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Tracking Your Website Performance Using Google AnalyticsDay 1: Getting Started With Google Analytics

The Social Vet

+What We Cover Today

The webinar today will be broken into a few components:

1. Introduction to Google Analytics and FAQ

2. Creating your account

3. Tracking code installation

4. Administrative controls

5. Webmaster Tools & AdWords

6. Reporting at a glance

7. Questions!

+Pt. I: Introduction to Google AnalyticsWhat is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is client-side web analytics tool, which is used to track visitor interaction with your website.

This tool runs off piece of JavaScript that we embed within your website.

All of the data is then collected in one centralized location, where it is then organized into a number of viewable reports.

+Introduction to Google Analytics

A few more bits about Google Analytics:

GA launched in 2006.

A number of changes have come about in the last few years.

Universal Analytics is on the way.

Google also provides some great resources for learning more about GA.

+Frequently Asked Questions about Google Analytics

Some common GA questions

1. How accurate is Google Analytics?

2. Is the privacy of my visitor protected?

3. Cookies? I hear those are bad!

4. Are there any alternatives to Google Analytics?

5. Information overload! What can Google Analytics do for me?

+FAQ #1: How Accurate is Google Analytics?

Simple answer: As good as it gets

Client-side analytics platform.

GA works off cookies, which are accepted by most users.

Unless cookies are cleared, it will remember visitors as unique.

Some limitations, but perfectly suited to the needs of most.

+FAQ #2: Is the Privacy of My Visitor Protected?

Simple answer: Yes, completely.

None of the data collected has any personal information.

Google Analytics, like all Google sites, has a high level of security.

Google does not release any information through GA that might compromise privacy of the visitor.

You can install plug-ins to opt-out.

+FAQ #3: GA Uses Cookies? I Hear I Should Be Weary of ThoseSimple answer: Not at all!

Somewhere along the line, a negative connotation with cookies was (undeservedly) developed.

Cookies can be used for a variety of applications, but there is nothing at all wrong with the way Google Analytics uses them here.

Cookies are a completely normal component of the web.

+FAQ #4: Are There Any Alternatives to Google Analytics?Simple answer: No, not really.

High-cost associated with other products.

Most of the other products exceed the needs and budget of small business owners.

Google Analytics is completely free unless you purchase the enterprise-level service.

+FAQ# 5: Information Overload! What Can GA Do For Me?

What you can learn!

Identify issues within your website.

Find out what pages are the most important to your clients.

Track referrals from third party websites.

See what search queries your visitors are using to locate your website.

Tracking ROI from advertisement campaigns.

+Google Analytics: Taking a Proactive Approach

The end result? Empowerment!

“What works? What doesn’t?”

“Page X needs more traffic!”

“People aren’t filling out our forms online, why is that?”

“I pay X amount each month for 4 web referrals from Yellow Pages? Let’s revisit that.”

+Pt. II: Creating Your Google Analytics Account

To get started, go to www.google.com/analytics, click “Create an Account”

+Creating Your Google Analytics Account

In the top right hand corner, click “Sign Up” *Note that your Google Analytics and Gmail account are not automatically the same.

+Creating Your Google Analytics Account

Create the Google Analytics Account, proceed as directed.

+Creating Your Google Analytics AccountComplete the steps below to create your new GA web property.

+Creating Your Google Analytics Account

That’s it! You are now ready to install the tracking code.

+Pt. III: Installing Your Tracking Code

What you’ll need:

1.) The tracking code, copied from Google Analytics:

*Example:

2.) Access to your website code. If you have a webmaster, they can easily perform this task for you.

3.) If you plan on editing the code yourself, you’ll need an application that can edit code.

Warning! If you aren’t comfortable installing the code yourself, seek help! The last thing you want to do is accidentally “break” your website.

+Installing Your Tracking Code

The tracking code is then added to the code on the desired page, just below the closing </head> tag.

Feeling lost? If you have any questions have any questions about this, please feel free to ask. If you are a Beyond Indigo client, we do this part for you.

+Installing Your Tracking Code

Checking the installation: Google Analytics Home Real Time Overview

+Installing Your Tracking Code

If you don’t see the live tracking working, you can always check in the code. Doing this varies depending on the browser, but Wikihow.com has a great article to help you through this.

www.wikihow.com/View-Source-Code

+Installing Your Tracking Code

About the urchinTracker from the older GA.

Still works just fine.

Easy fix if you want to replace it.

Does have some limitations.

Most websites from the last 3 years don’t have it.

+Pt. IV Basic Administrative Settings The admin panel allows you to control most aspects of your account, including:

Who has access to what information.

Set filters for the data that you see.

Create “funnels” and “goals” for your GA data.

Adjust the name of your property.

Today, we will focus on:

1. Adding users

2. Creating/deleting Profiles

+Basic Administrative Settings To help explain some of the different elements in the admin area, here is a great info-graphic provided by Google.

Source: https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsAccounts

+Basic Administrative Settings To locate your “Admin” area, just enter Google Analytics, and click on the Admin button in the top right corner.

+Basic Administrative Settings Next, click the property name.

+Basic Administrative Settings To set users, you must first select the profile

+Basic Administrative Settings Once in the profile, you’ll be able to see all users, and make changes.

+Basic Administrative Settings Adding a new user is quick and easy!

+Basic Administrative Settings Remember! Users only have access to the profile that you add them to. Administrators have access to all profiles on the account.

+Basic Administrative Settings Next, we’ll look at how to create and manage profiles – click back to the account, before choosing a profile.

+Basic Administrative Settings Once you add the new profile, you should see it listed next to the other

+Basic Administrative Settings Removing profiles is easy, too. Just click on “Profile Settings” and find the “Delete this profile” button.

+Pt. V: Connect To Webmaster ToolsConnecting your GA account to Google Webmaster tools can help to open up a whole new set of analytics data!

+Pt. V: Connect To Google AdWordsIf you have a Google AdWords account, connecting with your GA account is simple. You can find this option on the profile page, under “Data Sources.”

+Pt. VI: Reporting at a GlanceNow that we’ve covered everything you’ll need to know about getting set up on Google Analytics, you are now ready to begin collecting and reviewing your data!

+Questions?

Feel free to ask now! You can do that in the little GoToMeeting Window.

Or contact me later:

Tyler KerxhalliSEO / Google Analytics Manager Beyond Indigo(877) 244-9322 x312tyler@beyondindigo.com

*I would also be happy to email you this slideshow!

+On Deck for Tomorrow!

In the next session, we’ll be looking at:

What are Metrics? What do they mean?

Overview of all of the reports the Google Analytics has to offer.

Tracking referrals from Yellow Pages, Angie’s list, etc.

What reports matter for your business!

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Be sure to join us again tomorrow for Day 2 of The Social Vet: Reports Breakdown & Reviewing Your Data.

Day two will focus on the reports that Google Analytics provides us:• Which reports to watch• In-depth look at available reports• Setting up custom display options• Google Analytics glossary

Thank you!