Google Analytics can be your best friend if you’re trying to get detailed statistics about your website’s traffic numbers and traffic sources. In fact, it’s the most popular analytics tool online.
The basic service is free, but there is a fee for the premium version. For a majority of users, the basic version should be good enough to get the information you need.
Google Analytics can track traffic from all sources, including social networks and search engines, as well as direct visits and links from other sites. It can also keep track of email marketing, pay-per-click campaigns, and display advertising.
Smart Tips for Using Google Analytics
If you’re already using Google Analytics, you probably log in, look around a little, and then leave with a hazy idea of what is going on with your traffic. In other words, you’re hardly scratching the surface of what’s possible with this robust platform.
There are probably a ton of features that you’re not taking advantage of. Here are some tips that will help you use the platform more effectively.
- Look at long-term trends
Google Analytics will show you results from the last 30 days by default. This is great for looking into what has been working recently.
However, you should extend the graph to show you up to six months’ worth of data to look at bigger trends. You will be able to see which pages are sending the most traffic. You can even go back a year or more if you want.
Long-term data is important for helping you identify any patterns and allow you to make smarter decisions about adjusting your marketing plans going forward.
- Look at how visitors are using your site
In addition to the number of visitors or page views, you also want to see how those people are using your site. What content are they finding the most useful? How long are they staying on the most popular pages? Which pages are the users leaving almost immediately?
Google Analytics can help you answer specific questions along these lines as well; giving you a first-hand view of what you need to do to better serve your existing customers, as well as generate new leads.
When you know what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong, you can optimize your content to fully meet the needs of your target audience. Google Analytics is a great place to start to gather the information you need for a solid online marketing presence.
