You’ve got a beautiful website. You blog regularly and consistently post on social media. You’re doing everything right. Right?
How do you know?
That’s where Google Analytics comes in. Google Analytics provides the data that tells you what’s working and what needs improvement. Having that information means you won’t waste time and money because your marketing efforts will be maximized. It also allows you to test new ideas so you can intelligently revise and refine your content, offers, strategy, etc.
What’s New
In 2013, Google Analytics added or updated a number of features to make it easier for marketers to track their progress. In his article on SocialMediaExaminer.com, Eugen Oprea shared a useful summary on these new and improved tools. Here are the highlights:
• Acquisition and Behavior shows you how successful your marketing channels are at bringing you visitors, and which channels bring you engaged visitors who convert to customers or subscribers. You can use the default settings or customize them so that you can track your channels in ways that are the most useful to you.
• Once those visitors arrive on your site, Analytics ABC makes it easier to track their actions by showing you acquisition, behavior, and conversion statistics side by side.
• Google Analytics has made it easier to track visitor behavior by segment so you can more efficiently reach those segments you are most interested in, as well as target multiple segments, each with content tailored to their interests.
• Demographic data gives you insight into your market. Use this information for A/B testing and then refine your content accordingly.
• Google Tag Manager is a tool to easily manage your tracking codes for things like Facebook or Adwords conversion.
In addition, Cindy King reports that Google Analytics simplifies data collection by letting you see all data “in a single reporting view, regardless of the collection method you use or where the data comes from.”
GIGO
As with all data, the phrase Garbage In - Garbage Out applies here, too. Andy Crestodina, author and founder of Orbit Media, recommends filtering out the traffic from your own IP address to avoid skewing results with your own activity. Learn more about the importance of your Google Analytics setup in Michael Stelzner’s interview with Andy.
Know Your Audience
The more you understand your target market, the easier it is to engage with effective content. Buyer personas – fictional representations of people in your target market who share similar characteristics – are an excellent tool for keeping those people (and what matters to them) in the forefront of everything you do.
Google Analytics provides tools to help you define your buyer persona(s) using keywords to research your website traffic, find similarities among users, refine your data according to social media channels, and get more details about what makes your best customers and prospects tick. Check out Ben Jacobson’s insightful article on the subject.
If you are interested in learning more about Google Analytics and how it can help your business, please give us a call at (720) 229-4165 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule your personalized consultation today!
