The following is the Preface from our forthcoming book, Understanding Audiences, Customers, and Users via Analytics.
The use of web, user, and social media analytics world has grown exponentially.
Companies and individuals are using web and social media data to inform their business decisions and better understand their audience base. This book introduces the world of web, people, and social media analytics and how to use the data collected to make better decisions.
This book is written for those who are somewhat new to the web and social media analytics but interested in learning more than the basics. While designing this book, we “drank our own Kool-Aid”, leveraging analytics and personas to guide the structure, content, and flow of this book. It is intended to help those who are looking to gain the skills needed to analyze data from the web and social media and help them make informed decisions, including practitioners, teachers, and researchers.
This book provides an overview of the concepts and techniques used in web and social media analytics, including data gathering methods, data preparation, quality, analytical methods, and validity. It also covers the potential web and social media analytics applications, such as marketing, customer relationships, and product design.
This book is intended as a starting point for those interested in web and social media analytics and with some background in these areas. We hope that it will provide readers with the knowledge and skills necessary to make the most of their data.
Jansen, B. J., Aldous, K, Salminen, J., Almerekhi, H. and Jung, S.G. (2023). Understanding Audiences, Customers, and Users via Analytics – An Introduction to the Employment of Web, Social, and Other Types of Digital People Data. Springer Nature.