New SAS® Web Analytics solution turns raw data into knowledge

SAS ® brings latest business analytics innovations to the analysis of Web site data

CARY, NC - Organizations are increasingly struggling to apply the same level of analysis to Web site data that is routinely applied to data from their mainstream operations. There is also the challenge of integrating and analyzing online and offline data together. Today SAS, the leader in business analytics, launched a new version of SAS Web Analytics to help companies apply forecasting capabilities to Web data that will help them to go beyond “what happened?” to predict “what will happen next?”

SAS Web Analytics will provide additional context for marketers seeking to understand how the web channel is impacted by other areas of their business.

“The corporate Web presence is becoming one of the most important touch points in conducting business; whether it is business-to-business or business-to-consumer. With this offering SAS is providing organizations with the important functionality of being able to assimilate online data and offline data,” said Mary Wardley, IDC Vice President of CRM Applications research.

While many enterprise marketing management vendors are narrowly focused on point solutions, SAS provides an integrated suite of products that span the entire customer-focused marketing process. SAS’s Web analytics capabilities are part of a broader customer intelligence suite of solutions that handles campaign management, cross-sell/up-sell, customer retention, customer segmentation, e-mail marketing, event-driven marketing, campaign optimization, marketing mix analysis, marketing performance management, customer experience analytics and Web analytics.

“Now SAS customers can go beyond basic Web analytics to understand both Web site activity and individual customer activity and integrate this with both online and offline channels,” said Jeff Levitan, general manager of SAS’ Global Customer and Retail business. “With the ability to customize reports and integrate other business information on an ad hoc basis, this is the most flexible Web analytics solution available.”
Spotting non-human sessions

SAS Web Analytics features an industry first. Behavioral Identification of Non-Human Sessions (BINS), uses an algorithm to discern whether activity on a Web site is attributable to an automated routine typical of Web crawlers, rather than a person. BINS automatically filters out automated activity for analysis purposes, ensuring the highest level of confidence and accuracy of Web site metrics.
Advanced analysis of KPIs

SAS’ forecasting and trending capabilities set this solution apart. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are not just tracked; they’re analyzed to determine the underlying drivers. With advanced econometric time-series techniques users can statistically determine significant metrics driving target KPIs, develop what-if scenarios around improvements and determine how to adjust individual driver metrics needs to achieve goals.
Create Customized reports

SAS Web Analytics includes a fully documented and open dimensional data model for all historical data. Reports are defined and generated through SAS Web Report Studio, so customized reports can be created to analyze the information most important to any given company.
Search engine bid management reporting

SAS Web Analytics includes search engine marketing reports for online marketers who want to maximize their search engine marketing and optimization efforts. Paid-search analysis and reports employ metrics to determine the effectiveness of an organization’s marketing campaigns and keywords. An organic search analysis categorizes visits from search engines by nonpaid keyword search terms and user-selected goal pages. Additionally, the solution’s econometric time-series techniques enable performance trend analysis.

Customers worldwide using SAS to support customer initiatives include 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, DeutschlandCard, The Dow Chemical Co., First Citizens Bank, Grupo Santander, Hartford Life, Swisscom, US Bank, Vodafone Australia and Wolters Kluwer.

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions delivered within an integrated framework, SAS helps customers at more than 45,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know® .