The WebScoreCard Blog

Google Analytics dotnet api working!

webscorecard — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:06:48 +0000

It’s been some months already that google anounced it’s api for google analytics.

As I was interested in using this API in dotnet I was disappointed to see that there was no such library yet.

There are some examples on the internet building up the calls yourself, but that’s to error sensitive for someone who is not a professional programmer. To start with google has 3 different kinds of logins etc.

So I was happy to find a thread on google about a dotnet api for analytics, and found that google had adopted the source code but had not put it in the build yet. In that thread is a link to the source (release 933). In the trunk directory is a dll for the analitics (cs/lib/release)

So how do you make this work?
Install the google data API and download the Analytics dll
Download the examples from the samples/analytics directory.

Start your visual studio, create a new application, and then register all the dll’s you need (see the import in the .cs file) and copy the code from the example.

Then you can call the analytics in dotnet!

And a tip: imagine combining the analytics with the graphics from fusion charts……

The next generation: Websitebuilders 2.0

webscorecard — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:04:55 +0000

My first program I wrote using hypertext technology was in 1993, the first time I created an html page was in 1995. It were times of discovery and very ugly interfaces, using black backgrounds and green letters, like the 1970 unix terminals. In that time anybody who new html and some cgi programming had a job as a designer , programmer and webmaster at the same time.

Then there was this time of upgrading browsers, and plugins, better java, flash, pdf’s etc. and there was always new things to learn. And companies learned how to create better websites with better technologies that people actually visited. Words like findability and usability appeared.

But there still was no real idea of what would make a website successfull.

Nowadays you can see the buzz about findability, availability, accessability, trust, usability, and relevance when talking about successfull websites. The softer the goal (like usability and relevance) the harder it gets for them.

What is obvious at this moment is that most websitebuilders have mastered the technology, and will continue to do that, but that the gap towards the softer skills is difficult to master, and getting the website aligned to the business instead of the other way round really is a challenge.

Only few can really say they help add significant value to their clients business in building the website. Full service internet companies that help their clients to reach success with their website afterwards are really scarce at the moment. Yet I believe the websitebuilder company 2.0 should be just that, full service, from strategy till website management, supporting the client all the way to success.

That the 2.0 company will have a different business model is obvious, it will collect on the success of ot’s client, not on the work done.

A Win-win situation!

Maslow ‘s piramid of needs adapted for businesses

webscorecard — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:46:40 +0000

While I was writing for my website, I got on the topic of defining needs for potential customers. Then maslow’s piramid with a hierarchy of human needs is an obvious choice. After some reseach i found out that the complete piramid does not have 5 but eight levels to my surprise (and ignorance). This piramid seems to be a great tool for b2c.

But then I wondered about the b2b. I had never heard of a piramid of needs for businesses. I also cannot find one on the internet. But yet it seems so logical to create one, as organizations also can be seen as organisms, they are always changing.

So here goes my shot at creating a businessneeds piramid.
For businesses, maslow did not consider a needs piramid, but i believe it to be similar:

Biological : the need for ‘continuity’
Internal needs; recources, competences
External needs: Money
Products & services: office supplies, raw materials , Hr services , Financial services
Safety: the need for order and trust, ,to avoid risks
Internal needs: Processes, protocols, procedures,
External needs: Laws, Contracts
Products: MRp, ERM, lawyer, organzation process configuration and development, etc
Belongingness: Need for synergy
Internal need: productive culture, teambuilding
External: Clients, partner companies.
Products: CRM, Collaborative tools, Enterprise search, Intranets, Portals
Esteem: Need for recognition in the market
Internal need: proud of product, organization, leadership, a clear vision
Internal need: Trust in brand and product.
Products:marketing agency, internal marketing
fun: need to have fun in the business
Internal need: Distraction, diverse activities
External need: positive feeling with brand
Products: team building activities, coffee machine, relax/fitness rooms etc
Cognitive:The need to learn and understand the world around us
Internal need: measuring and reporting,
External need: data collection, trend watching,
Products: Business intelligence, competitive intelligence, marketing surveys etc
Aestetics: the need for beauty.
Internal need: design
External need: design, beauty
Products: product consultancy, design agency etc.
Self-Actualization: need for growth in new areas
Internal need:Innovation
External need:
Products: knowledgemanagement, training,
Transcendence needs: Need to help society:
Internal need:social responsibility, helping others
External need: creation and support social responsibility
Products: social active organizations

I’ve published this list also on my site , www.webscorecard.nl as part of the strategical process, as i think it may contribute in understanding the business-clients a bit better.

Tell me what you think!