How CBSNews.com keeps visitors interested

[Triana]

By Mark Gibbs

An area of overlooked value in Web applications is that if
engineered correctly Web apps can generate valuable data about
user behavior and if monitored in real-time or near real-time
can be used to fine tune business processes to fit the target
market more effectively.

I was told of a great example of this technique by my good
friend Jim Sterne over lunch yesterday. I have mentioned Jim in
previous newsletters, and as he recently wrapped up this year's
Web Analytics Conference (see editorial links below) I asked him
about the insights into analytics that the conferences revealed.

One of the insights Jim told me about concerned this feedback
intelligence loop idea: In a presentation by Shari Cleary, the
research manager for CBSNews.com, CBS.com and UPN.com, she noted
that the CBSNews.com news and operations director, Mike Sims,
monitors the CBSNews.com Web site traffic in real time to track
the popularity of news stories and videos. This intelligence
allows CBS to "re-rank" site news items to more accurately
address user concerns.

...

But here's a thought: What if CBS took this a step further and
used this intelligence to tailor its TV news broadcasts? And by
comparing Web site traffic before and after each broadcast, it
could determine how well its TV broadcasts reflected what
viewers were currently interested in.

...

RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS

Jim Sterne
http://www.targeting.com/

Web Analytics Conference 2005
http://www.emetrics.org/summit605/

Shari Cleary
http://www.emetrics.org/summit605/speakersUS.html#shari

[democracyindanger]

1. News organizations

aren't supposed to give the people what they want, but what they need to know.

[Old and In the Way]

2. They seem to be doing neither particularly well these days.

If I were CBSNews/CBSNews.com, I might try polling their story options on the internet and let their audience choose which get which ones get aired, in order of priority.

It would certainly draw traffic to their site and it would be interesting to see how that would affect their ratings.

[Triana]

3. That's a great idea!

But I suspect their corprat bosses are too beholden to the White House to allow that. Some actual useful news might get out. They don't want that!

An well-informed public is their worst enemy, after all. Especially if they vote...

[Old and In the Way]

5. If it drives a significant increase in market share/ad revenue...

they might risk it.

:-)

[Triana]

6. They oughtta hire you..

...so you can show 'em how it's done! Sounds like win/win to me. And we might actually get some news.

[Triana]

4. But, but, but...

...that'd be like, Public Service or something!

:sarcasm: