Intro to Google Analytics
Google Analytics is an amazing tool- it can track your website visitors and put out hundreds of reports based on their activity on your site. However, having tons of reports at your fingertips can be extremely overwhelming, so we’ll break it down for you so you can get in and get the data you need as quickly as possible.
This blog post will give a broad overview of tips and tricks to navigate your analytics account and find the information that matters the most for your mission! For a more in-depth walkthrough from our very own Josh Kashorek, check out the latest webinar recording here.
There are three key categories to get your Google Analytics strategy started, so let’s jump in!
Advanced features that you should configure
There are five configurations we recommend that can change the way you view your data. These features are called “advanced features” because they are not automatically configured. Luckily, most of them only take one time to set up! These five features are:
• E-commerce tracking: show you which marketing channels are driving donations
• Conversion tracking: track non-revenue associated goals (i.e. downloads, registrations, etc.)
• UTM parameters: can be added into any campaign; generates a URL that allows you to track where certain data comes from in your campaign
• Custom segments: segment your audience based on characteristics like demographics or behavior
• Ads account: link your ads account to Google Analytics and it will read your conversions for you
Key Reports to keep an eye on
We have identified three key reports for you to focus on without getting overwhelmed with data. At first, they may seem full of jargon, but after taking a look they are pretty easy to read:
• Source/medium report: This allows you to view the results of your campaigns based on your tracking parameters and compare different platforms that you use.
• Attribution model comparison: gives you pre-set models that show you benefits that you may not even be aware of
• Funnel visualization: helps you to improve your conversion rates
Easy-to-spot trends
This section could easily be the most important! Having a Google Analytics account without knowing how to analyze some simple trends could mean that you are missing opportunities for more conversions and donations.
• Look for big changes: If you see a spike in a graph, investigate! There could be a campaign that gives you great success and you may not even be aware of it.
• Look for inconsistency: For instance, if you think that two factors should be correlated, but the data shows an inconsistency, check it out and see what you could be missing.
• Set key performance indicators: Make sure the data points that you pick to track align with your organizational goals. Some examples include cost per acquisition, new users, returning users, or engagement.
Still, feeling overwhelmed? That’s okay! If you had to only choose one trick to start using today, we recommend configuring the E-commerce Tracking tool and getting familiar with the Source/Medium report. These tools will give you the most relevant information if you’re just getting started.
Perhaps you are crunched for time and want our specialists to dive into your analytics for you. Our team would love to have a 30-minute call with you to introduce our Digital Growth Plans. They provide deep insights into the following:
• Google Analytics Audit - Make sure your account is set up for success, and have our experts review the data for key opportunities to grow your digital performance.
• Conversion Rate Optimization Plan - Have us review your forms and donation processes to uncover any issues that might be driving new donors away.
• SEO Site Audit - Discover what technical issues could be keeping your website from succeeding in the Google Search rankings.
• Digital Growth Plan - We bring all the data together into a comprehensive plan that tells you exactly what marketing efforts you need to focus on to reach your goals in 2019.
Give us a call with any other questions! We are here to serve your mission and multiply your impact.