Web Analytics Fundamentals

How’s your website performing? Is this something you ask yourself regularly? Or is it something that you find difficult to determine?

Many small businesses (and some not-so-small ones) seem to struggle with getting a grip on their website’s overall performance and its contribution to their business results. Over the next few days, I’m going to dive into this in more detail and walk you through some simple tips for understanding the value of your website to your business.

Today, however, let’s review some basics:

• First, take a look at our 7 keys for successful web metrics. I’m going to drill down in more detail over the coming days as to why some of these matter, however this should get you started.
• Second, you might want to bone up on how various analytics tools work. I’m not going to spend much time on this, but it may help you understand the specifics of your tool.
• Third, remember that it’s better to understand the tool you have than worry about whether you have the “right” tool. No one tool is perfect—each has its strengths and its shortcomings. It’s a better use of your time to learn what your tool is telling you—and what to do with that information—than whether it’s the “best” tool. Don’t have a web analytics tool? Try Google Analytics. It’s not perfect, but its price and learning curve make it a solid choice for many businesses.
• Finally, ensure that you’re comfortable with what “conversion rate” means to your business. Since some of you might be generating leads and others selling widgets, make sure you understand the various types of conversion rates and which ones matter most for your business.

Getting your web analytics to tell you how your website contributes to your business isn’t rocket science. It takes just a bit of understanding and some simple steps to complete. Take a look at the items above, then review the full series for more information on how to make your web analytics work for your business.

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