We get it – you’re busy, and spending time sorting through thousands of data points about your website isn’t too high on your priority list today.
But chances are your ROI is. You’re investing resources into your marketing efforts, but do you know how they’re performing?
That’s where we come in. Sit down for 10 minutes and look at these 4 key Google Analytics metrics today. Also, while we have you read up on the 4 non-negotiables for an effective digital presence.
Time on Page
Users are moving quicker than ever online. While bounce rate (the percentage of people who visit your site and then leave without visiting any other pages) was previously a primary metric to determine engagement, time on page will be more valuable to you given online current engagement patterns.
With the prevalence of social media and target advertising, it’s no surprise that people would come to the linked page on your site, be it a blog or team page, and then take off. So, bounce rate isn’t the most telling. On the other hand, your time on page will tell you if someone stuck around to read your blog or otherwise consume your content. This is the goal.
Acquisition Sources
Which activities are driving traffic to your site? Review this report to see how people are finding you; this will likely include organic search engine traffic, social media, direct traffic, email marketing, paid advertising, and/or referral traffic.
The idea here is to have a healthy mix of all sources, and not to rely too heavy on variable elements outside of your control. If most of your traffic is coming from social media, you could be in trouble the next time Facebook shakes up the algorithms. If most of your traffic is coming from paid advertising, there is opportunity to improve your organic traffic.
Just like everything in life: balance is key.
Site speed
We mentioned this above: user behavior patterns online have evolved. Your site needs to load quickly if you want your users to stick around and engage with any part of it.
Review the site speed reports, figure out where the issues are, and review Google’s suggestions on how to improve them.
Conversions
This one is a non-negotiable. You’re investing time and money into your marketing efforts – do you know what value they’re delivering to you each week?
Conversions help you measure the actions taken by visitors to your site – email signups, contact form submissions, e-commerce sales, phone calls and more. This allow you to trace those actions back to the original source.
How many widgets did you sell thanks to that promotional email? How many people downloaded the new case study that you shared on social media? How many new leads were generated from your digital advertising campaigns?
While Google Analytics can be overwhelming if you’re not a digital expert, starting with these 4 quick metrics will give you a snapshot of what your marketing is doing for you, and where you can improve.
Need some help? Connect with our Digital Team: digital@834design.com.
