Digital analytics is crucial for any business, from understanding what drives website visits, what content visitors are consuming, what actions visitors are taking, and much more. Of special importance is properly attributing website actions (and business actions!) to marketing initiatives.
Digital analytics tips
- Add UTM parameters to landing URLs to track outbound marketing efforts; make use of dynamic parameter insertion from ad platforms when available
- Consider server-to-server and other methods beyond traditional pixels to enhance data sent back to ad platforms
- Note that the “Direct” channel in Google Analytics is best described as “unknown” (i.e. not just ‘type in’ and bookmark traffic)
- Track and analyze site search activity (search terms, results, etc.) and make adjustments accordingly (e.g. new product or service, new content piece)
- Reenergize users whose interaction has become less frequent — do so before they reach point of no return (the more recently engaged is more likely to engage again)
- Recency of interaction is most powerful predictor of repeat interaction/purchase/etc.
- Quantitative data answers “what?”; qualitative data answers “why?”
- Note friction (friction points): Rising friction = lowering potential value; Falling friction = rising potential value
- Determine multi-channel attribution scenarios
- Make use of Google Tag Manager (or similar) to more easily implement event tracking (and run scenarios while in ‘Preview’ mode to ensure proper implementation)
- Consider Google Looker Studio (or similar) to manipulate and present data in a more user-friendly manner
Digital analytics resources
- Google Tag Manager – add tracking elements (among other things) to a website without the need of developers
- Campaign URL Builder – easily create UTM tracking parameters for landing URLs
- Cookie Status – updated status of how browsers treat cookies
- PrivacyTests.org – indicates what data each web browser is ‘leaking’