blogher '12: avoid analytics overload: google analytics tips
Post on 07-Nov-2014
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Avoid Analytics Overload
Keidra Chaney@kdc
www.thelearnedfangirl.comwww.keidrachaney.com
keidra@gmail.com
Andrew Wilder@blogtutor
blogtutor.comeatingrules.com
andrew@blogtutor.com
Web Analytics: Why You Should Care
• Evaluate the effectiveness of social media, e-mail newsletters and other marketing efforts on your blog
• Find out what people like and don't like about your content
• Get into the heads of your visitors as they visit your blog
• Improve your blog's design and content for your audience
Getting Set Up in Google Analytics
Create an account at www.google.com/analytics
Click On "Admin"
Then ClickNew Account
Fill in your info...
Get YourTracking Code
Your Site's Unique Tracking ID
The Tracking Code
Installing The Tracking Code on WordPress (self-hosted)
OPTION 1: Some WordPress themes have a place for you to enter your Tracking ID (looks like UA-555121-2) or a place to paste the entire tracking code.
The code should be in the <head>section of your site
OPTION 2: Use a WordPress plugin, like Google Analytics by Joost de Valkhttp://bit.ly/ga-yoast
OPTION 3: Paste the code into your theme's header.php file, just before the </head> tag.
Installing The Tracking Code on Blogger
Just EnterYourTracking ID
Filter out your own visits to your site
Admin > Account > Filters > New Filter
Set up a filter for to exclude the IP Address of every location you regularly use to visit your site.
Get your current address:www.checkmyip.com
Your IP Addresses may change from time to time, so it's important to check this every once in awhile.
You may also need to filter out your own server’s IP address!
It's good to have backup stats - As a second opinion or if there's a GA hiccup.
WordPress.com Stats
Free part of the Jetpack plugin,Integrates into WP Dashboardbit.ly/jetpackplugin
Get Clicky
GetClicky.comFree up to 3,000 page views/day
WordPress Plugin: bit.ly/clickyplugin
Stats won't be equal. A 1% to 3% difference is normal.
Pageviews:Every time a visitor views a web page on a site
Unique Visitors:The number of individuals who have been to your site during the date range
Average Number of Pages Viewedper Visit(2-3 is typical)
Bounce Rate:Percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page
Visitors Overview: The Basic Stats
Date Range, Defaults to last 30 days
The Info On the Graph
Each DotOn the Graph
Visits:Someone comes to your blog, views 1+ pages, then leaves
If you click on
these graphs, it
will take you to
more info about
those stats
Avoiding Data Overload
Identify key metrics that tell you how your site is performing -- and that agencies/advertisers ask for.
For blogs, here's a good start:
• Unique Visitors and Pageviews
• Top Referring Websites
• Top Keywords and Phrases from search engines
• Site Content Popularity
• Traffic from Mobile Devices
Top Referring Websites
Top Keywords and Phrases from search engines
Site Content Popularity: All Pages
Site Content: Landing Pages & Traffic Sources
Mobile Traffic
New vs. Returning Visitors
Do new visitors leave your site quickly? Or are they engaged and looking around more? While in launch mode, focus on new visitors as a metric. When looking at content engagement and effectiveness, focus on returning visitors.
Visitor Behavior: Averages Lie!
Frequency - Count of Visits – Number of times the same person comes backRecency - Days Since Last Visit – How long it’s been since they've been to your siteVisit Duration - How long they stay on your site in a single visitPage Depth - Number of pages they view in a single visit
Avoiding Data Overload
Create a dashboard in an Excel spreadsheet so you can easily track weekly/monthly/ yearly
trends:
Excel Plug-ins Automatically Draw from your GA Account:
gaexcelplugin.tatvic.comexcellentanalytics.com
The Annotations Tool
Click this!
URL Campaign Builder
Best practices for tagging social ande-mail links: goo.gl/CNKFu
Promoting your blog on Facebook, Twitter or e-mail? Use URL
Builder to tag e-mails and social links and track visitor
information from those links. It'll show up in referring traffic
under “campaigns.”
bit.ly/gacampaignbuilder
Additional Tools
Google & Bing Webmaster Toolswebmaster.google.com & webmaster.bing.com
Crazy Eggwww.crazyegg.com
Google Analytics Resources
Google Analytics Education (Videos and more):goo.gl/mGpDG
Google Analytics Support:goo.gl/dKOkS
Google Analytics Blog:goo.gl/fQDWC
Google Analytics Reporting Tools (Excel Plugins and more):
goo.gl/zzA66
Google Analytics URL Builder:goo.gl/MB6zX
Avoid Analytics Overload
Keidra Chaney@kdc
www.thelearnedfangirl.comwww.keidrachaney.com
keidra@gmail.com
Andrew Wilder@blogtutor
blogtutor.comeatingrules.com
andrew@blogtutor.com
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