Google Analytics: a free web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports on web traffic with the intention of helping business owners gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ interests, search behaviours, and trends.
While widely used, it’s likely that, if you are using Google Analytics, you are not getting the most out of what it has to offer. It’s very simple to add, but the real value is in all of the extra it can do for you when configured correctly.
Bookmark this blog today for an easy reference next time you’re delving into your analytics.
#1: Ensure That Your Google Analytics Account is Configured Correctly
New to Google Analytics? Then you’ll want to ensure that your account is configured correctly i to provide accurate metrics.
Use the following actions as a checklist for your account set-up process:
- Set up Event tracking
- Set up Campaign tracking
- Set up Analytics for E-commerce
- Set up Demographics and Interests reports
- Set up Site-Search tracking
- Set up Keywords tracking
- Set up Content Experiments
- Set up Multi-Channel Funnels
- Set up Attribution Models
Last but not least are the optional steps: linking your AdWords or AdSense account to Google Analytics, both of which are accompanying apps created by Google to better your keyword planning and advertising capabilities.
#2: Set Your Intention and Goals
Reports become more meaningful when compared to long-term and short-term S.M.A.R.T goals (goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.)
Before utilizing your Google Analytics account, set your intention and accompanying goals. Is your goal to see which page speeds could be improved? Up the amount of products sold on your online store? Lengthen the amount of time spent on individual pages? By setting a singular intention and at least one accompanying short-term and long-term goal, you set yourself up for better success by making each report a milestone of how successful (or in need of improvement) your current website efforts are.
Pro-tip: Time2GetOnline recommends to review reports on a monthly or bi-weekly basis to ensure that the data you are collecting is consistent and timely. The more people visitng your site, the more frequently we should look at the dataIn addition, comparing current reports to previous reports helps to effectively determine which Key Performance Indicators are in need or attention (and which areas of performance have been improving.)
#3: Design Custom Dashboards and Reports
Not every metric will be usable to you depending on the intention and goals you have set for yourself and your site.
That’s why Google Analytics permits users to design custom dashboards in order for them to quickly and effectively access their preferred metrics.
To narrow down the type of KPIs you are looking to measure, Google Analytics offers a free-to-use Solutions Gallery that is filled with dashboard and report templates that have been submitted by users. It is recommended to keep custom dashboards to 10 KPIs or lower in order to more effectively track and measure results over a period of time.
#4: Utilize Custom Visitor Segments
Defined as the act of dividing website visitors, email marketing recipients, and digital ad viewers into segments based on their behaviour, demographics, or search trends, custom visitor segments work to narrow down specific data and more accurately measure the effectiveness of specific campaigns.
To set up and delve into custom visitor segments, head to the Google Analytics Segment-Builder User Interface. From there, you will be guided through adding new segments or modifying existing segments depending on your desired data scope, conditions, and filters.
#5: Leverage Multi-Channel Funnels
If you are not already leveraging multi-channel funnels in Google Analytics, you are leaving money on the table: geared towards determining what role prior website visits, keyword searches, and previously-run ads played in current conversions, multi-channel funnels create hyper-detailed reports surrounding how prior referrals and searches are impacting existing sales and website visitation.
To do this, multi-channel funnels report on “conversion paths”, which follow specific users throughout their journey between first interacting with your site and completing their final purchase. This narrows down how much time an average website visitor takes to convert to a customer and can aid in setting and meeting surrounding goals.
Bookmark this page for an overview of how to access and read multi-channel funnel reports.
Which of These 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Google Analytics Will You Be Implementing Next?
If you are looking for professional assistance setting up your Google Analytics account in order to reap its maximum results, reach out today: the Time2GetOnline team is here to help.