What Are Your Website Analytics Telling You?

In a nutshell, your website analytics are telling you how well, or poorly, your site is driving business for you. That information can often signal clues about the overall health of your business. Whether your site is for a commerce or non-commerce organization, the point is to raise interest in something (product, service, information). Analytics can tell you not only how your site is doing at that job, but where you can make it stronger.

Sometimes what website analytics reveals is simply that you need to invest more time into your website. How clear is the content? Are there good pictures? How easily can visitors navigate to find what they need? Was the site organized around what you wanted to push, or what your customers want to find? Often, those questions can be answered by simply taking time to visit the site and click through links.

 

Other than the ease and look of your site, another area to learn from analytics is how people get to your site. What percentage is through web searches, referrals from other sites, return customers, or advertising and social media? The pie chart with those answers can tell you a lot...how good your customer service is...the kind of reputation you have...if you have properly mastered SEO. If any of those areas are lacking, it is an immediate red flag to improve that area in your company.

Through website analytics, you can also find how often people return to your site, how long they stay, and what they look at while they are there. This can tell you exactly what is and isn't keeping the attention of your customers (or potential customers). If you have poor clicks, perhaps your marketing efforts are targeting the wrong demographic. It could be time to readjust your focus.

Website analytics can get deeper and more involved, but the general information you need is the same. How well is your website working for you?