WO2002086773A1

WO2002086773A1 - Method of tracking user behaviour within a communications network

Info

Publication number: WO2002086773A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/000488
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Prendergast; David Whittle; Wing Cheung
Original assignee: Traffion Technologies Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-04-20
Filing date: 2002-04-19
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Also published as: AUPR453901A0

Abstract

A method of tracking user behaviour within a communications network, the method including the steps of (a) one or more users each establishing a session with related content sources (2 - 13) within the computer network, each user generating one or more session events during that session including an impression event whenever content (2 - 12) is accessed from one of the related content sources and a results event whenever a quantifiable result (13) is achieved; (b) capturing a session event key (63) for at least each impression event; (c) deriving one or more predetermined session metrics related to session events generated during each session; and (d) recording (67) the measured session metrics against the session event key.

Description

METHOD OF TRACKING USER BEHAVIOUR WITHIN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

The present invention relates generally to methods of tracking user behaviour within a communications network, and in particular to methods of tracking the activity of a user accessing content from related content sources within that communications network. The present invention is suitable for use in the tracking of user activity within one or more pages forming part of a single website accessible from the Internet, and it will be convenient to describe the invention in relation to that exemplary application. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to use in that application only.

The Internet is becoming an increasingly used means for communication and conducting commercial transactions. A wide variety of enterprises maintain websites consisting of one or more related content sources such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents. Many of the documents within such websites include HyperText links enabling a user to navigate between documents, or other text, video or audio content, accessible from within the website.

In order to maximise the benefit derived from maintaining a website, enteφrises wish to monitor the behaviour of users as they arrive at and navigate through the various content provided at the website. Information such as the frequency with which each page within the website is accessed, the number of sales, subscriptions or other results achieved, the traffic sources from which users initially access the website and the like is used to judge the effectiveness of the website. The information is also used to facilitate the improvement of portions of the website and to sell advertising space in content delivered to users accessing the website.

Typically, each request for access to a different page of a website, as well as related information such as which advertising material is viewed or accessed by users when visiting the website, is logged by the web server hosting at website. The resulting server log file is then analysed and the results provided to the owner of the website.

Unfortunately, current user behaviour user tracking systems monitor and record high volumes of raw data generated by user activity within the various websites that may be hosted by a particular web server. The increasing use of the Internet often results in raw data being generated faster than it can be recorded and analysed. Moreover, the significant data storage requirements and processing power required to analyse this data is costly to install and maintain. There currently exists a need to explain the behavioural relationship between events generated by user activity with the text, audio and video content sources of a website, or other related content sources, that minimise data storage and processing requirements. It would be desirable for such a method to be rapid, simple and accurate. There also exists a need for a method of tracking user behaviour within a communications network, such as the Internet, that ameliorates or overcomes one or more disadvantages, or provides an alternative to, known user behaviour tracking methods.

With this in mind, the present invention provides a method of tracking user behaviour within a communications network, the method including the steps of: (a) one or more users each establishing a session with related content sources within the computer network, each user generating one or more session events during that session including an impression event whenever content is accessed from one of the related content sources and a results event whenever a quantifiable result is achieved; (b) capturing a session event key for at least each impression event;

(c) deriving one or more predetermined session metrics related to session events generated during each session; and

(d) recording the measured session metrics against of the session event key. The method may further include the step of: (e) processing the recorded session metrics to derive one or more key performance indicators representative of user behaviour within the related content sources.

The related content sources may form at least part of a single website. One or more of the related content sources may form at least part of a web page of HTML encoded text.

The session event key may include a beacon embedded in or accompanying content accessed by or delivered to each user. The beacon may be indicative of one or more logical zones of each content source. By way of example, the beacon may be realised by a full URL or file name of an HTML page, and HTML page or document title, a customer ID or user name, or other human or machine readable identifier.

The recorded session metrics may characterise the number of result events generated in sessions during which each impression event occurred. The session metrics may further characterise the number of sessions during which each impression event occurred.

Step (b) may include the capturing of one or more session event keys identifying the time at which the session event occurred, such as the current hour, day or other time period or instant. The session metrics may further characterise the total number of impression events, de-duped impression events, long held sessions and/or session length.

Step (b) may include capturing a session event key for each results event. The session metrics may further characterise the nature, cost and/or revenue of each results event. The session metrics may further characterise the total number of transactions.

Preferably, the session events include an advertising event generated whenever the related content sources are accessed from an external advertising source. In this case, step (b) may include the capturing of a session event key for each advertising event. The session event key may characterise the identity of the advertising source. For example, the advertising event key may include a traffic source ID, creative ID, placement string, HTTP referrer or like identifier. The session metrics may further characterise the number of banner impressions, clicks and/or unique clicks resulting in a session being established with the related content sources. The key performance indicators may be derived by selecting and sorting the session metrics according to one or more session event keys.

The key performance indicators may include a click through ratio, click to conversion rate, session to conversion rate, average number of site per session or like indicator characterising the relationship between impression events, results events and/or advertising events.

Data capture may be initiated by a client associated with each user, or by a server hosting content access by or delivered to each user.

Content from each content source may include a tracking tag to cause the client or server to initiate the data capture. The tracking tag may be, for example, a BB code, HTML tag or like tracking tag.

The method may further include the step of: capturing raw user activity data in a log file, and transmitting the log file to a central server within the communications network for the performance of step (b). The log file may be batched or transmitted in real time to the central server.

The method may further include the step of: storing the recorded session metrics in a data storage device associated with the central server.

The data storage device may include one or more data tables of session event keys and corresponding predetermined session metrics.

The following description refers in more detail to the various features of the user behaviour tracking method of the present invention. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made in the description to the accompanying drawings where the invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating related web pages accessed by a user from within a single website, advertising events from which access to the website is obtained and results event generated from within the website;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communications network including a web server hosting the website shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a flow diagram representing the capture, storage and analysis of user activity data generated within the communications network of Figure 2;

Figures 4 to 7 are flow charts illustrating in more detail the steps of the process shown in Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an example of a log file recording session event information relating to the interaction of users with the website shown in Figure 1; Figures 9 to 11 illustrate the manner in which the information in the log file shown in Figure 8 is captured and recorded; and

Figure 12 illustrates one example of a report representative of user behaviour within a website

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown generally an embodiment of a website 1 consisting of a series of related HTML documents 2 to 13. Many of the HTML documents 2 to 13 include HyperText Links to enable a user currently accessing that document to request access to another document within the website 1. For example, a HyperText Link to the product tour page 1 HTML document 5 is provided on the home page HTML document 3. Although in this example the website 1 includes related HTML documents, in other example the website may be formed by different related content sources providing text, audio, video or other content. Moreover, whilst the documents 2 to 13 are related by forming part of the website 1, in other examples of the invention another relationship may exist between the various related content sources. As users navigate through website 1, a series of impression events are generated when each separate HTML document 2 to 12 is accessed by each user. In the example shown in Figure 1, a typical series of impression events generated when a user establishes a session with the website 1 may result in the accessing of product tour pages 5 to 7, followed by the accessing of the purchase page 9. Should the user wish to proceed with the purchase of a particular product selected from the product tour pages 5 to 7, a credit card entry page 11, or alternative payment page 10, may be accessed and appropriate payment details entered or otherwise forwarded to a payment authorisation agent. Upon authorisation of the payment request, a payment authorisation page 12 may be accessed. Each of the preceding impression events then finally generates a result event when the user achieves a quantifiable result, in this case being provided with access to a download product page 13 in order to enable the user to obtain a purchased program or other product. The attention of a user may be initially delivered to the website 1 from one or more external advertising sources, such as banner advertisements 14 and 15 respectively displayed at external websites 16 and 17, or from a text link 18 displayed at an external website 19. Access to any related document within the web page 1 from each of the external advertising sources 14, 15 or 18 generates an advertising event. In general, impression events document the path taken by a user through the various related documents of the website 1 from the users entrance point to the users exit point. Every time access is requested to an HTML document or other content source by a user, an impression event is generated.

On the other hand, results events document the achievement of a measurable goal, financial or otherwise, by a user. For example, a results event may be generated when a user joins the mailing list or creates an account with a website, when a user subscribes to a pay-for-access site, when a user purchases digital goods deliverable by the Internet, or when a user purchases hard goods deliverable off-line. It is to be understood that in addition to financial goals, results events may include the achievement of any event of value to a content provider, such as a user leaving a web site or other goal or event.

The website 1 may be hosted by a merchant web server 30 accessible from the Internet 31. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention, the related content sources may be accessible from a communications network other than the Internet, such as a mobile telecommunications network or satellite network. Initially, a client 32 associated with a user establishes a connection with the Internet 31 and is delivered an HTML page via an Internet service provider. As the user navigates amongst the various HTML document accessible from a variety of web servers forming part of the Internet 31, the user may be presented with one or more of the external advertising sources 14, 15 or 18 and by clicking on that banner advertisement or text link, be directed to one of the HTML documents of the website 1. Alternatively, the user may directly request access to the website 1 by typing the corresponding URL into the address field of a browser installed at the client 32. Accordingly, the client 32 transmits a request 33 to the merchant website 30 for access to the website 1. Upon receipt of the request, the merchant web server 30 dynamically includes a unique session ID in the content served to the client 32 for use during the session established between the client 32 and the related documents of the website 1.

At least some of the HTML documents of the website 1 include a lxl pixel tracking tag, or BB code, detectable by the client 32. When a document 34 containing a BB code is delivered from the merchant web server 30 to the client 32, the client 32 detects the presence of the BB code and transmits a report 35 to a central measurement server 36. The report 35 includes a beacon enabling identification of the document or other content provided to the client 32. The beacon may be realised, for example, by a full URL or file name of the HTML document in question, an HTML page or document title, a customer ID or user name, or other human or machine readable identifier. In addition, the client includes the unique session ID, supplied by the merchant web server 30, in the report 35. The central measurement server 36 generates a new session ID record for that user during that current session with the web page 1. The client 32 includes the unique session ID in subsequent requests made to the merchant web server 30 for access to HTML documents within the website 1, so that the same session ID may be returned to the client 32, for example, in the URL of the return content. In this way, reporting of the beacon to the central measurement server 36 enables the unique session ID to be extracted and content accessed by a user during a single session with the website 1 to be linked.

The beacon identifying each HTML page or other content source is one example of a session event key captured by the central measurement server 36 that facilitates the tracking of user behaviour within the website 1. In addition, one or more predetermined session metrics relating to session events generated or occurring during each user session with the web page 1 are derived from raw user activity data reported to the central measurement server 36. The predetermined session metrics are recorded against one or more session event keys in a database 37. A central reporting server 38 processes the recorded session metrics maintained in the database 37 to derive one or more key performance indicators representative of user behaviour within the related pages of the website 1. A report 39 including these key performance indicators is subsequently generated by the central reporting server upon request from the merchant maintaining the website 1.

The data capture, storage and analysis process is briefly illustrated in Figure 3. Raw user activity data 50 is reported by the client 32 to the central measurement server 36. Summary data 51 of selected session event keys and predetermined session metrics is derived from the raw user activity data and recorded in the database 37. The central reporting server 38 then performs an analysis 52 of the recorded metrics in order to generate the key performance indicators included in the report 39. This process will now be explained in more detail by way of the illustrative example shown in Figures 4 to 7. In this example, users 60, 61 and

62 each establish separate sessions with the website 1. As the HTML document is returned to a client associated with that user, the client in question detects the presence of the BB code in that document, and captures the current session ID

63 and session event key 64 for each impression event and results event generated during those three sessions. It will be noted that whilst a session event key for at least each impression event (enabling the identification of the HTML document or other content accessed by a user) is required by the present invention, in this case a session event key for each results event is also captured (enabling the identification of the results event generated). The current session ID 63 and session event key 64 for each impression event and results event is captured in a log file 65, which is batched or transmitted in real time to the central measurement server 36. The raw user activity captured in the log file 65 is then grouped by the central measurement server 36 according to a unique session ID. As shown in Figure 5, the data 66 from each session is then analysed in order to derive one or more predetermined session metrics related to session events generated during that session. Summary data 67 is generated from the session data 66 by recording the one or more predetermined session metrics against each session event key. The summary data 67 is then stored in the database 37. In this example, during the session established by user 60 with the website 1, five impression events and one result event were generated. During that session, the home page and page 2 were accessed once, whilst page 1 was accessed twice. Further, an impression event was recorded against content for which no tracking beacon was detected. The summary data 67 records the following session metrics against the session event keys identifying each impression event generated during the session of user 60 : the number of results generated during that session, and the number of impression events for each content source (HTML document) during that session. In addition, the total number of impression events and result event occurring during that session is recorded against each session event key.

Figure 8 illustrates a slightly more complex example, in which session event keys 70 for impression events and results events are captured, and corresponding impression and results metrics are derived and recorded. In addition, the recorded metrics 71 include advertising metrics, in this case the detection of a click event (a user having been directed to the website 1 by clicking on an external advertising source).

In this instance, the raw user activity data in the log file 65 is again grouped according to unique session ID. As seen in Figure 9, the grouped session data 72 for session 1 include one advertising, or click, event, five impression events and one result event. The summary data 73 resulting therefrom record against the session event key for each impression event, the number of results generated during a session in which each HTML document was access, the number of times that document was accessed during the session, and the number of clicks involved in the session.

The summary data 73 is then stored in a data table 75 within the database 37. It will be noted that in this instance, a session event key for each results event (product A) that occurred during that session is also recorded against each impression event key. The database table 75 also includes NULL session event key for recording the total of all session metrics recorded during that session for all impression event keys and results event keys.

In Figure 10, the raw user activity data corresponding to the session of user 61 is grouped into session data 76. In this instance, one advertising (click) event and four impression events were generated, but no results events. Corresponding summary data 77 records the session metrics of the number of clicks and results achieved during that session, as well as the number of times each HTML document was accessed thereby resulting in an impression event during that session, against the session event keys for each HTML document accessed during that session. Because no results events were achieved during - l i the session, a NULL session event key is recorded for each results event against each impression event key.

The captured session event keys and derived session metrics are then added to the data table 75. As can be seen in Figure 10, if an entry for an impression event key (beacon) and corresponding session event key for a results event occurring during that session has not previously occurred, a new row is added to the data table 75. Once again, if no result event is recorded during a session, a NULL result event key is recorded in the data table 75 against each session event key for each impression event occurring during that session. Similarly, in sessions in which a results event was produced, but beacons for one or more documents accessed during that session were not identified, a NULL entry is made in the corresponding impression event key. A total session event key is maintained in the data table 75 in order that the cumulative total of all categories of metrics can be kept. Finally, as shown in Figure 11, the raw user activity data 78 of the session of user 62 is grouped, and corresponding summary data 79 is generated. In this case, no results events were generated, but one advertising (click) event, and two impression events were generated. The data table 75 is subsequently updated. Accordingly, the data table 75 records predetermined session metrics derived from raw user activity data collected over multiple sessions. The metrics, includingclicks, impressions, sessions and results, is recorded against the session event key for each impression event generated by user access to a group of related content sources. Optionally, additional session event keys for results events and possibly advertising events may also be recorded against the session event key for each impression event. It will be appreciated that the data storage requirements of such a data table are minimal, as is the processing power required to process the data maintained in the data table 75.

It will be understood that various other session event keys and/or session metrics may be recorded in the data table 75. In addition to a beacon enabling the identification of each HTML page or other content source, session event keys may be recorded identifying the time at which a session event occurred, such as the current hour, day or other time period or instant. Session event keys may also be captured for advertising events generated whenever the related content sources are accessed from an external advertising site. These advertising keys may relate, for example, to the traffic source ID, creative ID, placement or an HTTP referrer.

In addition to recording a session event key enabling the identification of each results event, results metrics may be derived. For example, session metrics may characterise the nature of a results event (such as soft goods or hard goods), the cost of a product or service purchased, the revenue generated by a transaction, or the number of transactions.

Other session metrics may identify the length of the session, or categorise those sessions lasting more than a predetermined time, or may record de-duped site impressions, namely those impression events generated by using the back button of a browser to access a stored cache of information, rather than requesting fresh access from the web server maintaining the content. Various other session metrics and session event keys will be envisaged by skilled persons in the field of user behaviour tracking. Referring now to Figure 6, the data maintained in the data table 75 is processed by the central reporting server 38 to derive one or more key performance indicators representative of user behaviour within the related content sources being monitored. The session event keys maintained in the data table 75 enable the central reporting server 38 to segment that behavioural data in a variety of ways. Provided the relevant session event keys are recorded. The behavioural data in the data table 75 may be segmented by one or more historical event key 90 identifying the time instant or period which session events occurred, or one or more impression event keys 91 , results event keys 92 or advertising event keys 93. Key performance indicators 94 may be derived for any one or more of the foregoing data segments. A session to conversion rate is a simple example of the sort of key performance indicator derived by the central reporting server 38. This key performance indicator is derived for each content source, as identified by its corresponding beacon, the ratio of the entry in the sessions column in the data table 75 for that beacon to the corresponding entry in the results column. This ratio, namely the ratio of the sessions in which that HTML document was accessed to the number of results generated from those sessions, provides a useful indicator of user behaviour within the related content sources being monitored. In a more complex example of a data table that may be used with the present invention, the session event key which information is captured may be the result event keys, impression event keys (beacons), a historical key (for example identifying the time period during which the event occurred), and an advertising event key (for example a traffic source ID). A variety of session metrics may be monitored, including advertising data (number of clicks, unique clicks and banner impressions), impression event data (site impressions and sessions), and result data. The session metrics can be used to calculate key performance indicators with reference to the impression, result and advertising event keys as required. For example, the click through ratio, click to conversion ratio and average number of site impressions per session can easily be derived by the central reporting server 38 without the requirement for significant processing power or data storage area.

By providing a simple and rapid means of matching impression events whenever content is accessed from a related content source during a session against associated results generated during that session, and optionally enabling the matching of either of these two types of events with advertising events generated whenever the related content sources are accessed from an external advertising source, the present invention enables website operators and other suppliers of related content to be provided with a detailed analysis of the complex relationships between site activity, results generated by the activity and advertising messages that deliver the activity to the site in the first place. Moreover, this is achieved without requiring undue data storage space or processing power.

As can be seen in Figure 7, the central reporting server 38, by deriving the various key performance indicators 94 for a set of related content sources, is able to produce a behaviour report 95 explaining the relationship between impression events 96 and result events 97, and optionally advertising events 98, for website operators and other providers of related content. Figure 12 shows one example of a behaviour report 95, in which the session event keys of the various pages of a website are listed together with (i) the number of results events generated during sessions in which that page was accessed, and (ii) the conversion ratio of each page (the ratio of the number of results achieved to the number of sessions in which that page was accessed.)

Finally, it is to be understood that various modifications and/or additions may be made to the user behaviour tracking method without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention as described hereabove. In particular, whilst the above described method relies upon browser based detection of tracking tags, in other embodiments of the invention detection of tracked content sources may be performed at the server or servers hosting the related content sources. The server or servers may then directly report impression, results and advertising events to the central measurement server 36.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A method of tracking user behaviour within a communications network, the method including the steps of: (a) one or more users each establishing a session with related content sources within the computer network, each user generating one or more session events during that session including an impression event whenever content is accessed from one of the related content sources and a results event whenever a quantifiable result is achieved. (b) capturing a session event key for at least each impression event;

(d) recording the measured session metrics against the session event key.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further including the step of:

(e) processing the recorded session metrics to derive one or more key performance indicators representative of user behaviour within the related content sources.

3. A method according to either one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the related content sources may form aT least part of a single website.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the related content sources form at least part of a web page of HTML encoded text.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the session event key includes a beacon embedded in or accompanying content accessed by or delivered to each user.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the beacon is indicative of one or more logical zones of each content source.

7. A method according to either one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the beacon is realised by a full URL or file name of an HTML page or document title, a customer ID or user name, or other human or machine readable identifier.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recorded session metrics characterise the number of result events generated in sessions during which each impression event occurred.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the session metrics further characterise the number of sessions during which each impression event occurred.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein step (b) includes the capturing of one or more session events keys identifying the time at which the session event occurred, such as the current hour, day or other time period or instant.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the session metrics further characterise the total number of impression events, de- duped impression events, long held sessions and/or session length.

12. A method according to aNy one of the preceding claims, wherein step (b) includes capturing a session event key for each results event.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the session metrics further characterise the nature, cost and/or revenue of each results event.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the session metrics further characterise the total number of transactions.

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the session events include an advertising event generated whenever the related content sources are accessed from an external advertising source.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein step (b) includes the capturing of a session event key for each advertising event.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the session event key characterises the identity of the advertising source.

18. A method according to either one of claims 16 or 17, wherein the advertising event key includes a traffic source ID, creative ID, placement string, HTTP referrer or like identifier.

19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the session metrics further characterise the number of banner impressions, clicks and/or unique clicks resulting in a session being established with the related content sources.

20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the key performance indicators are derived by selecting and sorting the session metrics according to one or more session event keys.

21. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the key performance indicators include a click through ratio, click to conversion rate, session to conversion rate, average number of site per session or like indicator characterising the relationship between impression events, results events and/or advertising events.

22. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein data capture is initiated by a client associated with each user, or by a server hosting content access by or delivered to each user.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein content from each content source may include a tracking tag to cause the client or server to initiate the data capture.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the tracking tag is a BB code, HTML tag or like tracking tag.

25. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, and further including the steps of: capturing raw user activity data in a log file, and transmitting the log file to a central server within the communications network for the performance of step (b).

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the log file is batched or transmitted in real time to the central server.

27. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, and further including the step of: storing the recorded session metrics in a data storage device associated with the central server.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the data storage device includes one or more data tables of session event keys and corresponding predetermined session metrics.