Currently, more than 27 million websites are connected to Google Analytics. This number will continue to increase compared to previous times. There is certainly a possibility that even more websites will connect to Google Analytics.
The question is, what is Google Analytics exactly? And how can you use Google Analytics to improve your business? In this article, I will try to discuss it further.
Introduction to Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web-based software used to analyze website performance: tracking, viewing demographics, and knowing the number of visitors. Not only that, there are many more features of Google Analytics that you can take advantage of.
The analysis conducted in Google Analytics can be used as material for planning and creating better content for customers. So, Google Analytics can be a gateway for you to develop a more engaging website and address market needs.
If you're using WordPress, you can access our article on how to register and add Google Analytics to your WordPress website. This way, you can read the article and learn directly through practical experience.
Google Analytics Function
Visitors who are directly connected to the internet certainly have identities. These identities are used by the internet (ISPs, DNS, and so on) to gather various user data, such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, locations, device types, activities, and more. This is also certainly utilized by various online service providers to identify their customers.
Not wanting to be left behind, Google Analytics also joins in. So, the primary function of Google Analytics is to obtain information related to visitors or visitor activities on a website page.
Not only does it gather customer information, but Google Analytics also observes and collects data regarding the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) performance of a website on Google search engines.
Read also: 17 SEO Tips to Increase Visitors to Your WordPress Website.
As an example, information that can be obtained through Google Analytics includes keywords that attract visitors, visitor website behavior, devices used by visitors, and so on. That's why Google Analytics is an important tool in SEO techniques.
Through these functions, you can easily create and quickly process reports with user-friendly interfaces, allowing for easily shareable reports.
Benefits of Google Analytics for Businesses
In Google Analytics, there are many features you can leverage to develop your business, especially if your business is related to Google search engine.
In line with its functions, some features help you easily acquire information related to website performance.
There are several important Google Analytics features to be aware of. Below is an overview of some features you can utilize when using this software.
1. Analytics Intelligence
This feature helps you obtain the necessary data. From here, you can gather various insights related to website performance and the business you are developing. Additionally, you are facilitated with advanced information modeling capabilities that aid in comprehending each piece of data acquired.
Google Analytics consistently provides the latest data, changes in trends, and other important insights for you to be aware of.
2. Reporting
You can access a variety of reports, including how customers or visitors interact with the website. These reports can easily be shared with colleagues across various reporting applications.
The reports available through Google Analytics are quite detailed, such as Audience reports, Advertising reports, Acquisition reports, Behavior reports, Conversion reports, Real-Time Reporting, and User Flow Reporting. You can obtain all of this information simply by using Google Analytics.
3. Data Analysis and Visualization
Google Analytics helps you visualize various data, access it, and organize it according to business needs. Visualization enhances the depiction of data, making it easier to read or analyze the areas that need improvement.
Another convenience offered by Google Analytics is ease of access. You can access it from wherever you are, as long as there's an internet connection. This software provides a mobile version (Android and iOS), email notifications, and integration with various Google products.
4. Data Collection and Management
Google Analytics supports the use of JavaScript libraries, SDK applications, and the Open Measurement (OM) protocol. The OM protocol allows you to import data from various third-party applications connected to the internet. You can then combine it with data already collected from Google Analytics to obtain more comprehensive information.
Read also: Complete Guide to Google Analytics 4.
How to Read Google Analytics Reports
When it comes to business, there are many things you can do with Google Analytics to develop it, especially if your business uses a website as a promotional tool.
Do you want to improve your website's performance? Google Analytics can be one of the solutions you must try. Why? If you've read the previous sections, you probably already know. So, the data collected from Google Analytics can be used as material for evaluating website performance.
However, out of the many websites that use Google Analytics, many users seem to not know how to read the data available there.
Although a bit challenging, there are several ways to gain entry to understanding the data there.
In Google Analytics, the data obtained is not only presented in numerical form. This data is also displayed in graphs and charts. Surely, this will make the process of reading and analyzing it easier.
Furthermore, we will briefly discuss how to read reports in Google Analytics in several sections of the report.
1. Comparison with Competitors
One section you can read is the benchmarks tab. The Benchmarks tab allows you to see the website trends in the same industry as yours. The data presented in the table indicates how well your website competes with competitors in the same industry in each of its channels.
Although this doesn't guarantee that the obtained data is complete and identical to the actual conditions, it is certainly better than having no data at all. Furthermore, this comparison will provide you with a general perspective on how your website performs.
2. Visitor Locations
Knowing the location of website visitors can be an interesting point to discuss. Why? The visitors' origin location can be used to determine what content is appealing to discuss.
For example, if your target audience is mostly located in an area with significant tourism potential, the content created should ideally be related to travel and the products being sold.
Visitors are not only present in the local area but are spread across the world. Therefore, it's crucial to identify and map this information to provide the best content for them.
In this tab, you can see user location information, sessions, bounce rate, and other details based on location. You can view its appearance below.
3. Browser Compatibility
In some countries, not everyone uses sophisticated devices. It's also common for many people to still use older devices.
Certainly, this needs attention. By knowing the types of devices visitors use on the website, you can enhance website performance tailored to the devices most commonly used by visitors.
Through data and information from user device records, you can ascertain which browser/technology they are using. This way, you can ensure the website functions well according to the majority of visitors' devices.
4. Understanding Popular Keywords
In the previous section, we discussed how website traffic affects business. You may also be aware that targeting the right keywords can contribute to a significant amount of traffic for business growth. However, have you ensured that your website ranks at the top for the targeted keywords? Surely, you need to make sure of it.
Read also: 9 Accurate Ways to Research Keywords for Blogs and Websites
Checking can be done by manually typing in the 'keywords' on the Google page. However, this can be quite time-consuming. You can utilize Google Analytics to see which pages are performing well and which ones are not. This is done by looking at keywords related to that page.
You can see information about which articles are frequently accessed through the menu Acquisition » Search Console » Landing Pages. This feature will assist you in leveraging high-traffic pages and maximizing their usage.
Also Read: Complete Guide to Google Search Console
To view the details, simply click on a URL, and analytics will show the keywords associated with that page. Below is the display you will get when viewed per page.
Also Read: 20 Ways to Create SEO-Friendly Articles.
5. Causes of Website Visitors Leaving
Observe how visitors or users of your website close your site. Note which pages make them stop while browsing. This way, you can create better pages and modify ones that make visitors leave quickly.
You can improve the content of those pages, add some links, or even create different content from before.
These steps will help you understand what visitors dislike about your website and keep them engaged for a longer period.
To access information related to this, you can go to the Behavior » Behavior Flow option. You can see information about the flow of visitors when they visit specific pages.
6. The Right Time to Send Emails
To enhance online sales, one effective marketing strategy is sending emails. However, sometimes the timing of email delivery, in terms of both the hour and the day, is overlooked. Yet, based on several pieces of information from the internet, ideal times to send emails to customers can be identified. This approach can optimize the use of email for marketing purposes.
You can also find this feature in Google Analytics by visiting the 'when do your users visit' menu. Through this page, you can view information related to busy days and hours of website visitors.
In the "Home" menu, scroll down, and you will find various details about when users visit your website, as shown below.
You can utilize this data to determine future actions, such as deciding when to send newsletters or notifications.
Conclusion
It turns out there are numerous benefits to using Google Analytics for business development. You can make use of the strategies discussed in this article. However, there are still many more features of Google Analytics that you can explore directly through its application.
Hopefully, this article can assist you in growing your business. For those who don't yet have a website, what are you waiting for? Let's further develop our businesses to expand worldwide using the internet.
