#WTF are Google Analytics KPIs (& why you should care!)

I’m sure you’ve heard about the term’s “analytics” and “KPIs” - but you may not know what they mean. So, let’s break these bad boys down…

➡️ Analytics is known as a process in which a computer examines information using mathematical methods in order to find useful patterns: a system for performing analytics on received data. the information that results from this process: This technology provides detailed analytics about campaign reach.

➡️ KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is known as a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective. KPIs provide targets for teams to shoot for, milestones to gauge progress, and insights that help people across the organization make better decisions.

In the realm of digital marketing and online business, data is the king that guides strategic decisions.

Google Analytics - a stellar tool that each business (big or small!) should have - provides a wealth of information about website performance, user behavior, and audience engagement. To effectively measure success and make informed decisions, crafting a well-rounded analytics report with the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is essential.

Let’s break down which Google Analytics KPIs you should start with >

• Website Traffic

  • Sessions > This metric tracks the number of times users engage with your website, providing an overall measure of visitor activity.

  • Users > Represents the total number of unique individuals who visit your site - FYI, a higher user count indicates strong brand reach.

  • Pageviews > Measures the total number of pages viewed - FYI, this helps to show user engagement and how popular your content is!

• Audience Engagement

  • Bounce Rate > Reflects the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page - FYI, a lower bounce rate indicates better engagement.

  • Average Session Duration > Shows how long users spend on your site on average - FYI, longer sessions indicate which of your content is most engaging.

• Traffic Sources

  • Organic Search Traffic > Measures the number of users who find your site through search engines (such as Google!) - FYI, this reflects the effectiveness of your SEO efforts.

  • Referral Traffic > Tracks the number of visitors who arrive at your site from external sources - FYI, this is from places like other websites or social media platforms.

  • Direct Traffic > Represents users who directly type your website URL into their browser or use bookmarks - FYI, this is a reflection of brand recognition (and even customer loyalty!).

• Conversion Metrics

  • Conversion Rate > Calculates the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action - FYI, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

  • Goal Completions > Tracks the number of times users achieve predefined goals on your site - FYI, such as signing up for a newsletter or downloading a resource.

• E-commerce Performance

  • Revenue > Reflects the total monetary value generated from e-commerce transactions on your website.

  • Average Order Value > Calculates the average amount spent per transaction - FYI, this provides insights into customer spending habits for your business.

• User Behavior

  • Exit Pages > Highlights the pages from which users most frequently leave your site - FYI, this helps identify potential issues on your site (or less engaging content).

• Mobile Performance

  • Mobile Traffic > Measures the portion of users accessing your site via mobile devices - FYI, this is *important* for optimizing your site's mobile experience.

• Site Speed

  • Page Load Time > Indicates the time it takes for a page to fully load - FYI, a slow load time can negatively impact user experience and SEO.

• Geographic Insights

  • Location Metrics > Provides information about where your users are located - FYI, this helps you tailor content and marketing strategies accordingly.

• Social Media Impact

  • Social Traffic > Tracks the number of users referred to your site from social media platforms - FYI, this offers insights into your social media marketing effectiveness.

By including these key metrics in your report, you can gain actionable insights into user behavior, audience engagement, and the effectiveness of your online strategies.

Regularly analyzing these KPIs empowers you to make data-driven decisions that optimize your website, enhance user experience, and drive your business towards continued growth and success.

Don’t know where to start with reporting out your analytics and staying on top what’s happening? Download my FREE Google Analytics Report Template to get started today!