The Torch

So now that you know how to navigate the dashboard and what the numbers mean for your traffic sources, what’s next? How do you act on this data? Well that is what separates you from your competitors. If you can read the data that Google Analytics gives you and in turn know how to take action on that information, you will succeed! In Part 3, we will explain what some of the steps are to help you do just that.

When looking at the data for your search engine traffic, it is important to analyze the keyword report. This report shows us what visitors are expecting to find in your website. One component of this report, which we explained in Part 1: Navigating the Dashboard, is the bounce rate. Having a high bounce rate means you are failing to meet that expectation. For example, if a visitor typed in “apples” and found your website, because you mention apples a few times, then they would click on your site. But when they get there, your site is actually all about oranges, the visitor would leave your site immediately. Well what does this data tell you? First off, it tells you that your site is ranking for the wrong keyword, and second, it tells you that your visitor did not find what they were expecting, and therefore did not stick around to read more.

It is a good idea to look at your keywords and separate which keywords you were found for organically and which keywords are paid for, as in a PPC campaign. If you look at the bounce rate for the keywords, you can immediately see what needs to be done. Paid keywords used in PPC campaigns with high bounce rates need to be changed. You can change your campaign to include keywords that have a lower bounce rate in order to be successful. You don’t want to spend money on paid keywords that are not converting into sales – that is a waste of money.

For organic keywords that have a high bounce rate, you need to see where that word appears throughout your site and why. Can you change it to something else? Using the keywords report can help you find which keywords are working for you and which are not.

The next thing you want to take a look at is your top landing pages report. Here you can see where visitors are entering your site. Not every person is going to go directly to your homepage. Sometimes you will have pages on your website ranking for keywords that your homepage is not ranking for, and that is normal. This report will help you to find which pages need work. Like keywords, pages with a high bounce rate need to be reworked so visitors stick around. Maybe that page doesn’t have exactly what they need, but you can still draw them in, and entice a visitor to look at another page or fill out a contact form.

Google Analytics can tell you much more too, but the tips in our series on Google Analytics will get you started. Now you can navigate your dashboard, understand your traffic sources, and take action on two of the major components of your website and search engine optimization strategy. And if you still need some assistance, let us know! Our digital marketing team at The Discovery Communications Group can help you and your organization with optimizing your website, creating an internet marketing strategy and monitoring your success.

Written by: Rebecca

Rebecca is the Digital Marketing Specialist at the Discovery Communications Group, and focuses on search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing strategy. Prior to joining the Discovery Communications Group, Rebecca worked as a Human Resources executive at companies such as Sokolove Law, LLC, Staples, Inc. and Dunkin’ Brand. Her passion for technology and using inbound marketing techniques for talent acquisition and employee engagement was the catalyst for her career change into digital marketing. Rebecca is a Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certified Professional and holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from Simmons College. You can reach Rebecca at RebeccaS@discoverycomm.com or call her direct at 603-685-2918, and be sure to follow her on Twitter @RebeccaSlosberg.