With Google Analytics services, digital marketers and business owners can track website traffic and user engagement. However, when learning Google Analytics for the first time, there are a few key points to keep in mind. This blog post will outline 5 of those key points, so that you can get the most out of your Google Analytics experience. Stay tuned to learn more!
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- Understand the different types of data that Google Analytics can collect
There are 4 main types of data that Google Analytics can collect: website usage data, user data, traffic data, and conversion data. Website usage data includes information about what pages on your website are being visited, how long users are spending on each page, and what type of device they are using to access your site. According to Google Analytics Services Orlando, user data includes information about where your users are located, their age and gender, and their interests. Traffic data includes information about how users are arriving at your website (e.g., through a search engine or social media platform) and which referring websites they came from. Conversion data includes information about which users completed a desired action on your website (e.g., made a purchase or signed up for a newsletter).
- Set up goals to track conversions
In order to track conversions, you need to set up goals in Google Analytics. A goal is simply a desired action that you want your users to take on your website. For example, if you want to track how many users make a purchase on your website, you would set up a goal for “purchase”. SEO Dallas shared that once you have created a goal, you can then view reports in Google Analytics that show you how many users completed that goal, as well as what steps they took leading up to the goal completion. This information can be very valuable in understanding which marketing efforts are resulting in conversions and which ones are not.
- Use filters to segment your data
One of the most powerful features of Google Analytics is the ability to segment your data. Arlington Digital Marketing Agency explained that this means that you can view reports for specific groups of users, based on criteria that you define. For example, you could create a segment for all users who arrived at your website from a particular referring website. Or, you could create a segment for all users who made a purchase on your website using a mobile device. Segmenting your data can be very helpful in understanding how different groups of users interact with your website and what conversion path they take.
- Create custom reports
Another great feature of Google Analytics is the ability to create custom reports. This allows you to focus on the data that is most important to you and your business. For example, you could create a report that shows you the number of pageviews and average time on page for each of your website’s pages. Digital Marketing Services Company Minnesota added that you could create a report that shows you the conversion rate for each of your website’s goals. Custom reports can be very helpful in understanding which areas of your website are performing well and which ones need improvement.
- Use Google Analytics Intelligence
Google Analytics Intelligence is a feature that allows you to receive automatic alerts when there are significant changes in your website’s traffic or engagement levels. For example, if you suddenly start receiving a lot of traffic from a new referring website, or if there is a significant drop in the average time spent on your website, you will be alerted so that you can investigate the cause. Google Analytics Intelligence can be very helpful in quickly identifying changes in your website’s performance so that you can take action accordingly.
These are just a few of the key points to keep in mind when learning Google Analytics. By keeping these points in mind, you will be well on your way to becoming a power user of this powerful tool.