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If you’re not confused, you’re not paying attention.” ― Tom Peters, “Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution
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As one of my favorite clients put it, “Who has time for all this internet mumbo- jumbo when I have a business to run?” 75% of small business owners agree, and view web analytics as a complicated series of graphs and codes best reserved for larger companies and entirely eliminated from an already packed task list. With first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by budding entrepreneurs, (and those established, but newly online) I, too, eventually conceded that web monitoring was not to be ignored. Avoiding the task of gathering website statistics makes as much business sense as ignoring client feedback in ‘real life’. Failing to investigate the activity generated from your online presence, not only wastes the initial (and ongoing investment) in the site itself, but squanders the significant revenue potential that traffic monitoring affords. Whether you are presently paying for advertising or not, evaluating online activity is a cost effective method to generate leads and sales conversion.
KEEPING TRACK OF VISITORS
Getting to the Source of the Matter – In addition to revealing how many visits and views that site content receives, analytics disclose where traffic is coming from allowing entrepreneurs to recognize the hot spots for advertising and other marketing strategies. Are visitors led to your site from purchased ads? Or are have they found their way to service pages from social media posts? The answers provide a guide for future marketing moves that are cost effective. Which search engine directs traffic to your site? Discover the keywords that consumers use when searching for services that your small business can provide and adjust your content accordingly.
Website Strengths and Weaknesses – What segment of your online presence attracts prospects? Which site pages are viewed the least? Blog topics and social media posts are less of a guessing game when analytics are used for optimal site development. Web hosting programs also signal broken links and other technical problems that ultimately keep consumers away.
Back to Basics – Much like your own journey on the World Wide Web itself, careful study of your analytics can open up a vast territory of prospects through straightforward statistics that even the not-so-technically-inclined can decipher. Though each visitor may not necessarily become a client, practical information is extracted from web monitoring as a guide for lead generation:
– How many viewers visited your site during a specified time period? – How long did they stay on specific pages? – What calls to action elicited the most response?
This information helps form tangible strategies for sales teams.
GETTING STARTED WITH ANALYTICS
Inquire about receiving regular activity reports if your web hosting is outsourced. If you manage your own site, investigate the analytics provided through your hosting program. Sign up for one of the many free analytics programs presently available. More than 55 percent of websites created in the previous year use Google Analytics linked to existing Gmail accounts for easy set-up. Choose from among many tutorials to get started. Contact KGVisions for assistance in finding the most appropriate for your small business.
My client eventually came to understand that the “mumbo – jumbo” he was avoiding in order to “run his business” would actually allow him to do just that. Data analysis is not the exclusive domain of corporate number- crunchers. With limited budgets and time constraints, small business owners can consider analytics as yet another element for both marketing strategies and client care.
“There are two doors to your small business; one is made of wood and the other is the glass above your keyboard. Treat all visitors equally.” – Katie Griffin