Using Google Analytics to Measure Website Engagement

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sepblog/3542294246/

Who we are

Hall Internet MarketingPortland, MaineIn business over 12 years@hall_web

Amanda O’BrienVP of Marketing@amanda_pants

What we will talk about• What is Google Analytics• How to add it to your website• Important features to check regularly• Cool extra features

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlottesphotogallery/5784901344/

What is Google Analytics?• Free tool• Tons of information

– Don’t drown in the details– Make note of trends

• Tells you who came, when and what they did• 24 hour increments• No back dated data

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simiezzz/647478939/

Why you need it• Track how people got there• Determine what is working and what is not• Knowledge is power• Refine your efforts

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996594214@N01/51722696/

Getting started• Sign up = google.com/analytics/• Generate your unique code

– Javascript snippet– Ads and javascript blocked? Won’t get the data.

• Add to your website before </body> tag• Only have to add once• Does not affect the look of your website

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakeandlindsay/5524669257/

What you can measure

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/torikoch/4653745463/

Visitors• Visits• Unique visitors• Pageviews/Average Pageviews• Time on site• Bounce rate• New Visits• Browsers

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoort/134730464/

Traffic Sources• Direct Traffic• Referring sites• Search Engines• Keywords• Getting more balanced pie

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/zouny/4348302981//

Content• Top content• Top landing pages• Top exit pages

Goals and ecommerce • Add value to your visits• Set up Goal and Goal funnel• Set up ecommerce tracking

Important things to track• Inbound sources• Top content• Keyword searches• New visitors

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/h_is_for_home/3707580179/

Adjusting the time line • Adjusting times• Comparing times

– YoY– Quarter– Month

Email reports Make the reports that matter come to you, or your staff

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/9009139@N08/2959912279/

Remove your IP• “Filter Managers”• Add a Filter and name it• Select “traffic from ip addresses”• Add the website

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/flowector/3452703868/

GA Advanced - Custom Reporting

See a report with practicallyany metric compared to practically any dimension

New Version

Mobile devices

New Version - Multi channel

Recap• Knowing what is going on with your site empowers you• Find out what is working and what is not• Measure the data points that are most important to you• Make assumptions by analyzing trends• Fix breaks or wholes in your site

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashevillein/4233288271/

Want to know more?• Recorded: 6 Advanced Features in Google Analytics You Should Know• Blog: SEO and Analytics• Google Analytics Blog• SEO moz• Analytics training• Email: amanda@hallme.com• Twitter: @hall_web and @amanda_pants• More upcoming webinars:

– Tips to Keep Your Content Fresh– Writing for SEO