Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a website analytics application that tracks and stores detailed website statistics for the purpose of (understanding and) analysis to help improve website performance and measure success. It works by collecting anonymous visitor data from a tag that is written into the code of a web page, this data is then processed (hourly) and stored on secure Google data collection servers.

Service offered

At the start of each month you will receive an email with an attachment that contains 10 basic Google Analytics reports. These reports contain a range of visitor and website statistics from the past month that will help you understand how your website is performing. The reports will always be for a month long period and will be compared to the month prior, for example November will be compared to October. Following is a list of the reports that you will receive and a small explanation of what they are:

Visitor Overview - This gives the basic site metrics of visits, overall page views, average page views per visit, average time on site per visit, bounce rate (visitors that leave after viewing only one page) and percentage of new visits.

Traffic Sources Overview - Shows where traffic has come from and will be from one of three sources: direct (address typed in browser or it is bookmarked), from a referring site or from search engines.

New vs. Returning Visitors - A basic report showing if visitors are new or if they are returning to the website.

Search Engine Traffic - Breaks down the Traffic Sources Overview to show what search engines visitors have used to get to the website.

Keywords - Breaks down the Search Engine Traffic by showing what keywords visitors typed into search engines to get to the website.

Map Overlay (Country) - if applicable - A graphic representation of visitors illustrating which city/region they have visited from, the bigger the circle the more visits from that city/region.

Map Overlay (Global) - A world map showing where website visitors have come from, the darker the colour the more visits from that country.

Content Overview - A general look at the websites top pages by URL as well as the basic metrics.

Content by Title - An easy to understand report showing the websites top pages by page title

Referring Sites - Breaks down the Traffic Sources Overview to show which referring websites visitors used to reach the website, for example yellow.co.nz.

Setting up website goals with Google Analytics is a great way to track the tasks that are beneficial or essential to your website, such as filling out a form or downloading a document. By doing this it becomes much easier to see how many visitors are 'converting' to customers or generating leads for your business by completed certain tasks.

There is also the option of receiving extra or customized reports if you think you are missing something from your current monthly report list. There are a lot more standard reports available from Google Analytics and there is also the choice of custom reporting so that you can get exactly what you want from your reports.

For more information on these services please contact Russell Brown on info@digitalstream.co.nz