Google Analytics: a free web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports on web traffic with the intention of helping business owners gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ interests, search behaviours, and trends.
While widely used, it’s likely that, if you are using Google Analytics, you are not getting the most out of what it has to offer. It’s very simple to add, but the real value is in all of the extra it can do for you when configured correctly.
Bookmark this blog today for an easy reference next time you’re delving into your analytics.
#1: Ensure That Your Google Analytics Account is Configured Correctly
New to Google Analytics? Then you’ll want to ensure that your account is configured correctly i to provide accurate metrics.
Use the following actions as a checklist for your account set-up process:
Last but not least are the optional steps: linking your AdWords or AdSense account to Google Analytics, both of which are accompanying apps created by Google to better your keyword planning and advertising capabilities.
#2: Set Your Intention and Goals
Reports become more meaningful when compared to long-term and short-term S.M.A.R.T goals (goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.)
Before utilizing your Google Analytics account, set your intention and accompanying goals. Is your goal to see which page speeds could be improved? Up the amount of products sold on your online store? Lengthen the amount of time spent on individual pages? By setting a singular intention and at least one accompanying short-term and long-term goal, you set yourself up for better success by making each report a milestone of how successful (or in need of improvement) your current website efforts are.
Pro-tip: Time2GetOnline recommends to review reports on a monthly or bi-weekly basis to ensure that the data you are collecting is consistent and timely. The more people visitng your site, the more frequently we should look at the dataIn addition, comparing current reports to previous reports helps to effectively determine which Key Performance Indicators are in need or attention (and which areas of performance have been improving.)
#3: Design Custom Dashboards and Reports
Not every metric will be usable to you depending on the intention and goals you have set for yourself and your site. That’s why Google Analytics permits users to design custom dashboards in order for them to quickly and effectively access their preferred metrics.
To narrow down the type of KPIs you are looking to measure, Google Analytics offers a free-to-use Solutions Gallery that is filled with dashboard and report templates that have been submitted by users. It is recommended to keep custom dashboards to 10 KPIs or lower in order to more effectively track and measure results over a period of time.
#4: Utilize Custom Visitor Segments
Defined as the act of dividing website visitors, email marketing recipients, and digital ad viewers into segments based on their behaviour, demographics, or search trends, custom visitor segments work to narrow down specific data and more accurately measure the effectiveness of specific campaigns.
To set up and delve into custom visitor segments, head to the Google Analytics Segment-Builder User Interface. From there, you will be guided through adding new segments or modifying existing segments depending on your desired data scope, conditions, and filters.
#5: Leverage Multi-Channel Funnels
If you are not already leveraging multi-channel funnels in Google Analytics, you are leaving money on the table: geared towards determining what role prior website visits, keyword searches, and previously-run ads played in current conversions, multi-channel funnels create hyper-detailed reports surrounding how prior referrals and searches are impacting existing sales and website visitation.
To do this, multi-channel funnels report on “conversion paths”, which follow specific users throughout their journey between first interacting with your site and completing their final purchase. This narrows down how much time an average website visitor takes to convert to a customer and can aid in setting and meeting surrounding goals.
Bookmark this page for an overview of how to access and read multi-channel funnel reports.
Which of These 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Google Analytics Will You Be Implementing Next?
If you are looking for professional assistance setting up your Google Analytics account in order to reap its maximum results, reach out today: the Time2GetOnline team is here to help.
How to improve your business’s local online presence? As a business who works with brands both here in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and around the globe, it’s a question our team fields frequently.
Here are five tried-and-true ways to bolster your business’s online presence:
Use Search Engine Optimization to Bolster Your Business’s Visibility, Both Locally and Worldwide
One of the best and most straightforward methods of doing this is to capitalize on local search trends.
Google’s free-to-use keyword planner is a good place to start. Due to this tool allowing you to filter keyword searches based off of your region, you can get an idea of local search trends to target within your search engine optimization.
Once local keywords are dialled in, it is highly recommended to integrate them into your site’s descriptions, meta content, and URLs.
Make The Best of Local Online Directories
When you Google, “Best website development agencies near me” what dominates the top search results?
More often than not, you’ll be inundated with local Google My Business listings, as well as other common online directories such as Yelp or Yellow Pages.
Here is how to take advantage of these local online directories to boost your business’s local online presence:
On every directory, ensure that your business name, address, phone number, and open hours are up-to-date and consistent On every directory, ensure to include a link back to your website On every directory, provide a descriptive (yet succinct!) summary of what your business is and what it offers
This is a tactic we here at Time2GetOnline.com have recommended for multiple clients of ours due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
To Improve Your Business’s Local Online Presence, Consider Link Signals
Although first deemed a core component of local SEO optimization back in 2015, 2020 and beyond has shown that signal links are still one of Google’s leading ranking factors for businesses online.
In essence, link signals describe the digital signals that supply search engines with the know-how to rank your site: they directly influence your website’s Domain Authority and, particularly for local search, dictate how high up on Google’s search results your website sits.
To maximize your link signals in a way that focuses on local search, it is recommended to focus on quality local backlinks in order to build your reservoir of backlinks and, in turn, enhance your website’s local rankings while bolstering its overall Domain Authority and search engine visibility. (Not sure where to start? You aren’t alone: contact the Time2GetOnline.com team today for help getting the ball rolling.)
Build Trust Via Generating Reviews on All Applicable Platforms
Reviews are the bread and butter of any local business, no matter how large.
Real testimonials from paying clients and/or customers foster trust and entice new people to try your products or services. Whether it be on your business’s social media pages, website, or online directories, incorporating call-to-actions that prompt clients or customers to leave feedback on your business can be a profitable and easily-streamlined way of generating that local interest and visibility that your business deserves.
The Digital Marketing Specialists at Time2GetOnline.com Are Here to Help
Ready to elevate your business’s local online presence this year?
Read more about our website and marketing packages today to learn how our team of digital marketing specialists can help make it happen.
Your small business’s local SEO checklist is here, courtesy of us here at Time2GetOnline.com.
If you’re tired of paying too much to receive too little in terms of results, we’re here to turn that on its head through our array of done-for-you website development and digital marketing packages.
Where the magic starts, though? That’s education. Here are the actionable steps you can start crossing off your list today in order to start seeing real results for your small business’s local SEO rankings.
Optimize Reviews to Improve Your Business’s Local Online Presence
In one of our latest blogs, “How to Improve Your Business’s Local Online Presence”, we talked at length about how to maximize the impact of your business’s digital reviews.
To start, we advise that you get your business listed on all applicable online directories in order to bolster local visibility and provide an easy conduit for clients or customers to leave reviews. Some of these online directories include, but are not limited to:
Reviews can be prompted for either via CTAs on your website, through applicable posts on social media (oftentimes with a direct link to where your audience can leave their feedback), and/or in periodic newsletters or email blasts. These reviews can then be cross-posted to your website and social media in order to up your local SEO and foster community trust and interest.
Bonus: Ensure that your NAP (name, address, and phone number) is up-to-date and consistent across all platforms to ensure optimal SEO and general accuracy.
That’s step one down! Now onto the next…
Guarantee That Your Local SEO is High-Quality
As we have written about before in our blog, high-quality local SEO is a must for bolstering your visibility and community interest long-term.
Here are Time2GetOnline.com’s top checklist items for you to cross off when it comes to niching your SEO for local attention and search engine rankings:
Integrate local photos and videos into the majority of your website’s pages, with each visual’s alt. text being adjusted to incorporate relevant local keywords
Optimize each title tag and meta description with the addition of localized keywords (most commonly, your business’s physical location and region)
Delete duplicate pages and general duplicate content to ensure that each page is wholly original
Guarantee that each page of your website focuses on a different keyword (or a variation of the same keyword) to avoid duplicate keywords, which, in turn, will slow down your SEO ranking capabilities
Have a Website Development Expert Refine Your Small Business’s Navigation Menu
A common misconception we here at Time2GetOnline.com hear is business owners believing that their site’s website navigation menu is only for website visitors.
In actuality, a website’s navigation menu is used by both search engines and visitors to successfully navigate your website and consume content.
Our core checklist item for you regarding your website’s navigation menu is to ensure that each of your web pages are indexable from your navigation menu, meaning that no pages should be left unconnected to that menu. That way, you can build a “hierarchy” of pages that are interlinked, making it easy for both search engines and visitors to understand how each page relates to the other.
Which Of These Small Business Local SEO Checklist Items Will You Be Crossing Off Your List Today?
If you’re unsure of where to start, contact us today to have your small business’s local SEO done right the first time.
It’s crucial to be in-the-know about the basic website optimization standards for 2021 and beyond when it comes to your business’s profitability online.
To accompany our previous blog, “The Top Website Optimization Mistakes You’re Making in 2021”, we here at Time2GetOnline.com wanted to outline the basic website optimization standards your website needs to be on par with in order to stand with the competition.
Speaking of your website’s loading speed, this, of course, continues to remain a core component of both your site’s conversions and its rankings on your search engine of choice. Aim to have your site load on all available platforms in under three seconds for best results.
Schema is one of the main factors that dictate your website’s relevancy score and engagement, all while bolstering its visibility on search engines. It is a snippet that can be attached to any web page that, when done correctly, displays a notable appearance on each page’s search results. Some of the most commonly-used schemas include products, recipes, events, articles, and FAQs.
Whether it be refreshing your existing website or creating one from scratch, part of Time2GetOnline.com’s process includes ensuring that SEO-centric components such as schemas are utilized to their full capability.
Ensuring That You Are Tracking All Essential Metrics
Metrics are the key to understanding your website’s current standing, identifying weak points, and improving its all-around functionality and conversion rate.
Instead of analyzing every available metric, it is advised to instead track on a monthly basis:
Your website’s bounce rate
Your website’s top landing pages
Your website’s existing keywords
Your website’s demographics
Your website’s average session duration
From looking at which pages bring in the most traffic, which pages visitors are on when they exit the site, how long the average user spends on your website, and your website’s overall bounce rate, you or your website developer can then go in to make adjustments accordingly. The goal? To work smarter, not harder.
Time2GetOnline.com: Fast and Affordable Websites Done Right, the First Time
The importance of web design for your business. Stanford Web Credibility Research puts it succinctly: “Judgements on a company’s credibility are 75% based on a company’s website design.”
That means that a bad design, a lacklustre performance, and poor navigation can have a knock-on effect on not only your website visitors, but also your business’s general profitability both online and offline.
Here are just some of the reasons why we here at Time2GetOnline.com strive to educate our clients on the importance of web design:
Unlike Books, Your Audience Will Judge Your Website By Its Cover
Whether it be online or offline, first impressions matter. That’s why prioritizing website design is a must to make a good lasting impression on potential clients or customers.
In fact, studies have shown that a visitor’s first impression of your website (and, subsequently, your business) is generated within under five seconds.
To make those first seconds count, it is recommended to steer away from the following common website design pitfalls:
An outdated design
Webpages cluttered with too many visuals and/or text
No navigation menu (or pages that are not connected to said navigation menu)
Autoplay music
A clashing colour scheme
When in doubt, please feel free to comb through our website portfolio section for inspiration on how to keep things simple, sleek, and on-brand when it comes to your website’s design.
Your Website’s Functionality Will Be On Par With Your Competitors’ Websites
By prioritizing website design, you put yourself in the favourable position of matching (or, if you get the right website developer, out-performing) your competitors’ website functionality.
In turn, that bolsters your conversions, average website visitor session duration, and the chances that you’ll have repeat customers or clients frequenting your site.
What does good website design have to do with this? Well, efficient and aesthetic website design will:
Ensure that your site is mobile-friendly, meaning that it both loads and performs optimally on all mobile devices (you can test your existing website’s mobile-friendliness score here)
Make key pages, such as product/service pages, “About” pages, and contact pages easily accessible
Guarantee that your pages load quickly and consistently to keep your site’s Bounce Rate in good standing
Your Business’s Website Will Work to Build Credibility and Trust
Which would you put your trust in as a consumer, a slow-loading website that has a confusing layout or a polished website that loads quicker than a snap of the fingers?
The bulk of consumers would say the latter.
Professional, polished, and branded website content not only sets the tone with your audience: it’s also the launching pad from which you can build credibility and trust. This is especially true if you integrate a customer service feature, such as a chatbot, to guarantee lightning-fast response time to client or customer FAQs.
Make Your Web Design Count With a Hand From Time2GetOnline.Com
Over the past ten years, Jason, the founder of Time2GetOnline.com, has worked with businesses of all scales both locally here in Victoria, British Columbia and around the globe.
Contact us here at Time2GetOnline.com today to start making your business’s web design count.
