Every website should have some type of analytics tracking installed because without it – you are a ship sailing the seas with no compass.
Analytics help us determine what’s working the best on a site, so we can do more of it. Analytics also help us determine what’s not working as well as it should on a site, so we can make adjustments (big or small) to seek better results.
There are basic items every business owner should keep in mind when reviewing his or her Google Analytics data.
Data, like bounce rate, pages visited, average time on site, etc., serves a clear purpose and helps paint a vivid picture of what’s working and what’s not.
However, as you dive a little deeper into Google Analytics to look for unique opportunities to grow your business by increasing the effectiveness of your website, be sure to keep these 3 hidden gems at the top of your mind.
1. Channels: (under Acquisition)
This data lets you see exactly where your traffic is coming from. Are you getting more traffic from Organic Search or Social, or maybe email is sending you the most traffic.
Inside Channels you can also see the exact data per traffic source. So, from here you can study, for example, which has a higher bounce rate and average session duration, Organic Search or Social.
You don’t only want to look for where your traffic is coming from; you want to look at how each source of traffic is performing. There’s no point in sending traffic via Social Media, if, for whatever reason, most people from Social Media leave your site right away. You get the idea.
2. All Pages: (under Behavior)
Here you can view how each page on your website is performing. Which pages on your website get the most visits? Which pages keep people’s attention the longest, etc.?
It’s very helpful to know how your site is performing as a whole, but it’s also just as important to understand how each piece of the puzzle affects the other.
3. Mobile: (under Audience)
It’s no secret that more and more people use their smartphones and tablets for day-to-day Internet activity. Is your site mobile friendly; does it render properly across all platforms?
Inside Mobile via Google Analytics, you are able to see what percentage of your traffic comes from desktop versus mobile versus tablet.
If you are only getting 5% of your total traffic from mobile, maybe it’s not time to invest into a new, responsive website. Or, if you are seeing 30-40% of your traffic coming from mobile, now would be the perfect time to invest in a responsive website.
Make sure the technology you utilize caters to those using it, when and how they’re using it.
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These are just a few items inside Google Analytics that business owners can review/study to ensure they’re giving their website as solid of a chance for success as possible.
If you have any questions about your website, how to make it better, etc., send me an email and we will be in touch soon: [email protected].