Maximising insights and compliance for Chester Zoo’s future
Client Overview
Chester Zoo, founded in 1931, is a leading UK wildlife attraction and a dedicated conservation charity. With over 35,000 animals representing more than 500 species, the Zoo is committed to protecting endangered wildlife and their habitats. Its charitable endeavours focus on global conservation efforts, supporting breeding programmes and habitat restoration projects.
Chester Zoo engages over 2 million visitors each year through educational initiatives that inspire a passion for wildlife and promote environmental stewardship, building a deeper connection between people and nature.
Chester Zoo engages over 2 million visitors each year through educational initiatives that inspire a passion for wildlife and promote environmental stewardship, building a deeper connection between people and nature.
The Challenge
Chester Zoo faced significant obstacles regarding digital analytics and data compliance. The GA4 migration imposed an urgent need for an analytical framework that aligned with their objectives. The zoo struggled with Google Analytics’ limitations and sought ways to enhance its data-driven strategies to meet revenue targets.
Simultaneously, they confronted the challenge of GDPR compliance concerning cookie management. Disparate cookie banners across subdomains caused user frustration and consent fatigue.
Simultaneously, they confronted the challenge of GDPR compliance concerning cookie management. Disparate cookie banners across subdomains caused user frustration and consent fatigue.
“We have been really impressed with the CRO work that CTI have implemented in the last 6 months, in particular the successful A/B tests that have helped us increase our donation and Gift Aid revenue across our online sales.”— Helen Dean Head of Marketing , Chester Zoo
“This work is so valuable to us in better understanding our customers behaviour online, ensuring that we optimise where we can. Lee is a pleasure to work with, always positive, diligent and trying to think one step ahead!”— Helen Dean Head of Marketing , Chester Zoo
The Approach
At Chester Zoo, we recognised that their challenges extended beyond technical aspects, intertwining with their mission of wildlife conservation and public engagement. Our first priority was to ensure that their transition to Google Analytics 4 was transformative, fostering a data-centric culture to support their objectives.
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GA4 migration and training
We delivered tailored training to demystify GA4’s event-based model, empowering the zoo's staff to effectively gather and analyse data to enhance their conservation initiatives.
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GDPR cookie compliance and consent management platform implementation
We streamlined cookie banners across subdomains with a seamless Consent Management Platform, ensuring user trust while simplifying the browsing experience for visitors.
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Data continuity & strategic decision-making
By implementing BigQuery, we safeguarded historical data, enabling Chester Zoo to maintain a comprehensive view of digital performance vital for tracking fundraising campaigns and educational programs.
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Data visualisation
Our integration of Tableau, Power BI, and Looker Studio allowed the zoo to visually narrate their data insights, making information accessible and actionable for both internal teams and external stakeholders.
The Results
By equipping the zoo with advanced analytics, improved compliance measures, and powerful data visualisation tools, we empowered them to make informed decisions that directly impact their efforts in engaging the public and driving conservation initiatives.
Through these focused results, our partnership has enhanced Chester Zoo's analytical capabilities, allowing them to channel their efforts into crucial conservation activities while maintaining confidence in their data management practices.
Through these focused results, our partnership has enhanced Chester Zoo's analytical capabilities, allowing them to channel their efforts into crucial conservation activities while maintaining confidence in their data management practices.
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Enhanced data extraction
The tailored GA4 training enabled the team to navigate the platform's complexities, enabling them to extract nuanced data that informs strategic decisions around visitor engagement and conservation programs. -
Increased user trust
The implementation of the Consent Management Platform ensured robust GDPR compliance, which not only protected user privacy but also built greater trust among visitors, encouraging more positive interactions with the zoo's digital content. -
Safeguarded historical insights
With BigQuery managing their historical data, Chester Zoo gained critical insights into previous campaigns and engagements, empowering them to develop targeted fundraising and educational initiatives that align with their conservation goals. -
Dynamic data visualisation
The integration of Tableau, Power BI, and Looker Studio provided the zoo with visually engaging dashboards tailored to their unique datasets. This allowed staff to present complex conservation data clearly and compellingly to stakeholders, enhancing collaboration and strategic resource allocation.