5 Ways to Get Started With Analytics
Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her)
Founder, Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter | NEW: SHHARE Anti-Racism Community - Apply Today! | Author, I'm Tired of Racism | Ask me about the Self-Publishing Masterclass Dec 2, 2024
Wondering how to get started with Google Analytics? Here are 5 tips you can implement today:
1. Get Started with Google Search Console
Google Search Console has recently had a major refresh, with some old tools gone, and some new ones added. It's useful for:
- Monitoring your site's performance
- Making sure content is crawlable
- Keeping track of inbound links and keywords.
For more, check out Google Search Console: Setting Up to Improve Your Site Performance
2. Install Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager offers another way to implement analytics. One of the best things about it is that you can also add other tracking code via the same interface. So if you want to use a heatmap tool or get more from social analytics, you can do this with GTM.
Learn more in my Easy as Pie Guide to Installing Google Tag Manager
3. Set Up a Custom Analytics Dashboard
Google Analytics has a LOT of info about your web traffic, but sometimes it's challenging to understand it all. You can visualize it better by setting up a custom Google Analytics dashboard. This makes it easier to
- Understand your audience
- Know how your content is performing
- Track conversions
Learn more in How to Get Actionable Insights with a Custom Google Analytics Dashboard
4. Use Analytics to Improve Client Communication
What's the point of analytics if you're not using it to improve your business? Get it right and you can work out:
- Whether you're talking to the right people and communicating effectively
- Who's sending traffic or work your way
- Whether you're catering adequately for mobile visitors
- What's happening for your business on social media
Learn more in Analytics for Communication
5. Get More Data with a 2nd Analytics Program
There's more to analytics than Google Analytics, but which app should you choose? In 5+ Alternatives to Google Analytics I take a look at:
- Clicky
- GoSquared
- CrazyEgg
- Woopra
- And many more
Want even more info on analytics? Check out my roundup of analytics articles here or hire me to create high-quality content to keep your core audience engaged.