Gathering Business Requirements for a Google Analytics Project. A quick Template.

Every business has unique objectives and data needs. Because of that, a good Web Analytics project should always start with an audit aimed at understanding and gathering these unique business requirements.

Infact, it´s only by capturing the objectives of the website/online business that we will be able to create and implement an effective measurement plan and eventualy take action on data. Using Avinash Kaushik words:

There is one difference between winners and losers when it comes to web analytcs. Winners, well before they think data or tool, have a well structured Digital Marketing & Measurement Model. Losers don´t.

In this post I suggest a simple and quick template that will help you capturing business and technical requirements for a web analytics project. And so being able, later, to develop an implementation plan.  I am in particular thinking about digital analysts/agencies who offer Google Analytics consulting services to their clients.

The following template can be useful when you sit down for the first time with a client (or prospect one), and you know very little or nothing about their business on the web. Of course you should complement this initial audit with:

1. A visit to the website (do it before meeting the client!): see how it looks, go to product pages, navigate as you were a potential customer. And try to identify yourself their business objectives and potential technical requirements.
2. A more detailed analysis into their Web Analytics tool (if they are currently using one, and clearly if you have been given access previously). This step will let you audit the type of implementation they currently have and get first a picture of the data.    

Scroll down the form to keep reading.





A couple of notes about the above template, before closing this post:

• the above questions were formulated with a Google Analytics audit in mind (especially questions about GA implementation features). However, I believe most of them could be replicated for any Web Analytics tool;
• I created the template using Google Forms, though it is not intended to collect answers (Google Form it is used to create and send surveys for example). I simply used it because I liked the format and I could incorporate it easily in my post;
• the template could be sent to clients by email, instead of filling it out during a face to face meeting;
• some of the questions will need more detailed answers than the ones I put on the template. I didn´t leave a blank space in the form, but I encourage you to do it. The more detailed info you can get from the client, the better you will deliver your measurement and implementation plans.

I hope this simple template will be of use in your daily work. Please feel free to share advice, critique or other question you reckon I could add to the template.

Thank you.