How can you use analytics to track your digital photography portfolio's performance?

1 Choose an analytics tool

The first step to track your portfolio's performance is to choose an analytics tool that suits your needs and budget. There are many options available, from free and popular ones like Google Analytics and Matomo, to paid and specialized ones like Adobe Analytics and Kissmetrics. Depending on the tool you choose, you will need to install a code snippet or a plugin on your portfolio website to enable data collection and reporting.

2 Set up your tracking parameters

The next step is to set up your tracking parameters, which are the specific metrics and dimensions that you want to measure and analyze. Commonly, digital photography portfolios focus on pageviews, sessions, users, bounce rate, average session duration, sources (like search engines, social media, or referrals), devices (desktop, mobile, or tablet) and behavior flow (which includes the pages visited, actions taken and exit points left from). All of these parameters help to inform and reassure stakeholders while providing valuable insights for improving your portfolio.

3 Define your conversion goals

The third step is to define your conversion goals, which are the specific actions or outcomes that you want your users to take or achieve on your portfolio. This could include contacting you via email, phone, or form; subscribing to your newsletter or blog; downloading your resume or portfolio PDF; sharing your portfolio on social media; or buying your prints or services. You can set up these conversion goals in your analytics tool and assign them a value, such as the revenue generated or the cost saved by each conversion. This will help you calculate your return on investment (ROI) and optimize your portfolio accordingly.

4 Monitor and analyze your data

The fourth step is to monitor and analyze your data regularly and systematically. Utilizing your analytics tool, you can create dashboards, reports, and alerts that track how your portfolio is performing in accordance with your tracking parameters and conversion goals. Filters, segments, and comparisons can also be used to gain an in-depth understanding of the data and uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies. For instance, you can compare the performance of different pages or sections of your portfolio; the performance of different sources or devices that drive traffic to your portfolio; and the performance of different user groups or segments, such as new vs. returning, location, age, gender, etc.

5 Test and improve your portfolio

The final step is to test and improve your portfolio based on your data and analysis. You can try different elements of your portfolio, such as design, layout, content, and navigation, to see how they affect performance and conversion. A/B testing and multivariate testing are two methods you can use to measure the difference in performance between two or more versions of an element. Heatmaps can be used to visualize which areas of your portfolio users click or scroll over the most or the least. Additionally, you can collect user feedback through surveys, polls, reviews, or comments to gain insight into their opinions and suggestions. By using analytics to track your digital photography portfolio's performance, you can make data-driven decisions and improvements that will help you reach your goals and grow your photography business or career.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?