10 Ways to Use Google Analytics to Validate Your Digital Marketing 

In the world of digital marketing, having a sufficient amount of data is important. It’s also difficult to compile and examine all this information through traditional methods alone. It’s time to throw Google Analytics into the mix.

The ways in which digital marketers can use Google Analytics go far beyond just checking out the number of visitors to their website. Using Google Analytics, marketers are able to consolidate their data into one place. This allows them to have a clear view of how their strategies are performing and identify places to improve.

But, how can marketers make sure they’re using all of Google Analytics’ features effectively? Here are 10 ways to use Google Analytics to validate your digital marketing programs:

1. Segment Users and Content via Goals and Filters

Google Analytics allows marketers to track users across their marketing channels. For instance, marketers can determine whether or not visitors are coming from search versus social media, or an external source versus an internal source.

In addition to tracking users by channel, marketers can also track what content they’re engaging with. This allows marketers to see whether or not their message is being received.

The process of tracking users and content might sound time-consuming, but it can be simplified by using goals and filters.

For example, a marketer could create a goal for a specific page on their site that they want to track. This means that whenever a visitor lands on that page, Google Analytics registers it as an accomplishment.

Afterward, the marketer could create a filter that excludes certain referral traffic from their goal page. It’s important to do this because referral traffic can easily skew the data.

2. Create a Goal Flow

In addition to tracking what users are doing, marketers can learn where they’re going. Creating a goal flow will allow marketers to see how users move from one page on their site to another, and even why they don’t complete a goal.

Marketers may use this information to find out what content on their homepage or landing page isn’t resonating with the reader or the path that is most effective in getting users to accomplish their goal. It can also give marketers insight on how they can improve their site’s efficiency, which is especially useful when dealing with eCommerce sites.

3. Create a Funnel Report

When creating a goal flow, marketers can also add a funnel report. This will allow the marketer to see how many visitors are dropping off from one page of their goal flow to another. It can also allow them to see how many visitors are completing a goal.

For example, if a marketer notices that nobody is moving from their homepage to their contact page or about page, they may need to optimize these pages. It could be that there is a problem with the messaging, call-to-action, or CTA. Creating a funnel report allows marketers to make these kinds of updates quickly and efficiently.

4. Optimize for Traffic Quality

Marketers may use Google Analytics to track the number of users that come to their site, but this isn’t enough. Marketers should also track the quality of traffic that they’re receiving. Quality of traffic is a measure of how many users are likely to engage with the site rather than just passing through.

To improve the quality of the traffic that they’re receiving, marketers should search for keywords that are sending them visitors that aren’t likely to engage with their site. For instance, marketers might want to get rid of keywords associated with poor search engine optimization or that are more likely to send them highly targeted visitors.

Google Adwords allows marketers to track ad costs, click-through rates, and conversions. This type of information is helpful in understanding the quality of traffic that a marketer is receiving from their campaign. It can also help marketers adjust their strategies accordingly, which is especially important when trying to meet a specific ROI or return on ad spend.

5. Track Ecommerce Sales

In addition to tracking certain actions on a site, marketers can also track eCommerce sales. This allows marketers to see how many users are converting into paying customers.

By using Google Analytics, marketers can also track eCommerce data such as a user’s average order value, number of transactions, and total revenue. All this information can help businesses double down on strategies that are working and end ineffective ones. It is of crucial importance for marketers because it helps them understand the health of their business.

6. Track Offline Sales

In addition to tracking website engagement, marketers can also track offline sales. With Google Analytics’ offline tracking, marketers can see how many users have come to their store and what they’ve purchased.

This information is valuable in finding out whether or not a user has experienced their offer, and it can be used to create reports for offline marketing efforts. It can also help marketers see if the campaigns that they’re running for their products and services are driving sales. Tracking offline sales might not look like a priority, but it’s an important step in understanding the health of the business and eventually increasing ROI.

7. Track Social Media Engagement

Social media has become an integral part of businesses’ marketing strategies, and it’s important that marketers are tracking its impact. Marketers can use Google Analytics to track social media engagement via goals and filters. For instance, they can track how many users have come from a social media platform and whether or not they’ve completed a goal.

Marketers can also track the number of social media engagements, such as how many times a user has shared their posts. It is also possible to track conversions from social media via the number of downloads, registrations, or click-throughs. Social media engagement is a valuable metric because it can give marketers an idea of the overall buzz around their brand.

8. Track Offline Social Media Engagement

In addition to tracking social media engagement online, marketers can also track its effectiveness offline. For instance, they can use Google Analytics to track how many users have come from Facebook.

Marketers might also use Google Analytics to track the number of users that have come from offline social media engagement, such as how many Facebook users have come to their store. It’s important for marketers to see whether or not offline and online social media engagement overlap.

9. Track on Mobile and Tablets

It’s crucial for marketers to track the number of users who are accessing their site on mobile and tablets. Many users now prefer to use their smartphones or tablets to access the web, which means that marketers need to track traffic from these devices.

In addition to tracking on mobile and tablets, marketers need to make sure that their site is mobile-friendly. This allows users to access their content without any problems on a mobile device, which can also have a positive impact on SEO. Marketers should regularly test their site for mobile friendliness and see if there are any changes they need to make in order to optimize it for mobile. If a site isn’t optimized for mobile, users can end up leaving and going to a competitor’s website.

By using Google Analytics, marketers can track how many users are engaging with their content on mobile devices and tablets. It’s also possible to track the bounce rate and page views, which can help marketers understand how engaged users are with their site.

Mobile engagement is crucial, as users are often more likely to act within a shorter timeframe when they’re using mobile devices.

10. Track Search Engagement

Marketers should track the number of users who are coming to their site via search engines. It’s important to keep in mind that there might be multiple keywords that are driving users to their site.

Marketers need to make sure that they’re tracking the number of times each keyword is used, along with the conversion rate. It’s a good idea to use a unique URL for every keyword in order to properly track engagement and conversions.

By using Google Analytics, marketers can easily track these metrics and see which keywords are bringing in the most traffic. This is crucial information to have, as it can help marketers understand which keywords to prioritize and optimize for. This also allows them to see the number of searches that are being made for their company name, product name, or service.

Conclusion

Google Analytics is one of the best tools for marketers to use in order to track metrics and other important information. It’s free, easy-to-use, and provides valuable insights that can help marketers improve their site and increase conversions.

Marketers should regularly review the various metrics, reports, and information provided by Google Analytics in order to discover areas for improvement. This allows them to make changes and see the results of those changes in a short timeframe, which can help them optimize their website and lead to a higher number of conversions.

By making sure that Google Analytics is tracking the correct information, marketers can have access to invaluable insights that can help their site succeed. Make sure that your site is getting the traffic it deserves by tracking metrics with Google Analytics!