Since its original release in November 2005, Google Analytics has established itself as the most popular web analytics tool that can be used online. This shouldn’t startle given the impressive breadth of information that it can provide, but it may pleasantly surprise you that, despite its rich functionality, Google Analytics remains free to use. Here are tips for using it particularly effectively.
Look closely at visitor numbers
Of course, it’s convenient to know exactly how many visitors your website is attracting. However, Google Analytics can reveal much more than this – including which of those people are making a first-time visit and which of them are instead returning.
You can take comfort if the number of return visitors seems relatively high, as this could be a strong sign that the site’s content is genuinely interesting, implies Business 2 Community. Therefore, many people could be eager to keep seeing if there is “more where that came from”.
It’s not just telephone lines that can be engaged
Google Analytics also lets you see how engaged visitors are by certain parts of your site. Admittedly, the tool can only pick up on engagement should a visitor click through between pages of your site. However, we are still looking at a vital measurement here.
This is because it can assist you in discerning which of the site’s content is most keeping visitors’ attention. You can then provide more of the good stuff and tweak whatever seems lacking.
Is there a missing link… or maybe even several?
A visitor will, of course, leave your site at some point – but how many of the site’s pages will the average visitor click on before departing? Google Analytics will tell you this – and, should the number be disappointingly low, there are ways that you can address that.
Those ways include improving pages by adding more call-to-action buttons or links to other pages. Certain pages could also include, at the bottom, links to related or recently-added posts.
What your site shouldn’t have in common with an inflatable castle
Usually, it would be desirable for your site’s bounce rate to be low, as it concerns how commonly someone visits your site only to leave it without looking around it. An unappealingly designed homepage or lack of recent content can be culprits for a high bounce rate.
However, while making your homepage fresher and more visually attractive can help rectify that problem, a Forbes article notes that a popular infographic could send a bounce rate soaring. This isn’t strictly undesirable, so remember to consider your bounce rate in a broad context.
Consider a complete picture
If Google Analytics seems to be painting a somewhat problematic picture of your site’s success, you might benefit from seeking help of digital marketing experts.