Make informed decisions about your business’s Internet marketing plans
Everyday GOOPers get out of bed and bounce to work because we are passionate about small business Internet marketing. As small business web developers, making your phone ring with smart marketing strategies and proven keyword reporting is what we’re all about. The most important part of any good online marketing plan is having a website that works – one that is highly visible in Google’s search results and is also compelling for the user to take desired action.
When we build a website, part of our research includes keyword research. We are able to compile a list of keywords relating to your business’s products and services which are most commonly searched in Google. Once a website has been read and indexed by Google, we provide our clients with a keyword report demonstrating the position of each keyword in Google’s organic – unpaid – search results list. This report, in conjunction with checking your Google Analytics, will provide the best information to develop a clear marketing strategy for your business.
Google Analytics is a service provided by Google which tracks your website’s audience, traffic, referrals, device usage and much more. Google Analytics is added to GOOP websites as standard practice because we believe the data is a valuable resource for small business owners. The Internet can be a daunting place, but with services like Google Analytics, you can make informed decisions about how to boost the performance of your website.
We’ve compiled tips to help you navigate Google Analytics and use the data to improve the performance of your website.
What are the key things to look at?
We focus on four key things when we look at our own and clients’ Analytics. Not to say data under the other headings isn’t useful, but we find the following four aspects to be the most useful in helping improve the performance of most small business websites: Audience Overview, Mobile Overview, All Traffic and Landing Pages.
Here’s where to find each of the four headings:
Log into Analytics and use the left-hand menu to navigate the following:
- Audience > Overview
- Audience > Mobile > Overview
- Acquisition > All Traffic
- Behaviour > Site Content > Landing Pages
How to use Audience Overview data to improve the performance of your website
The most significant thing to look at in the Audience Overview is your website’s New vs Returning visitors. What you want to see here is a higher percentage of new visitors!
A higher percentage of new visitors is one of the key things that demonstrates your website is working to capture your target audience and drive them to your site. If your website has more returning visitors then you need to take action to boost your website’s visibility in Google in order to capture new visitors. The best way to boost your website’s visibility in Google is to blog on your website using keywords combined with your geographic location!
Blogging on your website boosts the overall performance of your website but plays a key role in capturing new visitors!
How to use Mobile Overview data to improve the performance of your website
Mobile Overview data shows the devices people are using to view your website. You will be able to see the percentage of users viewing from mobile devices, tablet devices and desktop computers.
This data will help you to improve the performance of your website by helping you make informed decisions about future website design options. We recommend looking at the content and design of your website every three to four years to check it is still relevant and working for your business. If your current website is getting a high percentage of views via mobile and tablet devices, i.e. 30 – 40 percent, the traffic might not be converting into enquiries and sales if users can’t comfortably view your business’s product and service offerings, as well as contact details. Check your website’s Mobile Overview data and if you’re getting views via mobile and tablet devices you need to consider responsive website design.
How to use All Traffic data to improve the performance of your website
All Traffic data can be used to improve the performance of your website by gauging which referrals are working for you and which ones aren’t! Your highest traffic referrer should ideally be Google Organic because this means your website is working. When we say “working” we mean the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) components are working so that your website is highly visible in Google’s organic – unpaid – search results.
If Google Organic is not your top traffic referrer then your website is not highly visible in the world’s most popular search engine, as around 95 percent of all Internet users use Google to search for what they want. Looking at this data will help to see where you need to take action, if your visibility in Google has slipped you need to look at the content on your website and make sure you add high-quality monthly blog posts to your website.
How to use Landing Pages data to improve the performance of your website
Did you know when people land on your website they don’t land on the home page? They “come through a side door” – meaning they land on a page that is optimised for Google with quality content and keywords and relates to what they want. So if someone searched “solar inverters Geelong”, Google would throw up a link directly to the solar inverters page on your website because this relates to what the user searched for.
By looking at your website’s Landing Pages you will be able to see which pages are optimised the best and are generating the most traffic for you. You will also be able to see which blog posts are acting as Landing Pages to ensure you are blogging effectively. If people aren’t landing on one of your product/service pages and you would like to boost business in this area, you will be able to add a few strategic blog posts to boost the visibility of your website for this particular product/service.
How to use data to create an Internet marketing strategy
Once you have studied Audience Overview, Mobile Overview, All Traffic and Landing Pages data, you can use it to create an online marketing strategy to close any gaps in the performance of your website. Do you need to generate more leads via your website? Do you need to boost the visibility of your website in Google? Do you need to update the design of your website so it works on mobile and tablet devices? Are your blog posts working as landing pages?
What do you prioritise? Well, we believe your website needs to work FIRST. So if you have a high percentage of mobile/tablet device traffic, updating to a responsive website design should be your priority. If you have a responsive website, the next priority should be blogging! This will boost stats in ALL areas! If you blog effectively your website will generate more leads by being highly visible in Google’s search results, with blog posts acting as landing pages.
We are web developers based in Geelong, providing a suite of small business Internet marketing services, including websites, strategic plans, blogging, eNewsletters and social media. If you’ve had a look at your keyword report and analytics and need help deciphering the information or taking appropriate action, give us a call. We are experts at using Google Analytics data to improve the performance of small business websites.