How to Effectively Track your Small Business Website Data
When you're running your own small business, it is very easy to simply forego tracking any data associated with your website. This is a mistake. Having data not only about your own site but competitive intelligence about your competitors is vital if you wish to spot opportunities to profit.
But how do you implement tracking on your sites without having a degree in all things technical? What sort of software do you need and how do you work it? Today we're going to have a look at how to get answers to these questions, and get started collecting data on your site and business.
Tools to begin collecting and analyzing data
There are many tools available for tracking and collecting website data, but for those just starting the best option is unquestionably Google Analytics.
GA is a free tool (though there is a premium version that you likely won't need) that gives you a bird's eye view of how your visitors are interacting with and otherwise using your pages. The many components of this magnificent tool allows you to more effectively fine-tune your marketing initiatives, advertising campaigns and search engine success.
What sort of website data do you need to track?
There is probably more data here than you will ever use, but some of the more important pieces of information you need to know are the following:
- Where's your traffic coming from? – One of the most important stats to look at is where your traffic is coming from? You'll be surprised at the source of some of it, and this data helps marketing your business.
- What pages are converting? – This data is a must have, as it directly affects your bottom line. See what's working and what isn't easily.
- Keyword data – See which keywords people are entering to find your pages, and this can lead to better optimization and results.
- Which pages are performing best? – Off the top of your head do you know which of your pages are doing the best? The answers may surprise you, and help you make a profitable shift in your marketing.
- How long do people stay on a page – This data is critical to helping you rank your pages in Google's search results.
If you haven't yet begun to track your website data, it's time you did so. Begin making more informed marketing decisions today!
