What are your website\u2019s goals? Google Analytics can help you define and measure your website goals. Whether it is an email / sales lead capture, a document download or an e-commerce transaction, Google Analytics Goal Setting and metrics can measure your site performance.
At its core, a goal is just the page your visitor sees in completing a goal. For example, it could be a specific page on your website that you want the visitor to visit or the page that is displayed when a visitor has completed a process like a download or ecommerce transaction. A goal is literally the URL of a page that visitors see after completing a goal. As Google Analytics counts a successful goal achievement, the goal meter counts each time a pageview for the \u2018goal\u2019 page is hit.
A few things to keep in mind before setting up your goal funnel in Google Analytics:
\u2022 The goal name: specify a name that you will recognize when viewing the goals of your reports. Examples of goal names might include "email sign-up" or "article download\u201d, or \u201cContact us.\u201d
\u2022 Defining the funnel: you can specify up to 10 pages in a defined funnel. In using a funnel to define the goal end results can help you determine where visitors drop out during the path to completing a conversion goal.
\u2022 The goal value: with Google Analytics, you can assign a goal value to calculate goal ROI, value per conversion, and other metrics. A good way to value a goal is to evaluate how often a visitor who reaches the goal becomes a customer. If, for example, you close 10% of people who filled in the "Contact Us" form, and your average transaction is $1000, you might assign $100 to your "Contact Us" goal.
Creating A Google Analytics Goal
Here\u2019s how to get started in setting up a Google Analytics Goal:
\u2022 Under the profile which you will be creating goals, click 'Edit' under the 'Actions' column.
\u2022 Under the 'Goals' section, select one of the 4 sets of goals. Each set contains up to five goals. Click 'Add goal.' You can create up to 20 goals if you use all four sets.
\u2022 Enter an easy-to-recognize name for the goal so that you can easily recognize it when viewing reports.
\u2022 Turn the goal 'On' or 'Off.' In selecting the 'On' position, Google Analytics will track this conversion goal. Turning it 'Off' will only make the goal inactive without deleting it. This is especially ideal if you are running a short-term promotion or time-sensitive campaign.
\u2022 Select the goal's position. The pull-down menu lets you select a goal's position from within a set so that you can control the order in which it appears from the 'Goals' tab in your reports, can move a goal from one position to another within a single set, or move a goal from one set to another set from within the same profile.
\u2022 Decide one of the three types of goals you want. This can be URL Destination, Time on Site, or Pages/Visit. Typically the Destination URL is the page the visitors reaches after completing an action like a download, "Contact Us," thank-you page, or an ecommerce transaction.
\u2022 Once you select the radio button for the goal type, a field for 'Goal Details' should appear.
The Sales Funnel \u2013 Are Your Visitors Following the Path?
For e-commerce sites or sales leads sites, the objective of the site\u2019s sales process should be to drive visitors down a \u201cspecific and intended path\u201d guiding them all the way to end result- a sale or contact information capture.
In creating and leading visitors down a path of pages or steps gives users direction. The direction you provide provides prospects with information in the decision making process. This builds customer rapport which, in turn, builds confidence and leads to more sales.
The purpose of a path or funnel is to provide customers with direction so that they do not aimlessly wander through your site and you miss out because of dissatisfied visitors and lost sales opportunities. If you want them to buy or contact you, you need to take the visitor and lead them by showing them the way.
Google Analytics Funnel tracking is used, then, to measure how effective a particular process is at leading your visitor down an intended path then converting that visitor into a goal - a sale or contact information.
Funnels provide a detailed path analysis, mapping out where in the sales process you have problems or leaks in your sales funnel. Like roadblocks, funnel leakage are pages in the sales cycle where visitors are leaving the sales process or sales steps and preventing your visitors from buying or signing up. Funnels provide a visual roadmap for defining and addressing sections of the site that need adjustment and attention to move more visitors along the sales path. Funnels help focus and refine the sales process and lead to increase the defined goal conversion process as mentioned above in setting up Google Analytics goals.
Contact us today if you need help with Google Analytics consultation for Goal and Funnel set up and implementation of Google Site Analytics.
