Google Analytics

The What:

Having Google Analytics installed on your website gives you access to more information than you may have believed possible. Want to know how many people are viewing your site? How far down the page those people are typically scrolling? What they searched to get to your website in the first place? Or what the most popular or time-greedy page on your website is? Just ask Google Analytics!

With the data you receive from Google Analytics, you can create a more pointed and intentional marketing plan that responds to the places of your website that are getting more or less traffic than you’d prefer. This is a much more efficient and cost-effective plan than projecting out and basically guessing at what people’s eyes will tend toward (whether that be colors, images or even turns of phrase.

The Why:

Every single website should have Google Analytics installed, and while there continues to be a slow increase, we still see only 83 percent of the industry utilizing this vital—and free—tool. Without GA, your marketing plan is aimless; wandering and left to chance.

The How:

How to check if you have Google Analytics on your website: There are a number of ways to check this:

• Option one: visit https://analytics.google.com/ and log into your Google account. You’ll see the domains for which you control Google Analytics. If your website was built by a third party, though, they will most likely have access.
• Option two: while on your website, the keyboard shortcut is Command + U (or CTRL +U on PC). For Chrome, navigate to “View” and then click on “Developer” and then “View Source.” While reviewing the code, search for “UA” on the page. If you see something along the lines of “UA-45947023-1” then you’re set. If nothing comes up, you’re probably not tracking website visitors.

How to fix this: Google provides a step-by-step guide here.