A Guide to Measuring Document Performance

Companies that invest resources in creating and distributing digital content have a strong interest in ensuring that their electronic documents are performing as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Document performance can most effectively be measured by monitoring reader behavior and engagement. Unfortunately, most companies that distribute electronic content have little idea of how this might be achieved.

How is document performance measured today?

The adage "you can't manage what you don't measure" has become a cornerstone of business today. Increasingly, companies strive to implement practices that will allow them to collect and analyze data on a broad range of important business activities.

In recent years, electronic document distribution has become an important activity for a great many companies. For the most part, though, these companies do not measure the performance of their documents because

  • they do not understand the processes and practices necessary for measuring document performance in detail
  • they distribute their documents in the form of standard PDF files, which are not able to report data on reader behavior and engagement

What processes and practices are necessary for measuring document performance?

The following four steps represent the most effective method for measuring how well electronic documents are achieving their intended goals and objectives:

  • Step 1 – Define broad electronic content goals
    Certain goals are common to most electronic document distribution campaigns. In particular, the majority of campaigns aim to
    • reach a broad, targeted audience as quickly and efficiently as possible
    • engage these readers with relevant and interesting content
  • Step 2 – Define broad document performance goals
    Document performance can be broadly assessed by collecting information on readership patterns and behavior, particularly
    • the size and nature of a document's readership
    • the extent to which the document is engaging this readership
  • Step 3 – Define specific document performance objectives
    A document's particular purposes will dictate which specific aspects of reader behavior should be measured, for example
    • if the purpose of a document is to get product information to as many readers as possible, the key statistic will be total number of unique document opens
    • if key product information is provided on the final page of the document, the company should monitor how many readers reach this page
  • Step 4 – Implement tools for measuring document performance
    The only way a business can effectively measure how its documents are performing is by implementing a software solution that can
    • create enhanced PDF documents, able to report metrics on reader behaviour and engagement
    • analyze these metrics in order to generate actionable performance analytics that empower the company to optimize the performance of its documents

What technology is available for measuring document performance?

Vitrium Systems has designed the docmetrics system to facilitate the collection and analysis of performance metrics for PDF-based content. To learn more about how this web-based system empowers content providers to measure the performance of their electronic documents, simply click on the link below.

Learn More About Docmetrics

Copyright Vitrium Systems, 2008

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