Why use analytics?
So why should you keep track and keep up-to-date with your sites analytics? For one of many reasons, is to attract new unique visitors. The diagram to left is a screenshot of my personal blogs analytics; showcasing four different diagrams tracking new and returning visitors to my site. Google analytics offers free tracking information; ranging from geographical orgins to site click overlays. Some of the essential analytics to track are the search engine marketing tools and the sites advertising campaigns. (if applicable)
Search engine marketing will show in detail what key words and/or key phrases that are being searched for the site and locating what search engine is mostly commonly being used. Marketing campaigns are compiled of advertising and adwords being used to attract new visitors to the site. Google analytics contains many useful analytic tools and databases so that you can learn more about your sites traffic and ways to manage it towards successful marketing initiatives.
Feel free to watch a video tutorial on: Targeting Vistors thru Google Analytics by William Bridges.
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Come on Bill, we all know that attracting new “customers” is more expensive than keeping existing ones! I would argue that the most important use of web analytics is to understand behavior once users are on your site. You want to know where they are clicking, what paths they are taking to get what they want (navigation=insight to usability), how long they are staying, how often they are coming back and at what points they are exiting your site.
Regarding your comments on search engine marketing, the latest fad seems to be social media monitoring tools (many good free ones out there) that allow you to not only understand what keywords people are searching on to find your site, but also monitor the level of “buzz” and associated mood (i.e. negative vs positive).
Yes, site analytics, when used properly, can be a remarkable tool towards tracking new customers and trapping the old. Hence being “one of many reasons” to keep up-to-date on your site analytics.
I am interested to research those social media monitoring tools you speek of; any suggestions?