3 Google Analytics Insights and Why They Matter to Your Business
Have you installed Google Analytics on your site? You know, that amazing free tool that shows you exactly who’s visiting your site, where they’re coming from and what they’re doing once they’re there?Having all this data is awesome, but it can be a little overwhelming, too. You could spend hours (days, even) combing through the different data points that Google Analytics tells you about your web visitors.So let's narrow it down a bit for you by talking about how to use Google Analytics to get real insight into your business that can truly help you.
1. Where in the world are your customers or prospects?
Did you know you can use Google Analytics to see where in the world your web visitors are located?Just head to Audience > Demographics > Location in Reporting and you’ll get a visual map breakdown (as well as the more traditional charted data) of where your visitors live. You can see what continents, countries or even metropolitan areas are most popular for your site.Why would this matter for your business?Here are just some of the ways you might use this insight:
- Determine if your company really needs an international shipping option
- Target your advertising by location
- See if it's time to boost your local SEO efforts
- Attract advertisers by showcasing your geo-specific traffic in your media kit
- Discover areas that are ripe for growth
2. Do you need a mobile site?
Maybe. But first see exactly what devices your visitors are using to view your website by checking out Audience > Mobile > Overview in Reporting to see the mobile numbers for your site.Why should you care about this metric for your business?There’s a lot of talk about how everything is going mobile and how you need to invest big money in a mobile-friendly site.Now, that might be true and it might be something for you to consider the next time you’re redesigning your site. But does it need to be a concern now? Check out your mobile stats and find out.What percentage of your total traffic is viewing your site on a mobile device? If it's only 10%, it's probably not a major concern. If it's 60%, it might be time to think more about your mobile experience.
3. What pages are most popular?
Want to see what content on your site is getting the most views? Go to Content > Site Content > All Pages in Reporting to see the stats for your site.Why does this matter for your business?You can use this data to fuel your content idea bin. Ever have trouble coming up with blog posts? Try writing more of what’s already popular with your readers. Or maybe stop writing what’s not so popular.And, if you could take this data to the next level by setting up goals in Google Analytics and evaluate which content is converting your site visitors to subscribers or customers.
Which of these Google Analytics insights is most helpful for your business? Let me know in the comments!
About the author:Liz Lockard is a Google Analytics geek who loves helping small businesses uncover real marketing insights from their data and drive more of the right kind of traffic to their websites. Get free training and the insider’s scoop on her Google Analytics course here.