Google Analytics Guide

GOOGLE ANALYTICS A GUIDE TO TRACK THE SUCCESS OF A WEBSITE

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. WHAT IS GOOGLE ANALYTICS? II. SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS III. UNDERSTAND YOUR OBJECTIVES IV. GOALS V. SEGMENTATION VI. USEFUL SOURCES

CHAPTER ONE

WHAT IS

GOOGLE ANALYTICS?

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WHAT IS GOOGLE ANALYTICS?

Google Analytics is a tool used to track the success of a website and provide insight on your digital marketing strategy. Without analytics you cannot know if your efforts are being used efficiently or being wasted.

This guide takes you through setting up your account and walks you through the most important features of Google Analytics. We have also provided some useful resources at the bottom that we highly recommend reading to better your understanding of Analytics as well as the role it plays in creating a powerful digital marketing strategy.

CHAPTER TWO

SETTING UP

GOOGLE ANALYTICS

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SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Go to http://www.google.com/analytics/

Click “Sign Up Now” and sign in with your Gmail account.

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SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Follow the steps and agree to terms of service

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SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Scroll down to the “Tracker Code” Copy & paste the code on its own line somewhere before the body tag “</body>”

It can also be placed in the header tag if your HTML code is limited

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SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Return to Google an click the “continue” button. Click “check status” link.

You may have to wait a few minutes Keep trying until it says “tracking installed”

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SETTING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Watch the Google Analytics Interface Tutorial to get a walk-through of the main features of Google Analytics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHeKRvo6OhI

CHAPTER THREE

UNDERSTAND

YOUR OBJECTIVES

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UNDERSTAND YOUR OBJECTIVES

Often we hear organizations say “We need a website!”

This is true 99% of the time.

However, they don’t know why it is so important.

For any website, there needs to be objectives in order to create and track the success of a website.

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UNDERSTAND YOUR OBJECTIVES

Separately answer the question “What do you hope to accomplish for your non-profit by being on the web?”

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UNDERSTAND YOUR OBJECTIVES

Use D.U.M.B. to create 1-3 objectives

Doable understandable manageable beneficial Note: Understanding your objectives is for your personal use and is not a part of Google Analytics services.

CHAPTER FOUR

CONVERT

OBJECTIVES TO GOALS

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CONVERT OBJECTIVES TO GOALS

Using your objectives, create goals on Google Analytics. This lets you know how well your digital marketing strategy is working and lets you see how changes affect your objectives.

Two typical goals for an objective are one: to raise money for an organization or two: encourage users to donate to their cause.

GO

S L A

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CONVERT OBJECTIVES TO GOALS

1. Click “Edit” by the profile you wish to create goals for. a. Note: in the new Google Analytics you must click conversions then goals 2. Click “Overview” and then set up goals 3. Choose a goal type (URL Destination, Time on site, number of pages visited, or event) a. General Information i. Create Name for Goal ii. Choose Goal Type b. Goal Details i. Fill in the details ii. Create Goal Value: Goal values will provide numeric value to each conversion that can be used later on to see what pages on your website provide the most value.

Decide how much each goal conversion is worth to your non-profit

c. Goal Funnel (URL destination only): If you want your views to follow a path that leads to a conversion you can set up a funnel with your goal that will let you know how well you designed your website to lead to a conversion.

CHAPTER FIVE

SEGMENTATION

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SEGMENTATION

Segmentation is the only way to fully understand who is coming to your website and how they are interacting on it. When looking at the data as a whole, each user is the same no matter where they came from to get to your site.

By segmenting your audience you can see who and where your most active users are and revise your digital strategy to increase conversions from these similar customer segments. The more detailed you make the segments the better you can focus your efforts and understand those segments.

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SEGMENTATION

1. Select a profile that you wish to segment 2. Click on the setting image on the right hand side of the screen 3. Under the assets tab select Advanced Segments 4. Create new segment a. Top Segments i. Time on site: this segment is investing time to know your website ii. Page Depth: this segments if actively exploring your website and looking for more material iii. Source: this segment shows how people interact when they come from different sources such as search engines or other websites iv. Region: this segment dictates how are people in a certain geographical areas using your website b. Combining segments will further help you understand your customer segments 5. Adjust digital strategy and start process over

CHAPTER SIX

USEFUL

SOURCES

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USEFUL SOURCES

Set Up Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8p5kSNijzw Goal set up Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDNkXdOuhBc Segmentation http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/web-analytics-segments-three-category-recommendations/ General Beginners Guide: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/beginners-guide-web-dataanalysis-ten-steps-tips-best-practices/ Analytics 101: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/web-analytics-101-definitionsgoals-metrics-kpis-dimensions-targets/