How Do I Use Google Analytics, Best Practices

By Srikaanth P.A. Our Bestseller: WordPress Themes

As a reader of this blog, chances are that you have logged in to Google Analytics and have no clue on how to use it; After all, you want to know about the visitors to your site. For example, how they use your site or what’s the bounce rate, etc. But, the data given by Google Analytics might look too complicated for a beginner. I too faced the same situation when I started.

Therefore, I have listed the 10 best tips to use GA, so you get an idea of what’s happening on your site and where you are headed in the Internet race. Internet marketingbecomes a whole lot easier if you use google analytics to the maximum extent.

Google Analytics is the leader in small business websites. Almost 90% of SMEs use Analytics. Yet most do not take advantage of the information that can be interpreted and obtained.

Generally, out of every 10 companies there is only one who is not using Google Analytics. Of the nine others however, there are only two who understand how it works. The biggest problems are simply a lack of knowledge, skills or resources. Because I am a big fan of taking small steps to achieve big changes, I tell here my 10 tips that any business can apply to use analytics effectively.

Google Analytic Best Practices 1. Set goals

What does a visitor do when he or she comes to your website? Buy something? Subscribe to your newsletter or Download files? Set goals of desirable activity to happen with your blog or website.

Only by setting your goals you really give meaning to Analytics. You will be able to report how many visitors your site attracted. For example, you can calculate not only how many have signed up for your newsletter, but also how they ended up on your website. Without goals, Analytics is worthless. It’s that simple.

2. Create your own dashboard together

Many Analytics users find the amount of information overwhelming and that is true. But sometimes, some data shown are irrelevant. Take advantage of the opportunity to present only interesting numbers that are enough for your business.

For example, create a marketing dashboard that contains a list of where your visitors come from, the keywords they used and a list of referring websites. Such a panel may also contain information about the most popular content, some basic information about the visitors like their age and location, and a summary of your goals.

3. Measure how you are found

We all have our loyal customers who regularly visit our site and purchase things. But have to look for new customers to expand your business. How do you reach them?

Most will have you found through a search engine. But have you ever thought about what search phrases they use? You can setup a report that displays all the search phrases used.

4. Exclude your own site activity

This is simple enough to understand: With Analytics, you just need to measure activity of your visitors, not the time they spend visiting your own site. Use Analytics so that you exclude your own visits.

5. Video Event Tracking

The sharing of video content is increasing worldwide especially via the social media. If you decide make a strategic use of a video, you want to find out how many visitors have watched the video and the interactions that took place. Analytics measures it via Video Event Tracking. It tracks not only the time spent on the videos, but can even record activities such as clicking the play or pause button.

This is for many companies undoubtedly worth. It is not a technically radical thing to set this, in itself, but unfortunately also not so easy that you could totally without the help of an expert.

6. Site Search Tracking

Once a visitor is on your site, chances are that he or she uses the search options on your site. Analytics by Site Search Tracking monitors the queries used. Make sure you know what your visitors are looking for, but also what activity is taking place after typing a query.

By measuring the number of pages visited and the duration of the visit, you know whether you are on track to achieve your targets. So, setup Site Search Tracking therefore as soon as possible.

7. Torque social media

Analytics is getting better in tracking activities on social media. Make sure that your analytics account is set up to include Twitter, Facebook and YouTube activity. So not only will the social media mapped to your site will be tracked,but you can also measure how effective certain activities like ‘Likes’ are. In other words, conversations on Facebook about a particular offer on your site or is it a re-tweet of your link.

8. Follow specific campaigns

Your digital marketing campaign involves a lot of natural elements: email marketing, placing banners, social media updates, and so on. Want to know what activity has been valuable and what worthless? If you post an update on LinkedIn or Facebook, use a specific campaign URL. Analytics helps then to understand what type of users use your links the best.

9. Following related sites

Many companies distribute their content across multiple domains: First, your own website, then the remote sites where your products and services are offered and then for example, the external blog that you write weekly. It would be a shame if you do not bet Analytics to monitor traffic. Along those domains again, you have indeed help of a web developer needed, but the costs involved can certainly take this off. Moreover, you had already hired him for Video Event Tracking. Getting the necessary help of the owners of the sites in question will yield little to no problems in practice.

10. HTTP Latency

Web site speed plays a very important role in pushing your site up the search engine results page.

Search engines do so because visitors become frustrated and leave your site if its loading time is too much. We all live in a busy world where time is money.

Some pages in your site which have images and videos may take a longer time to load. You have to optimize them by reducing the image size and other unwanted plugins.

11. Track Mobile Visitors

As you might know, nowadays people browse using their mobile devices. Use Analytics to determine what devices your visitors are using. This can be especially important if you run a technology website where you can post frequently about the devices your visitors are using so that they are even more benefited in visiting your site.

Final Thoughts

This list is quite brief for best Google Analytics Best Practices. There are still a lot more to discuss about like tracking Real Time Traffic data.

Mastering analytics takes some time and skill. So, do your best to learn them in order to reap all the benefits to make your site more awesome than ever before.

About Srikaanth P.A.
contributor

Srikaanth P.A is a Computer Science and Engineering student from Bangalore. He is a programmer, Open Source software enthusiast, tech blogger, SEO analyst, and Photoshop expert.

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