Google Analytics: Conversion Goals Tracking
Posted on 09. Dec, 2009 by Franz in Marketing, Web Metrics
Google Analytics is a powerful tool – Everyone can say that and totally mean nothing or someone can say that and totally mean everything. And that ’someone’ could be you.
Conversion goals tracking is one of the best ways to automatically quantify dollar-value goal measures: Which literally means – “Today’s probable sales as per Google Analytics is RMx.yy.” Today, I’m not here to teach you how to set up tracking goals for Google Analytics. I’m telling you how awesome it is.
Where can you find the Goals section?
Where to find Goals Section in Google Analytics
Look to the picture – It shows the main menu of Google Analytics in its daily report.
If you don’t set them up well, data will not be collected for a number of sections, one of which will include goals. Goals are often defined outside of this screen under the “EDIT” section.
For more information on configuring Google Analytics, try their “Help Section”. Warning: Heavy technicalities involved. If you’re unsure of this & that, please seek professional help.
Why bother about Goals?
It’s like playing soccer – Players need to score goals to win the game; businesses need to sell in order to make money. In Google Analytics (seen as a “Tracker”), it helps report how much sales ‘in approximate figure’.
Goals can pretty much tell you how is your site performing in dollar value – So that when you send reports out to non-technical viewers, it’ll be easy for them to pretty much understand how the site is performing.
Let’s take a look at an example by one of our clients:
Google Analytics - Conversion & Goal Values by Hour
When configured, you can break goals down very well: Whether it’s by week, day or hours. I always love to see Goals by Hours. It often tells you where your visitors are at most, and when they convert. By using advanced filters and custom segments, you can further see whether:
- For total visitors of the day, traffic are from Search/Referral/Direct/Other that converts;
- Traffic are converting best at which hour;
- Which day converts better;
- Converting trends by week/day/month;
- Total goal value (means in approximate, how much you’ve made when a visitor completes an action);
- Paid/non-Paid search traffic & how much they’ve converted;
- New/Returning visits to see whether it’s a regular customer or a new one.
And many more.
Conversion Goals
When you measure dollar values (sales), it’s always good to have a base source of sales. In a sentence it means, “5Ws’ of the sales made”. At the same time, it should also be in your mind:
- Search traffic or Direct Traffic or Referral Traffic or other;
- New or Returning Visitor;
- How long before they decide to buy your product;
- How much effort (traffic/content) do I have to put in before I make my sale?
There are so many more questions, variables and factors you need to consider before judging, though. Take the picture below as an example and think about what would you probably need to ask yourself to measure your goals properly.
Conversion Rates - Goals Section of Google Analytics
Goals 3Q
Configuring
Configuring is best left to professionals. You can always consult your analytics professional to help you.
What to look out for?
Always look out for three things: Type of Traffic, Time of Sale (month/week/day/hour) & Conversion Rates. Because these are some of the major information you need to know about; and it helps tell you a bit about if:
- Your PPC/SEO campaigns are working.
- Changes made to your site are converting more sales than usual.
- External factors made (offline ads/radio ads) are working.
- Sales are made within the forecasted ‘most purchased’ period.
Of course, this also boils down to how you plan your marketing campaign.
Average Conversion Rates?
Average conversion rates vary from industry to industry, method of payment, demographics data, trendwave and so forth. So the next time you need to ask that question, you can either Google it or try it yourself. I’d recommend you to try it yourself =)
