google Analytics (en français)! This is a companion blog to this English blog and it will be linked to from our French homepage, via the "Blog" link. Take a look to read the very first post!

The French blog will have translated and localized versions of important posts from this blog, such as feature launches and integrations. There will also be practitioner posts and announcements, such as case studies from the French-speaking market and techniques for analyzing data that might be specific to the online industry in France or other French speaking countries. It will also be a place to find out about French analytics events that are happening. And it will not just be localized towards the French-speaking markets - it will be a good read for everything Google Analytics, written in French.

Google Analytics managers Nat Criou and Serge Descombes will be your chief correspondents on the blog, and there will also be contributions from French-speaking experts. Nous espérons que vous apprécierez!

A+!

Posted by Jeff Gillis, Nat Criou and Serge Descombes, Google Analytics Team

New and improved account management pages

By now, you've probably noticed the account management pages you see when you log into your Google Analytics account. The pages have been updated to provide you with easier access and monitoring capabilities to your accounts and profiles. Now it's easier to manage and monitor your accounts and profiles, and also easier to see areas requiring attention because you can also glimpse at key performance metrics up front, right upon login. We've bubbled up snippets of meaningful data with clear visual cues and cool icons so you can quickly get an update if you don't want to completely dive into reports.

(Click to enlarge)

With the new navigation scheme, we've added the ability for administrators to rename accounts and profiles directly on that page and have introduced a profile locator functionality to help increase efficiency and ease of account management.

You can also:

• Easily navigate from account to profiles by just clicking on the account name (and back with Overview)
• Better understand the hierarchy relationship between accounts and profiles and quickly find their webproperty ID
• See key loyalty and success metrics for all your accounts and profiles, and sort by any of these metrics
• Use the "Find Profiles" locator box or "starring" functionality to quickly find and navigate to a desired profiles and accounts, regardless of how many there are. No need to sift through pages of irrelevant content.
  

It's all about ease of use. For example, now, with a glance, you can determine positive or negative changes in account performance and quickly pull up the reports for a specific account. Additionally, administrators can rename account and profiles directly in the account management interface, without a lot of drilling down.

We hope that the new interface will save you a lot of time. Enjoy!

Posted by Nat Criou, Product Manager, Google Analytics

Project

At this point in your project you should be rolling at full speed. You must be on step six by now. If not, I worry for you.

This is half your marking period grade and should demonstrate that you understand the basics of the class. Work hard.

Using Layers might be a useful tool for Web 2 and Web 3. Check it out.

A few reminders:

1. Everything on the page should relate to your main point.
2. Be careful that your page doesn't get too busy.
3. Don't include incoherent Flash movies that make it harder to access content.
4. Some of you love background colors. Please stop.
5. Finally, check out this website about usability that is almost entirely unusable.

Avoid design disasters!

UPDATE: Check out this article about the redesign of the ESPN site.  Sounds like our project!!

Friday

Everyone must complete their storyboarding today. It is essential that you work on defining your main points. Many of you are having trouble with this.

Bad main point:
I want people to understand that situation in Darfur and how to effects so many people. (What situation? What effect?)

Good main point:
The genocide in Darfur is a tragedy that must be stopped. Please donate now. (Includes situation, action, and result).

Bad main point:
People drink coffee for many reasons and sometimes it is good for them and sometimes it is bad. (Huh?)

Good main point:
Coffee makes you stupid. (Clear thesis)

A clear main point will drive the path of your website. I will push you on this today in your discussion. If you can't articulate it well I am going to send it back. Remember, that articulating you main point is essential for any type of communication (music, poetry, essays, phone calls, etc...). I do not want your website to be a collection/list of facts. I want it to tell a coherent story that engages the viewer and encourages them to USE the site.

Today might be a good day to go back through your blog and check out websites that you thought were good. Why were they good? Did they have a consistent message? Was their "selling point" clear? If people don't understand what you are "selling" they certainly won't invest their time in your site.

On a side note: today is forecasted to be another wild ride as the auto bailout failed.

Google Analytics YouTube Channel

When we launched additional enterprise class features in October, we created a few short videos to help people get started using the features. Your feedback on these videos and their popularity (over 70,000 views so far) has inspired us to create more educational videos.

Today, we're pleased to announce the Google Analytics Channel on YouTube, a one-stop source for the latest Google Analytics-related videos. If you're looking for a beginner's guide to interpreting and acting on your data, an introduction to motion charts, or you want to learn how to perform placement targeting in 60 seconds, you can now find it at youtube.com/googleanalytics. And, just to prove that we don't take ourselves too seriously, we'll add the occasional music video :)

We'll continue to listen for what you want to learn about and work on adding useful videos to the channel. If you want to be sure that you always stay up to date, you can subscribe to the Google Analytics Channel or even add an iGoogle gadget to your homepage.

Posted by Melissa Hsieh, Google Analytics Team

Darfur and Coffee

Darfur is still in the headlines.  Here is the editorial from today's edition of the NY Times.

And here is an amusing article in the Times today about coffee.  At 8:50 this morning there were 668 comments!  Amazing.

Wednesday

I'm back in school today but I am moving really, really slow. Be patient with me.

A few notes about your project:

1. Work as hard as you can now. Get work done at home. This will give you more time to work on your content.
2. Do you trust your sources? Why? There are thousands of caffeince studies out there. Be careful.
3. The Beethoven question is a brain/psychology question. It is not a biography of Beethoven question.
4. Who is the leading authority on Darfur? What reporter is there now and is most trusted? If you can answer that question you probably have the best information.  Check out this site from Danbury HS. I just found this one which is , I think, done by 8th graders.
5. If you are doing the family member site please remember to tell us stories, don't just list ten facts about them (where born, how old, etc...).
6. Have you checked Times Topics? Think about how to search and I bet you will find great information.

Everyone today should be up to step 4 in the project (extra point if you do all three things for step 4)). Tomorrow I will pass out the storyboard template.

Santa Tracking with NORAD and Google Analytics

We write this blog post with what can only be described as holiday giddiness. First, we're writing it from the North Pole with the help of Santa's Elves (they are spell-checking as we write), and second, we've teamed up with NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, as well as Santa Claus himself. Where could this possibly be going? Well, NORAD is using Google Analytics on their incredibly popular NORAD Tracks Santa website!

As you may know, NORAD provides aerospace warning and control for North America 365 days a year. This U.S. military department is tracking what's going on up above (so you don't have to constantly crane your neck). And on Christmas Eve, you better believe NORAD is keeping a close eye on Santa's flight.

Why is this so important? Just ask any child. Children everywhere – both naughty and nice – want to know where Santa is on the 24th of December.

NORAD began tracking Santa's flight in 1955 when children started calling into a military phone number on Christmas Eve to find out where Santa was. Ten years ago, NORAD launched the website, which has evolved each year. A continuing partnership with Google started in 2006 – read about it on the Google blog. Last year, NORAD started using Google Analytics to record traffic stats for the website. They were very pleasantly surprised – the numbers were an early Christmas gift.

Preparation and Planning

The website rolls out in two phases. Phase one went live on December 1st, and lasts until Christmas eve; it features the history of the Santa Tracker, a countdown to take-off, updates from Santa's Village, and holiday-themed games – a new one released each day – which can be found under the Kids Countdown area - pictured here:

Phase two, on Christmas Eve, will display a map showing Santa's launch from the North Pole at 4:00a.m. MST and will track him in Google Map and Google Earth imagery, live and in real time, as he makes his trek around the world!

Initially, the Santa Tracking team at NORAD implemented Google Analytics last year because they simply wanted to see how many visitors came to the site. But they got a lot more out of it. We spoke with Major Stacia Reddish, NORAD Tracks Santa Program Manager, after Christmas last year. "For us, 2007 was a benchmark because we didn't have analytics data before. It will be really interesting and useful to compare last year's statistics to this year's." Last year, the website was featured in 6 languages and it literally got traffic from all over the world, which NORAD learned from Google Analytics. "In 2007 we had visitors from 212 countries and territories with the majority of traffic from the US, UK, and Canada," Major Reddish told us. "We logged almost 11 million visits!"

Last year's visits to NORAD's Santa Tracking site came from
almost every country on the planet, denoted by areas in green

This year, they expect even more.

Major Reddish said that Google Analytics has been invaluable for planning and evolving the site. For instance, last year, the team made a goal to translate the site into at least one additional language for this year. But which language would be most helpful to visitors? Google Analytics reported that visitors from China spent twice as long on site as the average. So Chinese was chosen as the additional language option for 2008.

Analytics data has also helped with staffing projections for the site and for Christmas Eve. By seeing how many people clicked on the "contact us" link last year, for instance, NORAD could figure out how to scale volunteer, phone and computer needs for Christmas Eve. "Google Analytics was really helpful for our planning purposes since the traffic on the site is so big on December 24th," she said. "Last year, we could project what it would be like by the amount of traffic coming in before then. And it will really help as we staff up for 2008."


Both this year and last, the site was designed and built by Booz Allen Hamilton, another corporate sponsor. In addition to the overall traffic numbers, Google Analytics data helped them design the site. They used browser and connection speed data to optimize for visitortechnographics and they chose to hold over the site's most popular games, replacing those that got less usage.

The countdown to Christmas Eve

Even though the project is strictly for fun, a lot of effort is put in to get the word out and support the site. Last year, in the days leading up to the launch of the website, and then again before Christmas Eve, three press releases were issued as well as two media advisories. Finally, on Christmas Eve roughly 1000 volunteers report to Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs to help answer phone calls and emails from children asking where Santa is. Last year, over 90,000 calls were answered and over 10,000 emails were responded to on Christmas eve.

'Twas the night before Christmas

On Christmas Eve, attention on the site really kicks into high gear, with television news networks in the US and Canada including CNN.com, FOX national news, ABC, CBS, NBC, CTV, and their affiliates, cover the site live. Last year, because of Google Analytics, NORAD was able to add to the buzz on the 24th by giving reporters almost real time traffic statistics, updated hour by hour. They were able to enrich the story with details, including the fact that the time-on-site average had risen to 5 minutes.

Major Reddish raved about the geographic reporting. "The map overlay is so great. An Italian reporter asked us how many people came to our site from Italy, and we were able to tell him. He was impressed and decided to do a story. It's important for media to know where the interest is coming from, and it's also great information for our department."

This year, they're going to look at key performance indicators as well as the incremental usage the Chinese language generates. This data will help them make accurate projections for next year, when Santa gives a hearty, "Ho, Ho, Ho!" and launches into the Northern sky once again! We're sure NORAD will be prepared. But back to the important stuff: at time of this posting, according to NORAD, there are only 14 days, 11 hours, 47 minutes and 5 seconds to go until Santa gets flying, and counting! We hope you and yours enjoy every second.

Happy holidays from our team to yours!

Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team, and Laura Melahn, Geo Team

Sick

Well, you have probably figured out that I am home sick by now. I'm pretty sure this is another episode of the sinus infection. This is a pretty good one so I hope to rest most of the day.

Please post a blog entry today:
1. What topic did you choose? Why?
2. List two links that you have found useful so far.

Good luck!

Project

Here is your semester project.  This project is designed for you to demonstrate the skills you have picked up this semester.  As we progress through the project I will be posting mini-assignments related to the project.  I will also post research that I think might drive some of your discussion.

A few notes:

1. This is a formal project.  You must cite all information, images, video, or music.

2. Get things done on time.  No excuses.

3. Find experts to help you.  There are experts in this room, in the building, and on the net that I expect you to consult.

4. Work together.  Share resources and ideas.

5. Have fun.

Notice our clustrmap got reset.  Lets fill it up again!

Reflection Quiz

Internet Literacy: Complete today.

Check these pianos out first. And then these drums. Get any ideas? Did you search for these before you did your project?? I gave you the link....

1. What did you learn this week?
2. Programming languages are sequential (step 1, step 2, etc...). What challenges did you encounter with your sequences? How did you overcome them?
3. Who has the best piano or drum set in the UDrive? Why?
4. Compare Scratch to Flash.

Web 2: Complete today.

1. What did you learn this week?
2. Describe specifically how your new website design is more modern than your old one in the following four areas: layout, font, color, and usability/accessibility.
3. Who has the best layout for a website in the UDrive? Why?

Web 3: Complete today.

1. What did you learn this week?
2. Was Flash the best tool for this task? Why or why not?
3. Who has the best movie in the UDrive? Why?

Scratch in HTML

To insert Scratch into an HTML page:

1. You must have "scratchapplet.jar" in your folder.  You can copy this file from the first folder of WebSchneider.

2. Check the file "sprite.htm". View source for code. You would sub your file name for "RH Piano.sb" in the code. (Blogger won't let me copy the code here...)

Wednesday

Internet Literacy:

1. Check out UDrive Scratch projects. Check Web2 folders as well.
2. Everyone will create a one octave piano in Scratch. C will be the first and last note. I will review this in class.

3. Collaborate on this project. I have no problem if you work with a partner as long as it is an equal partnership. Help each other finish this project.

Schedule upcoming: Wed-Thurs we work on Piano. Friday we work on Google Docs. Monday we start the big project.

Web 2:

1. Rename your Ansonia subfolder (bschneideransonia).

2. Create a new Ansonia High School index page. Name it index1.

3. Use modern design to create a completely new website. This should look much cooler than your original pages (we will compare!!).

4. Include all information that we previously had (PSATs, directions, etc...).

Web 3:

1. Save a draft of your movie and project files to the Udrive so people can look at and give suggestions.

Google Analytics Seminars for Success December 8 - 9, 2008 in Montreal

Seminars for Success have been so popular in the US that we're now expanding to Canada! Come join one of our lead instructors, Justin Cutroni, Director of Analytics at EpikOne for a Google Analytics Seminars for Success in Montreal December 8 - 9. Whether you are an analyst or tasked with configuring Google Analytics this seminar will help improve your overall understanding of Google Analytics.

Perhaps you have questions like, "What reports should I be looking at for my business and what do they mean? How do I configure goals? What is an acceptable bounce rate?" If so, then Seminars for Success Montreal is for you. For only $249 U.S. per day this seminar offers tremendous value.

Day 1 focuses on Google Analytics reports and data. Justin walks through almost every report and shows how you can use Google Analytics to gain meaningful data insights. Day 1 will also cover many of the new Google Analytics analysis tools including Advanced Segmentation, Custom Reports and Motion Charts.

Day 1: Introduction & User Training

• Introduction to Web Analytics
• Google Analytics Reporting Features
• Sharing GA Data
• Custom Dashboards
• Understanding Site Visitors
• Tracking online marketing campaigns
• Evaluating site content and user navigation
• Understanding Goals and Conversion Funnels
• Website testing with the Google Website Optimizer

On Day 2 Justin really digs into how Google Analytics works and how to configure it correctly.

Day 2: Advanced Technical Implementation

• GA architecture overview
• Learning about Regular Expressions
• Improving your data with filters
• Setting up Goals and Funnels
• Implementing E-Commerce Tracking
• Configuring Custom Segmentation
• Introduction to Event Tracking
• Tracking websites with multiple domains/subdomains
• Code customization

Ready to learn how you can improve your Google Analytics skills? Register here!

See what some past attendees are saying about the Seminars for Success:

“The course was outstanding. Going through all the functionality in a structured way with such a good presentation style has been incredibly worthwhile. Highly recommended!”

“This course is an unbelievable value. Now I’ve got a scalpel, where I had a hatchet prior. Awesome amount of info here—I’ve used GA for 2 years, and I never knew what I didn’t know. Now I do!”

“Great seminar for geeks AND non-geeks interested in creating actionable website metrics.”

“I learned more in this seminar than I have in all of the time I’ve spent playing in Google Analytics and reading books.”

Posted by Eva Woo, Google Analytics Team

Scratch

If TED is still blocked we will work today in Scratch. This lesson would have been next Monday.

Today we will examine the Scratch programming system. Scratch was developed at the MIT Media Lab (where Negroponte-the inventor of the One Laptop is from). I think it is intended primarily for younger students than you, but it does present some very complex programming concepts.

Check out some of the news about Scratch. Notice that much of the news is another language than English. Is there an assumption in the world of the inventor and business that you speak more than one language??

Here are some ideas to get started. You must do at least one of these.

Here is the Guide to Scratch.

So please test and play with this program today. Read some of the press, search for more information, check for blog references to the program. Be sure you complete at least one of the ideas.

Answer the following questions on your blog (include links!):
1. What did you do with Scratch today? Share any insights to the program that might help your classmates.
2. Is this a valuable program? What criteria should we use? Be specific! Use Web Design terms!!
3. For Web3: Compare Scratch to Flash.

Technorati Tags: Scratch MediaLab MIT