There are a variety of analysis tools that make it possible to evaluate multiple platforms simultaneously. A very popular tool is Google Analytics. But why should you even bother to evaluate your platforms? The answer is clear: To further optimize the performance of your online communication. But there is a lot to consider!
Why should I evaluate my platforms?
A well-balanced, diverse and up-to-date online presence consists of various platforms today. From social media channels to the classic website to blogs – businesses want to provide a rich user experience and a comprehensive customer journey.
Elaborate websites should be analyzed to determine their performance. Analytics help you quickly identify weaknesses and optimization potential. The tools often offer the possibility to save data so that it can be compiled for a detailed reporting later on. Above all, the direct comparison of data from different time periods is particularly helpful for reporting and its interpretation.
What are the pros and cons of Google Analytics?
A key benefit is that conversions can be tracked. Conversions are specific goals you have defined, typically an action of the user. This includes, for example, the purchase of a product or filling out a contact form. These actions are a central aspect of lead generation.
Furthermore, it is also possible to determine the conversion rate. Google Analytics indicates how many website visitors have carried out the defined action. The success of the website becomes easily measurable. Which goals are defined is entirely up to you and the available features of the tools you use. Let us take blog posts as an example: The goal could be to keep users on one page for as long as possible. The length of stay on a page tells you which topics users find interesting.
Disadvantages can be seen in the limited number of objectives and the limited number of customer reports.
What needs to be considered when setting up and using Analytics?
First of all, you should consider which KPIs and conversions you want to define before getting started with the tool. You might want to start with a rather rough segmentation, although looking at smaller user segments and other details can be very enlightening and valuable for a company.
It is very helpful to create a dashboard that shows the most important KPIs at a glance. Furthermore, we recommend to consider e-commerce tracking as well in order to summarize all important data of an online store.
There is a lot to consider when interpreting the data. Above all, the data volumes and selecting the time periods to be analyzed are decisive. For example, if you want to compare two months, you may need to account for certain events occurring during the months you have selected, such as holidays.
