We always enjoy speaking to clients about ways to get the most from their Calgary Internet marketing plans. Over the years, we have had some great conversations about web analytics, and our clients frequently have the same question… “so what does it all mean?” Well today we’re going to lay it all out for you.
Data-driven Decision-making
Calgary Internet marketing is a constantly evolving field, and as a business owner, you have to be able to tune in and consider the important data that web analytics provide in order to make informed decisions. We don’t need to tell you how competitive the marketplace is today. No one – not even the most experienced among us – should be making crucial business decisions based on hunches, past experience, or gut instinct. The information provided by web analytics will help you determine how you can move forward in order to grow your business.
Measuring Success
So what exactly is web analytics? Essentially, it comes down to data measurements and analysis. It’s kind of like those science experiments that you did in high school. You performed an action, and then measured and recorded the results. Every aspect of your Internet marketing plan, from social media to blogs, and even email campaigns, can provide you with data that you can measure. Analyzing that data can provide you with important insights into what’s working for your business, and what isn’t.
Important Info Every Business Should Know
Learning what is important when viewing your web analytics will allow you to better determine the areas of strength in your marketing plan. Let’s use some typical blog analytics as an example of why web analytics are important to your Calgary Internet marketing plan.
- Blog traffic shows how many people are looking at your blog’s content. To get the most of this data, you would want to track how this number grows over time. Hopefully, you will see a monthly growth trend, but if not, it’s time to experiment with ways to grow that traffic.
- Blog subscribers illustrates how many people value your blog’s content. If they are interested in what your blog has to say, they won’t want to miss a single post, and they will subscribe to be sure they don’t. Analyzing this number will indicate the level of value or entertainment your content provides.
- Views per post will help you determine if certain types of posts get more views than other types. Obviously, you will want to use this data to ensure you keep providing the type of blog posts your readers find most interesting.
- Views per contributor shows you which one of your writers get the most views on your blog. Use this data to analyze exactly what it is about that more successful writer that brings in those views. Does the writer have a knack for picking hot topics? Is his or her style particularly engaging? Or does he or she have a large social media following who reads all articles by that author because they value his or her opinions? You can use all of these data to help your other writers increase their views.
- Blog post comments are an indicator of how much your audience is engaging with a particular blog post. Analyzing this data will allow you to make posts that encourage your readers to continue the conversation.
There is also, for example, a wealth of data to be taken from your company’s social networking presence:
- Followers and Reach gives you a total number of individuals your business can reach through your social networks. Obviously, this is a number you want to see increasing over time.
- Social clicks shows the number of clicks that the links you post on social media receive. This is a great way tot tell if your followers find your content interesting.
- Retweets and shares will help you monitor whether your content is being shared across the web. If your readers are engaged enough to want to share what they’re reading from you, you should know.
- Percent engaged is an interesting metric to consider because it shows the percentage of people out of your entire network that have taken to the time to click, like or comment on your content. Essentially, it shows you the percentage of your potential followers who are paying attention.
These are just a few examples of the wealth of information possible with web analytics. With a clearer understanding of what web analytics can do for you, and why that information is so important, you can use this data to tailor your Calgary Internet marketing plan and help your business continue to grow, even in these competitive and rapidly changing times.
