You may be reading a lot about analytics lately, but it can be tricky to understand. Having ample data won’t help if the analytical sources aren’t utilized effectively for improvements and strategy. We’ve got the breakdown of what analytics are and how you should utilize them for your business website to improve user experience and customer conversion too.

What Are Analytics?

In short, analytics are the compilation of data. When it comes to your website, there is what seems like an infinite amount of data to be processed. Everything from how traffic is referred to your site, how a user accesses it (mobile v desktop), which pages they visit, how long they stay on each page, which links are clicked…the list seems to go on forever!

Why Is That Important?

While the amount of information that analytics provides can feel overwhelming, it really is valuable. Why? Because knowing how to interpret the data can provide you with actionable areas to be addressed. Understanding how your site is being used and viewed gives clear direction for how to make changes and improvements.

How Can That Information Be Used?

Analytics can and should be used to develop a marketing strategy as well as improve and change your website. Knowing how, when, where, and more about how visitors interact with your site is invaluable! For example, if 80% of your site visitors are viewing on a mobile device – and your website is not mobile optimized – you could be losing visitors before they even get into the site! If the majority of the traffic to your site is coming from Facebook but not Instagram posts, then putting more emphasis on engagement on one platform may be a smart idea. If a page has a high bounce rate, an evaluation can be done to find out why customers are leaving so quickly.

Hammersmith Support Can Help

If this all sounds a little overwhelming, Hammersmith Support has you covered. Our maintenance packages include enrolling in Google Analytics and our monthly emails to you will offer suggestions for improvements (that we can make!) based on those reports. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation today and let’s talk through your site needs.

According to CNBC, nearly 51% of 3.9 billion Internet users worldwide access websites exclusively from their smart phones. That number is expected to increase to 71% by 2025. Those are some incredible stats! These numbers are based on search engine information alone and don’t account for users who may come to your site via social media. Knowing this information, is your website optimized for mobile viewing?

Google Ranking: Mobile First Infrastructure

In 2016, Google added Mobile First Infrastructure to their 200+ ranking system for SEO. This means that websites that are built with the mobile version of their site first are given a higher ranking. Sites that have any mobile infrastructure are given a higher ranking, but those for smart phone first are the highest.

Types of Business / Clients

Some businesses may be saying “our customers don’t use their smart phones to buy” and for some, that’s true. B2B business is more than likely not being handled on mobile devices. However, B2C business has a much higher probability of being accessed on a smart phone. Not sure how your customers are accessing your site? Enroll your website in Google Analytics and use the Audience report to see how your customers are accessing and engaging with your site.

Testing End User Experience

Lastly, if your site is optimized for mobile view, be sure to test it! Ensuring that every part of your site, from the layout to the overall look, is accessible through the mobile version is critical. In addition, the functionality of a mobile site needs to be quick to load and easy to use – in fact, the majority of smart phone users expect the mobile version of a site to load faster than on a desktop computer, and they will turn to a competitor’s site if unsatisfied with loading times or functionality.

We’re Here to Help

We would love to answer your questions about your business website and talk through any challenges and possible solutions too. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation and let’s talk through your questions.

Google Analytics has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years. Why is that? On top of being easy to navigate and offering great insights into who is visiting your website, this tool offered by Google is FREE. Yes! So what does Google Analytics do for your website and business? We’ve got the breakdown for you:

What Exactly Does Google Analytics Do?

Through JavaScript, Google is able to capture information about who is visiting your site, how they get there, and how long they stay on each page. Which means you’re now able to see not only how many visitors are coming to your page but also if they’re using a phone, tablet or desktop to get there. You can see how long they stay on each page and which pages have the highest bounce rate.

Some of the areas that are tracked and analyzed are:

  • Audience Behavior: new versus returning visitors, frequency of visits, how the audience is engaging with the site
  • Mobile: smart phone versus tablet
  • Acquisitions: campaigns, searches, keywords
  • Realtime: locations and traffic sources can all be tracked as they are happening

Each of these sections is broken down into individual reports, making it easy to see the data from several angles.

Why Is That Important?

You may be thinking “sure that’s nice, but I don’t need all that data.” Even if you don’t use all the data provided, there are certain aspects that you can absolutely use. Say the reporting shows that the majority of users on your site are viewing on their mobile phones. What if your website is not optimized for mobile? You risk users leaving your site because it’s not easy to navigate on mobile. That’s information you can use! Updating your site’s infrastructure so that it is mobile-friendly can reduce your bounce rate and increase the length of time that audience members spend there.

This data can play a huge role in your website content, too. For example, if your site is written to explain how WordPress works, you need to be sure that your wording is directed at your target visitors. Said another way, you wouldn’t explain WordPress to a Millennial the same way you would to a Baby Boomer. Knowing the demographics of who is visiting your site can help you shape your content to ensure it’s being presented in the most effective way possible.

Why Not Use Google Search Console?

Here’s the best part: Google Analytics and Google Search Console work in tandem! Analytics is the breakdown of who is visiting your website, how they get there, and how long they stay. Google Search Console is the analysis of your site and how it’s performing for those visitors. Using both tools simultaneously gives you a comprehensive view of your website from an outside perspective. In addition, both Search Console and Analytics are designed to be used with the suite of other Google apps, including AdWords.