Web Analytics for B2B Lead Generation

In the complex sale, the length of the buying cycle makes the connection between on-the-web activity and the off-line decision to purchase much more difficult to trace. So the challenge is connecting our website data (analytics), with marketing data (inquiries and leads) with the sales process and revenue (closing the loop). 

I came across Manoj Jasra post, "B2B Web Analytics: Deeper Dive - Web Analytics World" and thought it was relevant to share.   

Jasra writes, "in order to be successful in a B2B world, marketers require a strong understanding in regards to their potential customers. Things such as lead qualification, targeting in the sales cycle, and testing content/collateral are all areas where analysts can push the envelope in order to provide more insight for their marketing team."

Jasra's post outlines four key analytic areas which include: quality of leads, sales cycle, optimizing your content (for SEO and conversion) and conversion rates and funnels.

Here are some posts that give more suggestions on analytics.

Related posts:

Tracking ROI From Web Generated Leads
Improve your online lead generation measurement

I still think there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made in this area. Are you satisfied with your ability to track your online lead generation ROI? If so, what's been working for you?

Comments

[trish bertuzzi]

What a great post and I am looking forward to learning more. Having said that, I would like to share thoughts along the same lines - this is based on what I see happening within my client base on a daily basis.

In a complex sale, it would be wrong to assume that a single event (inquiry/lead) truly impacted or drove the sales process. That is why sales so often ridicules marketing's closed loop data. You know they do....

In a complex sale, with multiple touch points and decision makers, you have to assume that many mediums and messages helped to educate the prospect and drive interest. Some of this most assuredly came via inbound efforts, as in web traffic, but many of these touch points are still outbound as in referrals, introductions and yes even cold calls.

The point I am trying to make is that you can spend a ton of time on closed loop reporting and analysis but if you don't spend any time truly dissecting why you win and why you lose, what did it get you? Interesting data about the top of the funnel but no real data with which to drive change and increase the close rate of the sales organization.

Just MHO. Thanks for listening. I look forward to broadening my horizon through your reader's posts.