Introduction
New techniques in Web Analytics include Site Overlays and Geo-Mapping. There are many free tools available online to experience how visual mapping is being using in determining customer locations, center of gravity for channel distribution, and other graphical display of information. In this activity, Geo-Mapping will be used from a data-set of customer information and graphically displayed on the tool or embedded in another application.
Exercise
Review the free access online Geo-analytics mapping software Maptive (Links to an external site.) or espatial (Links to an external site.). You will use the retail mapping software to review the new techniques in Web Analytics found in your textbook Appendix 11.A (New techniques in Web Analytics: Site Overlays and Geo-Mapping)
Create an Excel spreadsheet that will be used to map retail stores, customer locations, or other businesses of your choice. The original data-set field should be at least 10 entries for mapping. Be able to explain your data-set that was created in this exercise.
After using the mapping tool, write a 2-page summary analysis paper that includes the following:
- Discuss the data-set created (e.g. modified list from a retail business, customer contacts from small business, etc.)
- Summarize thetool usage (e.g. customer location, stores selling xyz products, countries with sales offices, etc.) including screen shots in your paper to explain the map for this exercise. Note: Student may need to install a capturing tool, such as snagnit (Links to an external site.) to insert select maps into your paper.
- Discuss the benefits of site overlays and geo-mapping as outlined in Appendix 11A (chapter 11 in textbook).
- Research an article to include additional examples, applications, and benefits of the use of this new technique in Web Analytics.
Note: You are not required to Embed maps into a website or blog.
Note: This analysis will automatically be evaluated through Turnitin (Links to an external site.), a service that checks your work for improper citation or potential plagiarism by comparing it against a database of web pages, student papers, and articles from academic books and publications. Be very careful to avoid self-plagiarism, that is, using previous material written for other class assignments.