Thursday, March 5, 2009

Google Analytics: What it is and how to use it

For the record: I am still shunning Wyoming. Wyoming, you know why. I've got my eye on you...

But aside from That State I Am Shunning Which Is Being Replaced With France (bonjour!), a couple of you asked how to use Google Analytics. I've had so much fun with it, that I thought I'd share.

  1. Go to Google Analytics and create an account.
  2. Follow their step-by-step guide to get your blog/website/etc. into their program. This will require a few cumbersome steps, so set aside some time to do this. I also recommend their help pages--easy to understand if you get yourself in a corner. [Look, I'm kind of a do it as you go, who needs an instructional manual anyway? kind of girl. But if you'd like more of a step-by-step guide, then check here.]
  3. It'll take about a day for everything to start being processed correctly. Be patient.
  4. Once your site is being tracked properly by GA, on the front page you will find several kinds of information.
So, you've set up an account, and it's working properly. Click on "View Report" after you log in. Here's what you're looking for:
  1. The line graph on the top. This shows your blog traffic for any given day. It can help you see which day's post is the most popular...and once you know what your reader wants, you're better prepared to provide them with it.
  2. Under the chart: Site Usage. I don't like numbers and ignore that part
  3. Under that: Visitor Overview. That will tell you how many people have actually visited your blog (as opposed to Pageviews, which tells you how many times your page has been loaded. I could load my page 10 times, and that's 1 Visit and 10 Pageviews...Visitor Overview gives you an accurate idea of the number of visitors). If you click on the "Visitor Overview" link, you can see a graph with the info on it--you want to see "Absolute Unique Visitors" for your visitor count. I use this in my query letter. I have very very little by way of bio, and so I added a line in the bio section along the lines of "I also run a blog for writers about MG and YA literature that has recieved nearly a thousand visitors."
  4. Underneath that: Map Overlay. I just find it fun. Click on the map and you can see where people who visit your site are from. For example, someone in Uganda once clicked on my site. Wow.
  5. I also click on the nagation bar on the left and look at new vs. returning visitors, just to get a sense of it, and sometimes traffic source (i.e. referring sites vs. direct sites).
  6. Content Overview tells you which posts of yours have been the most popular.
  7. On the navigation bar, under traffic sources, I will sometimes check the referring sites--just to get an idea of who's linked me (so I can share the linky love).
So...what have you used Google Analytics for?

11 comments:

Kelly H-Y said...

Oh my goodness, I had no idea ... I've got to go check this out! Thanks for the heads-up!

holly cupala said...

Hi, Beth,
I'm very flattered to be on your blog roll and am glad to meet a fellow kidlit gal! Best wishes with your fantasies - I can't wait to read them.
Holly

PJ Hoover said...

I've been using Stat Counter. It seems to do the same things you mention. I like to see referring links as it helps me know what seems to make the most impact.

Davin Malasarn said...

Beth, this is so great. Thank you very much for taking the time to write all this out. I appreciate it and I'm sure a lot of other folks will too. I love that Google has so many cool tools available.

Davin

Carrie Harris said...

I'm with PJ: I also use Stat Counter, and for the same reason. Referring links are the first thing I check. If someone's linked me, I want to go over there and comment on their blog!

lotusgirl said...

After your blog post yesterday I googled it and uploaded it. I'm still in the first 24 hours, but should be tracking soon. Yea! I had a hard time figuring out what they meant by --body> but I finally found the explanation for that and was on my way. If any of you do this and have trouble with that, there is a link at the bottom of the helps specifically for that. Thanks for the heads up, Beth.

Angela Ackerman said...

I like google analytics--I just wish it showed me info for the life of the blog, not just since uploading it, but oh well--still very very useful. Do you know anything about the 'bounce rate'? I can't figure out what number is a good average. I know it would be different if I had ads, but I don't.

Michelle D. Argyle said...

This sounds great. I use a tracker, but this one sounds better. :)

Pen Pen said...

Tracking this stuff is awesome - I use site meter and u can see what time of day people come onto ur blog and which post was most viewed! SO helpful!

Unknown said...

Hey everyone--I'm really glad you guys found this helpful! Let me know if there's any other techy posts you'd like...I try to keep up with the latest.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Beth. My wordpress gives me some of this, but as far as I know, not a map. I want that map. I think this is going to be my reward the day after I send out my last chapters to the editor! Tea, a scone, and setting up my account! :)