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Gotta Have a Website Monitoring Tool
If you can’t measure it, did it really happen? Loads of website owners have a website but don’t have information about how it’s performing. If that’s the case, how will you ever know if its worth your time and effort?
Luckily, there is an easy fix. Gotta have a website monitoring tool!
What is a website monitoring tool?
A website monitoring tool, like Google Analytics, which is free for anyone to use on their website, gives important data about your website’s performance.
Why do you need a website monitoring tool?
You’ve created your website to achieve a purpose. Probably something like generating enquiries for your products or services, selling your products or services or perhaps to build a community and provide valuable information to members.
If you’re happy with the results from your website in terms of sales $$$, number of enquiries or number of members, you can use the information from your monitoring tool as a benchmark that needs to be maintained and improved.
If you’re not happy with your website results, your website monitoring tool provides information on where you’re failing and helps you prioritise what changes you should make first!
How do you get a website monitoring tool installed?
Before committing to working with a web company on a new or upgraded website, make sure they will install a monitoring tool for you.
They might have their own, or it’s really easy to install Google Analytics and then give you access to your account. Or you can even set up a Google Analytics account yourself and send them the link to add to the code of your website. Once you’re set up in 3 easy steps, Google helps you create an email with the instructions for installing the code.
What information is available in Google Analytics?
Google Analytics has a dashboard which is a screen that shows a summary of key statistics. It automatically tracks data from the previous month and you can change the date range to review any time period you like.
The dashboard of Google Analytics shows loads of information. Some of the key things are:
- your total number of visitors (which includes people who visit more than once),
- your unique visitors (which only count each person once),
- where your web visitors are coming from (organic search results, paid search like Google AdWords, referrals from links on other websites and other sources),
- how long your visitors spend on your website
- what pages they read
- and your bounce rate. (Find out why a low bounce rate means your website is great)
In a future post I’ll explain in more detail what the information in Google Analytics means, and why it’s valuable.
For now, if you don’t have a monitoring tool installed, ask your web company if they can install Google Analytics and give you access. Or email me if you need help!
If you have analytics set up but don’t know what all the information means, I also offer Google Analytics Coaching sessions.
Happy Website Monitoring.
Search-Mel
Melinda, generally known as Mel, is half of the Grassroots team. She is a Google Qualified Advertising Professional and a SEO Web Copywriter. Mel's aim is to make the web world a better place.
- your total number of visitors (which includes people who visit more than once),
About Us
Grassroots was created by Serena Star Leonard and Melinda Samson to provide eCourses, Tips & Resources to make your website sing!
Melinda, generally known as Mel, is half of the Grassroots team. She is a Google Qualified Advertising Professional and a SEO Web Copywriter. Mel's aim is to make the web world a better place.
Have you ever considered adding more videos to your blog posts to keep the readers more entertained? I mean I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good but since I’m more of a visual learner.
Hi Jim
Yes we are planning to add more videos. We just one on this page http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/courses/website-plan/ and on About Us. Hope to add them more frequently in future.
Thx for your feedback
Mel
Thanks a million Gardener for the Stumble and Digg. You’re welcome back anytime!
Thanks Chantay, we created this blog because I agree that there isn’t enough clear, simple information available about web related topics. Feedback like yours makes me really happy we created it. You’re welcome to visit anytime!
Mel
I use Google Analytics regularly for most of my sites. It’s amazing how far you can actually dig into your data. The problem is though that most users just use the basics without realising what it can offer and the information you can extract from it.
There are umpteen benefits and a lot to discover about online marketing. In fact, you cannot really just narrow it down to a singular field named online marketing. There are so many aspects to it. Domain monetization, flipping names, written material on a blog, selling articles, publicising programs….the list could go on. It is a really intriguing area. I really enjoy it.
Thanks very much!
Yes Wix is very simple to use, but there are some fundamental problems with using flash which are speed and search. The content is not read by Google (yet!) and it takes ages to load. Otherwise it makes for good looking and functional sites.
I looked for something completely varied on Google and found this blog post, thanks, I actually really gained something from this.
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I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to check out the latest stuff you post.