Until just a few years ago the available options for website analytics were a meager meal indeed. We could see how many people found our content, how they had arrived and what they were searching for, but beyond that we were left guessing.
When Google Analytics was debuted in 2005, though, we suddenly found ourselves with a wealth of information about the intentions of our readers. Not only could we discover how our visitors found our content but, perhaps more importantly, how they interacted with it once they arrived, how they responded and how they eventually departed.
Google’s surprisingly full featured service was a revelation for webmasters, but Google isn’t a company satisfied to rest on its laurels. Analytics was continually improved with additional features, greater power and ever more tools and metrics with which we could gain an insight into our visitors. The smartest among us used these data to improve the user experience of our content, and with each additional tool we’re given another weapon in our arsenal.
The latest version of Google Analytics is nothing short of spectacular. Today we’re going to take a look at some of the features, both new and old, that make this the best analytics package available today.
Visitor Flow
Visitor Flow is one of the newest features of Google Analytics, and anyone with even a vague interest in website architecture will immediately recognize that it’s a game changer. Visitor flow offers a visual representation of the way visitors to your site interact with the content. It follows them as they move through the site, identifying weak points and allowing you to address them.
As an anecdotal example, I recently noticed that one of my most popular sites wasn’t performing as well as expected. A cursory glance at the visitor stats showed that around 1,500 people each day were finding the content, but almost none of them were taking the desired action.
It only took a moment to identify the problem using Visitor Flow. Over 99% of the visitors to my most popular subpage – around 1,000 visitors each day – were bouncing from the site without continuing. It was clear that the problem was with this specific content rather than the site as a whole, and it was the work of an hour to rewrite and redesign to reduce the bounce rate.
Before Visitor Flow was introduced it would have taken days to accrue the data necessary to make that judgement. Now, though, it’s possible to identify problems at a glance.
Improved Mobile Data
Few webmasters truly worry about their mobile visitors, but a look at the latest flood of stats from Google Analytics suggests that they might be worth the attention. My suite of websites receives 10% of its total traffic from mobile devices, and while this doesn’t add up to an enormous figure it becomes very important if my content isn’t mobile friendly.
Analytics users can now drill down to several key pieces of mobile usage data, not least of which are the devices their visitors favor. They can also see how long mobile users remain on the site, and how many pages they read. They can gauge the bounce rate, the percentage of new vs. returning visitors and the traffic source. All of this is invaluable in providing a better user experience for mobile visitors, and as this type of usage becomes even more widespread it will allow webmasters to tailor their content to appeal to the broadest possible audience.
Improved Basic Data
The backbone of Google Analytics will always be the main dashboard containing basic visitor data for your site. Unique visitors, pages per visit, bounce rate and the myriad options to drill down demographic data: location, browser, language and screen resolution, to name but a few. These are all invaluable data points.
The dashboard has always formed the center of Analytics, but the latest version goes one step further with realtime reporting. The attractive new realtime dashboard offers a new way of digging into your visitor data that has the potential to be extremely useful.
Realtime data will, for most casual users, be nothing more than an interesting diversion. Power users, though, may find it invaluable in seeing how new content is being received. The realtime dashboard offers visitor data such as location, search keywords referral sources and popular content, which could all offer a valuable insight into the mindset and intentions of visitors.
Goal Setting
One of the all time best (and least used) Google Analytics tools is the Goals function. Setting goals is exactly as it sounds: user specifies certain targets for their site, be they conversions, user engagement, file downloads or anything else. While this may seem rather basic it’s actually one of the best tools in the entire Analytics suite.
Webmasters often ignore certain metrics. Visitor retention, for instance. Few webmasters religiously check the average time on site, and most would look straight for the total number of visitors instead. However, for many websites the time spent on site is paramount.
Analytics goals allows a user to set targets for any metric, enabling them to track their performance, use A/B testing to gauge the effectiveness of specific content, and generally get a better idea of what works and what doesn’t; which areas need attention and which are running smoothly.
Robust In-Page Analytics
Finally, one of the most exciting developments in Google Analytics history is the arrival of a stable version of In-Page Analytics. After what seemed like an eternity in beta the feature is set to match Visitor Flow in its simple, intuitive visual represenation of page performance.
In-Page Analytics loads your site page by page, adding notations beside any links on which visitors have clicked. In-Page breaks page navigation down into a percentage, allowing you to see exactly how and where your visitors are exiting.
While it may not seem apparent at first, In-Page Analaytics opens up a whole new world of A/B testing. If your content contains a call to action you can compare the effectiveness of your prompt in different locations on the page, allowing you to increase conversions easily.
As you can see, Google Analytics offers much more than just the simple visitor count on the dashboard. Those willing to invest a little time in learning about the tools and features of the latest version of there service will find themselves armed with the data they need to perform better than ever. Need help with your analytics account, want monthly reporting, or just setup help? Call us 403-386-7427 or visit us Calgary web design