Skillshop Recap: Analyze This

by Brittany Klotzbach

“Google Analytics” is a familiar term in the marketing industry, but what does it even mean? This past Tuesday, Brett Perla from Crowley Webb, an expert on this topic, dropped some analytic knowledge on a group of twenty curious students. This course was a 101 level tutorial on the basics, associated terms, and importance of Google Analytics.

Although there are several different website analysis resources, Google Analytics is free and user-friendly which was why this was the focus during this skillshop. Brett began the lesson by teaching us how to create an account, and then led us through the entire process of loading our website information and learning how to utilize this tool to get a good glance of user interaction with a website. The ultimate goal is to make sure your website is working in an optimum way. Brett was very thorough in defining the various associated terms (i.e. session, users, new users, bounce rates, etc.). During this terminology lesson, I specifically learned that a session is a visit; users refer to unique visits; and bounce rates refer to when a user does not engage with the site during their visit.

Brett also showed us the various ways you can run reporting. The main tracking for reporting, which you can set to run a report at any time-period, includes audience, acquisition, behavior, and conversion. Your audience reporting would focus on demographic statistics or geographic locations; this helps determine who your users are that are going to your website. AdWords are another reporting function to help create a robust search for knowing what keywords on your site best trigger interaction. The behavior reporting tracks interaction on the website and the functions or pages within the website that are most effective. Lastly, conversion refers to significant interaction or deeper action on the website. This includes a goal for the final destination on the website (cart check-out, “contact us” page, etc.), as well as tracking duration someone is on your website.

This member-only event was our initial Skillshop of the season, and I can say as one of the attendees that I certainly learned a lot in a short period of time. Since I do not often work on digital projects, it was a fresh perspective on the importance of website tracking and how companies are constantly reviewing statics about their website through analytic programs to enhance user experience.