This document discusses ways to use Google Analytics to better understand customers, including collecting additional data, analyzing acquisition channels, customer behavior on sites, conversions, and developing a data action strategy. It provides examples of reports and metrics that can provide insights such as assisted conversions, conversion paths, site search, landing pages, and micro and macro conversions. The overall goal is to use analytics to report on data, understand customer journeys more fully, and take action to improve performance.
2. Beyond Analytics
Insight and action are now a bigger
part of SEO than ever before
‘Engagement’ as a non-measurable
ranking factor effects all search result
pages - Pogo sticking
Machine learning algorithms such as
Panda and Penguin are looking for
signs of poor user journeys
As SEOs / Marketers we need to:
Report > Understand > Action
@epiphanysearch
3. What are we covering?
A lot!
Ways to find answers to questions – quickly
Analytics ABCs
Analytics Ds
• Assisted conversions
• Conversion paths
• Data enrichment
• Data import
• Demographic reports
• Enhanced ecommerce
• Exit pages
• Interaction events
• Landing pages
• Micro conversion reporting
• Multi-channel funnels
• Offline data
• Sequences
• Site search
• User id
• YouTube tracking
@epiphanysearch
4. CRM / CMS data into GA
• Data Import:
– Campaign
– Cost
– Content
– Product
– Refund
– User
– Custom
• Offline Data Collection
– In store activity
– Offline conversion tracking
GA data into CRM / CMS
• User ID:
– Personalisation
– Cross Device
– Multi Session
– User Count
Data Enrichment
@epiphanysearch
6. Assisted Conversions
Attribution is a hot topic but getting
started can be daunting & challenging
Before models start using assisted
conversions in marketing reports
Shows the impact a channel plays in
the conversion funnel
Standard report – easily customised to
be more insightful
@epiphanysearch
7. Assisted Conversions
A little customisation allows for
separation of brand / non-brand (ppc
only), social channels, etc
1. Identifies channels your
customers interact with that don’t
‘close’ sales
2. Shows which channels may be
more valuable than you thought
A conversion path report lets you
visualise how this channel behaves
@epiphanysearch
8. Top Conversion Paths
The report visualises where a channel
sits in the conversion journey
In this real example we were asked to
analyse ‘Cashback Sites’ performance
In the top conversion paths only 1
instance shows a site introducing a
customer
1. Identify how customers use a
channel
2. Change the messaging of a
channel to match or alter the
journey
@epiphanysearch
9. Multi Channel Funnels
1. Analyse customer paths away from last click
attribution
2. Do user segments behave differently
depending on how they are acquired?
3. Determine high & low value conversion
journeys
4. Layer with CRM data and attribution models
for full effect
11. Site Search
1. Analyse how different segments
use site search
2. Which searches prompt
refinements?
3. Identify high value searches
4. Search terms can feed into SEO &
PPC strategies
5. Search terms feed content ideas /
identify product opportunities
@epiphanysearch
12. Exit Rates
1. Analyse where different segments
leave your site
2. Are there high value pages with
high exit rates
3. Identify pages with low exit rates
and analyse content
4. Analyse customer vs non-
customer behaviour
@epiphanysearch
13. Landing Pages
1. Identify where customers start
their journeys – not everyone
comes through your homepage
2. Where do high value or low value
customers enter
3. Are there any pages that don’t
work?
4. Grouping pages can help identify
performance opportunities
@epiphanysearch
14. Enhanced Ecommerce
1. Discover products regularly added
to cart but not purchased
2. Analyse high ‘add to cart’ product
pages
3. Use segments to discover pain
points through the purchase
process
@epiphanysearch
15. YouTube Tracking
Tracking YouTube videos has gotten much
easier.
Still requires JS inserting into the site
Set as a goal for maximum reporting
1. Are videos a positive part of the user
journey?
2. Which videos have an impact?
3. Do users get part way through a video
and then exit?
http://bit.ly/SwWiim
16. Interaction Tracking
By firing events based on time on page
you can develop a TRUE bounce rate
1. Allows for the identification of
engaged pages
2. What type of content gets good
engagement
3. Which pages do users not engage
with?
@epiphanysearch
18. Micro & Macro Conversions
1. Analyse customer behaviour
outside of the ultimate goal
2. Add context to exits, PDF
downloads, video plays
3. Use session stitching to analyse
the influence of email sign ups,
video views
4. Drive micro conversions to
increase macro conversions
@epiphanysearch
19. Goal Sequencing
Hugely valuable way of segmenting
users
1. Used to identify how valuable an
action is to a user journey
2. Use to show micro conversions
role in a purchase
3. Able to segment at a user and
session level
@epiphanysearch
21. Demographic Reporting
1. Analyse behaviour based on age /
gender group
2. Analyse behaviour based on
affinity / interest categories
3. Identify under / over performing
segments of user base
4. Integrate with display / remarking
strategy to target high value
groups with tailored messaging
@epiphanysearch
22. Who does Google think I am?
Google creates a profile based on your
Google account along with the
websites you visit
Visit:
http://bit.ly/1DycpBO
https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb
@epiphanysearch
23. Data Import
Google provides an ability to import
data easily
Done using a spreadsheet it can
provide additional context and data
points to filter on
24. User ID
Having some way of user identification will allow for
session stitching
Sending your own user ID into GA is easy
Gain access to new cross-device
reports
Understand a truer value of mobile
25. Offline Data
1. Pushing offline data into GA helps
build a complete user picture
2. Storing the GA Client ID against a
user record is step 1
3. Allows you to build the online to
offline, cross device and multi
channel picture
GA1.3.2125527256.1428145747
27. Data Collection Strategy
1. Have one!
What do you track?
Why do you track it?
What does it show?
2. Concentrate on quality over quantity
3. Google releases features regularly, use
Google Tag Manager
4. Have a data action strategy
@epiphanysearch
30. Full customer picture
There’s no single report to answer all
your questions
Consumer journeys are more complex
than ever
Combining all these reports plus your
own data will help you build a full
customer picture
People aren’t the same so don’t forget
to segment
This data will help you to Report >
Understand > Action
@epiphanysearch