Google Analytics - Seeing the Big Picture

by Scott Jemison
DesignedbyCarla

There is a wealth of information available through Google Analytics. It can provide you with a number of insights into the traffic coming to your website; such as, what your visitors are searching for and which pages hold their attention and which don't.

In previous posts we have examined a number of different aspects of web metrics and internet marketing strategy. We have touched on traffic sources and informative web metrics.

The world of internet marketing can seem daunting and confusing. And, unfortunately, there is as yet no definitive guidebook to navigating SEO. Rather, there is an almost daily debate among professionals as to what is working and what isn't.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with your internet marketing strategy and the information provided by Google Analytics is to put it in perspective for your particular business.

For instance, don't be discouraged if you are a service provider and your website sees high traffic but your bounce rate is high. If you have placed your contact information prominently on the site and are receiving calls then the website is performing well.

Likewise, if you have good time on site numbers and low bounce and exit rates but your traffic is slim, this indicates a great opportunity for growth. You should look at PPC and SEO for strategies to increase traffic.

As I said in the first article, "Google Analytics - What Do They Mean to YOU?", Google Analytics can provide a very comprehensive picture of your web traffic. The important thing is to look at those numbers in context of each page and its purpose.

You might surprise yourself.

Google Analytics – What Do They Mean To You?

by Scott Jemison
Designedbycarla

The first article in an ongoing series on Web Metrics

Google Analytics is an excellent source of information about your website traffic. Whether your just curious about the sources of your web traffic or a web professional seeking insight into the success or failure of online projects, the information provided by Google Analytics can create a comprehensive picture of your site’s online activity.

But, with so much information at your fingertips it can be overwhelming. As a website owner or operator what information is relevant to you? What is all that data telling you about your sales, traffic, and opportunity?

Analytics breaks it all down to three main categories: Visitors, Traffic Sources, and Content. All three are equally important but each reveals something different about your website.

The Visitors section provides an in depth review of visits, pageviews, time on site, bounce rate, and much more. This can reveal when the majority of your site visits occur down to the day or hour, how long visitors spend on your site, and how many pages visitors view on your site.

By reviewing data on Traffic Sources you can discover how visitors are finding your site. Are you receiving the majority of your traffic from search engines? Which ones? What keywords are bringing visitors to your site and are they the best choices for your business?

Information in the Content section can provide invaluable insight into what is and what isn’t working for you. Which pages are most viewed? Which pages have the highest abandonment rate and why might that be?

The first step to understanding the wealth of information offered by Google Analytics is to clearly define your goals. Once you have identified your goals you can determine which information would best help you to accomplish them.

The next article will examine differing web strategies and how to implement Google Analytics for your success!