Your website can tell you much more about your business than you think… Whether you’ve never used Google Analytics before, or you’re just getting started, you’ve probably encountered that small feeling of stress, not knowing where to begin. Do you want to use analytics to improve your marketing and overall site? How do you start to make sense of all of the charts and metrics? In this post, we will break it down into an easy guide to learn the basics of web analytics, what metrics to look out for when using digital marketing, and how to get started with Google Analytics.
Defining Web Analytics
Web Analytics is a process that allows you to track and analyze the behavior of visitors to your website. This is done by collecting and reporting data based on how they interact with your site. The ultimate goal is to help you understand user needs so that you can optimize your site and meet business objectives.
Key Metrics to Look Out For
Now that we understand why web analytics are important, how do understand the numbers? What metrics do digital marketers use the most? We can break this down into three main categories:
-Acquisition-related metrics: who your users are, where they are coming from, and how they got to your website, i.e. traffic and channel effectiveness (metrics such as “new vs. returning visitors”, “sessions by device”, “source”, and “campaigns” are helpful for this in Google Analytics).
-Behavior-related metrics: how users interact and engage on your website, including behavior patterns (metrics such as “pages per session”, “bounce rate”, and “average session duration” are helpful for this in Google Analytics).
-Conversion-related metrics: when users make a desired action on your website. This can look like: purchases, signing up for a newsletter, etc (metrics such as “conversion rate” and “revenue” are helpful for this in Google Analytics).
Mastering Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics service that monitors all of the key metrics marketers use, from your website. It’s a free platform that offers a wide variety of tools to help you better understand insights and improve your marketing. Google Analytics offers a five-hour certification course to get you familiar with the program. I just completed the program and learned a lot about how to use it as a powerful tool for your website and business.
The certification is split into four courses:
-Get Started Using Google Analytics: How to create an account and set up the program to collect data from your website.
-Manage GA4 and Learn to Read Reports: How to navigate the program and create and understand reports.
-Dive Deeper into GA4 Data and Reports: How to turn the numbers into real, actionable decisions to grow your business and improve your digital marketing.
-Use GA4 with Other Tools and Data Sources: Using other tools to enhance Google Analytics and your data (Google Ads & BigQuery).
These courses are a super easy and helpful resource for anyone interested in web analytics and want to find a free user-friendly interface to get started.
Furthering my Experience with Web AnalyticsMy Digital Marketing course this quarter has tasked me with gaining hands-on experience with web analytics by finding a nonprofit of choice and getting them signed up for the Google Ad Grant. Google offers a free ad grant of up to $10,000/month for qualifying nonprofits. I am hoping to assist Bellingham Makerspace with this Google Ad Grant. I chose Bellingham Makerspace because I am a huge advocate for affordable ways to express your creativity. I love sewing, painting, crafting, DIY, and having different outlets for my creativity. The privilege of having an affordable space that provides the tools, education, and resources to explore different creative hobbies for all ages is extremely vital to a thriving community. With my recently completed Google Analytics certification, and many more certifications to come, I hope to be able to support them with my knowledge of web analytics this quarter!
It's Not as Scary as It Looks
Web Analytics involves a powerful set of tools for taking your website/business to the next level, no matter where you are in the process. Metrics and numbers can feel intimidating at times, but having quantifiable data to back up business strategies and optimize your site’s user experience is key to successfully growing your conversions. I promise you that Web Analytics isn’t so scary once you dip your toes in the water and utilize all of the resources waiting out there for you.
