WebSideStory Reports Supernatural Conversion rates?

[Chris Boggs]

With almost unbelievable numbers, WebSideStory reports (http://www.websidestory.com/company/news-events/press-releases/view-release.html?id=319&lid=Press+Releases&lpos=Press+Releases) that AOL is number on in conversions, with MSN following closely behind, both above 6% for the month of January.

Does this seem possible? Many factors not discussed include if this represents paid search only or natural hits too, and how good the average ROI was.

I think this could spark some good discussions...

[rustybrick]

It does say in the study; "The study includes traffic from both organic and paid keywords."

ROI was not considered and they noted that at the bottom.

ROI would be interesting, but conversion figures are also pretty interesting and easier to get at.

The study does not surprise me. I might have thought Yahoo! would have been closer to MSN but I can't always be right. :)

[gabs]

6% seems far far far far to high..

But then stats are stats that can manipulated..

[Chris Boggs]

d'oh I read right past that natural/paid part. hmm would be nice to know what percentage of each though...

[rustybrick]

d'oh I read right past that natural/paid part. hmm would be nice to know what percentage of each though...
I bet they have it, maybe they want money for that data.

6% does seem high to me also.

[Jonathan Mendez]

This metrics and methodolgy "light" press release from WSS leaves me scratching my head the same way I was two weeks ago when they announced the "groundbreaking" data that direct referrers convert better than SE's and the SE's convert better than outside links.

This latest data is again so general it is basically useless.

This is interesting: "One other important consideration to note in this study, WebSideStory officials said, is that the conversion rates are likely higher than industry averages because the sample sites are using best-of-class web analytics to improve their search engine marketing and optimization."

Funny, I thought it was smart people that can interpret data and strategize based on that data that actually improve SEM/O. That seems to me to be the differentiator. Not the analytic and reporting technology which for the most part (and I have used most of these packages regularly for the past 8 years) are very similar in their overall capabilites.