Analytics and Affogatos


     Over the past few months, we've talked about a lot of different digital and social media marketing concepts. From graphic design, to emails, to SEO-- the list goes on. But, how do you know if any of these things that you're putting your time and effort into are actually worth it? How can you tell if they're working, or if you want to continue using them? Intro: Google Analytics, a digital marketer's best friend. If you've never heard of it before, that's okay! I'll tell you a little bit about it after this coffee break, when I make one of my very favorites. If you've never had an affogato before, but love ice cream, then this might just be what you've been looking for all of your life.


     Its divine, right? While you're enjoying that, let me break down Google Analytics for you. GA is a marketing tool through Google that, according to Hubspot's Aja Frost, "integrates with Google's marketing and advertising platforms and products (including Google Ads, Search Console, and Data Studio) making it a popular choice for anyone using multiple Google tools." There are both free and paid options, making it accessible to everyone from beginners and small businesses, to experts and franchises. Essentially, Google Analytics is a one-stop shop for all of your traffic needs, whether you're looking at subscribers, followers, or general visitor data. Even back in my blogging days of 2012, Google Analytics was the place to go to figure out how well your digital marketing was going. So, set up a Google account for your business, fit with a Gmail, and go to Google Analytics. Then, keep scrolling to read my top three tips and tricks for using GA to the most advantage. 



Tip Number One
    Set up each part of your Google Analytics account, even down to the most minute of details. I know, I know, I don't have to tell you this. But Analytics set up is a time consuming set up process-- in fact, Hubspot's Aja Frost says, "If you want a lot of data — and more importantly, have the time and ability to analyze and act on it — GA is a great fit."--, but the only way to maximize the effectiveness of any program is to fill in all the blanks, cross all the Ts, and dot all the Is, so that the program can do what its meant to do in the most efficient way. You will need to add property names, data streams, tracking codes, and more, all of which you will be prompted to do, but its also a one-time set up program.

  


Tip Number Two
    Take advantage of the Segment function. Aja Frost from Hubspot says, "A segment is a subset of your data. I like to picture an entire pizza made up of all different slices — one slice has pesto and mozzarella, another has sausages and spicy peppers, another has ham and pineapple, and so on. Metaphorically speaking, each slice is a segment." Another way to think of segments is like different categories of data to track. For example, a few common Segments include Users, Sessions, and Hits. Using segments properly means having all of the information about, say, Users, collected into one area for your viewing and analyzing pleasure. You are able to create, add, and delete segments as you like, according to what data you wish to view in your GA.

Tip Number Three
    Set aside time to research the different kinds of reports you can view in Analytics. GA has the capability to run many different types of reports, such as Real-Time, Audience, and Lifetime Value (among many others). In fact, Hubspot's Aja Frost tells us that "There are five primary reports available in Google Analytics that can give you insight into your website's performance." Your business, your goals, how you wish to use Analytics-- these are all things that will affect the types of reports you want to view, and the best person to make the decision on that is you. 

     Now that you've been given a little intro to Google Analytics, its time for you to get that account created, begin exploring Analytics, and begin raking in all of the traffic and data information your brand could possibly need. And hopefully, you've gotten to taste yet another delicious coffee, because I'm not sure if any recipe can top an affogato-- except maybe switching out my vanilla ice cream for chocolate.

Thanks for Reading,
The Caffeinated College Student

 

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