webtrends-logo-2009.jpg
Today it was announced that Webtrends (news, site) has decided to expand their analytics capabilities for Facebook yet again. The upcoming measurement tools—slated to be released with the next iteration of Webtrends Optimize—will enable both marketers and developers the ability to test, segment and target their specific campaigns inside the popular social network.

Marketers + Facebook

Webtrends has been poking around Facebook for a little while now. In February of this year the company gave marketers a peek into their promotional efforts (tabs, apps and share features), claiming Facebook to be a critical step in the marketing journey. 

“The ability to have concrete measurement on investments within Facebook and compare them apples to apples with other digital channels is critical to marketers,” explained Jascha Kaykas-Wolff, Webtrends' vice president of marketing. “Our comprehensive approach to measuring Facebook, beyond just applications, allows marketers to understand the broader picture of how their Facebook investment is performing.”

Making Sense Of It All

The Webtrends Optimize platform allows users to test content in real-time. Add that to the massive level of popularity Facebook has reached and the climbing interest in social media marketing, and you get a ton of campaigns and investments being made within the social network. The need to optimize them seems like a natural next step.

"Giving marketers the ability to optimize Facebook campaigns is an important step for us,”  continued Kaykas-Wolff.  “With the ability to measure ads, custom apps and tabs, Flash, and testing, Webtrends undoubtedly provides the most comprehensive way to measure and optimize what marketers are doing inside the most densely populated and active site on the web.”

Learning Opportunities

Meanwhile, Coremetrics offers a similar solution. Fully integrated into the Coremetrics Optimization Platform, Impression Attribution enables businesses to analyze how Facebook investments drive website sales and conversions. The tool links activity around Facebook fan pages, ads and applications, to behaviors and conversions.

"Facebook campaigns – just like any other marketing program – must support strategic business objectives,’ said Coremetrics’ Chief Strategy Officer, John Squire. ‘Our approach to social media analytics is built on the premise that people interact with a brand in many different ways, through many different channels, and that the true measurement of ROI demands a fully integrated view of your customers."

Basically everyone's on the same page. To learn more about Webtrends' approach, head over here for a detailed look at Webtrends Optimize.