Google’s analytics tool for measuring how visitors interact with your web site (aptly named Google Analytics) provides an incredible value to the online marketer. If you’re giving Google Analytics a spin for the first time, or you’ve installed it a half-dozen times before, here’s a few tips to get the most out of what Google has to offer your marketing efforts
Use the latest tracking code
Google currently provides two tracking codes to chose from when you implement Google Analytics onto your web site. The stated reasons for migrating to a new tracking code seem to surround technical improvements. Whatever the reason for the change, Google cautions that Analytics will stop honoring the legacy code in less than a year. For that reason alone: go with the new tracking code
Google Analytics Support: New Google Analytics Tracking Code
Setup Goal Conversions
Just about ever web site has some sort of desired user task completion (or goal). Google Analytics provides valuable tracking of user completion and attrition of goals as you define them. Goals can range from the (very) common, such as the viewing of a receipt or “thank you” page, to the tracking of file downloads, gameplays, or even the amount of time spent on a given page.
Common goals usually rely on a unique web page being viewed, and may or may not have a specific starting point. These types of goals can be setup very quickly. Conversions which rely on interaction beyond a specific web page being viewed can be setup, they just require spending a bit more time with Google’s help files and forums.Get it setup, and take advantage of all the reports for which Google provides the added dimension of how the data in various reports intersects with the completion of key site activities.
Conversion Goals and Funnel setup takes place by clicking the “Edit” link in the “Settings” column for the site you’re setting up from the Analytics Settings page.
Google Analytics Support: Setting up Goals
If you sell products on your site, configure e-commerce transactions
Goal conversion tracking provides a valuable perspective into the effectiveness of your web site and online marketing activities. If you have an e-commerce site, you can go one step further and associate the specific dollar value of online purchases with site usage right inside of Google Analytics.Google Analytics Support: Tracking E-commerce Transactions
Configure Site Search
A lesser-utilized feature of Google Analytics is its ability to track what visitors search on utilizing your site’s own search feature. Configuring this feature not only provides insight into what people search for on your site, it also helps you understand how they use (or discontinue the use of) your site after performing an on-site search.Google Analytics Support: Setting up Site Search
Exclude internal traffic
Anything you can do to improve the quality of the data you capture enhances what your reports can provide you in return. Excluding internal traffic from your reports altogether is a step in the right direction, and an easy step at that.
Google Analytics Support: Excluding Internal Traffic from your Reports
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Tip 6: Track outbound links! http://www.googlelytics.net/tracking-clicks-to-outbound-links-with-latest-ga-script/
I was actually wondering if Google Analytics had this capability for a specific client. Thanks for the tip!