Skip to content

Clients

Home

Website Guide

Get to know Google Analytics

July 12, 2010 by mtbuck

You need to know Google Analytics.  Google is so much more than just a wonderful search engine. Everytime someone searches on Google, the company is collecting data on how the search went and what people chose to click on. If you are not familiar with Google Analytics you will be amazed with how much amazing information Google collects... about your website and the people that visit it.  What is even more amazing is that they allow you to view all this data for free!

  1. Set up a "Google Analytics Account."  It is free.  
  2. You will need to "Add a website profile" for google to track. Google will give you a line of code to place onto your website page.  Since it is programing code, it will load when your page loads, but it won't actually display on your website.  For clients of ASL Web Design, we've already done step 2 for you.... you're welcome!
  3. Play the waiting game.  There really isn't anything to do but wait for a little while for Google to collect data of people visiting your website. Google will count the number of visitors, determine if they are a new or returning visitor, count how many pages they visited, time how long they spend on your website, check to see where they are from, and much, much more.  It truly is unreal how much data is collected.
  4. Set up a scheduled time to check your Google Analytic data.  I'd suggest checking it monthly.  It is fun to see how many visitor your site received over the month and where they are from.  
  5. Now for the hard part... what to do with all this data and how to determine what is most helpful...

Well, we hate to leave you hanging at this point, but you need to take one step at a time.  So start here by creating your account and well post soon about the data and reports that we find most helpful.
 
 

Realistic expectations of your website and web crew

May 22, 2010 by mtbuck

Most people agree that a website is important in today's world.  However, not everyone has realistic expectations of what to expect from their website.  

The Website:

Unfortunately, websites do take time.  Probably more time than you might first expect.  Many people think that all they need is to create a great website... and then they're done.  It just isn't that easy - and if someone tells you it is, they'll be setting you and your website up for failure.  The trick to making a website work, is having good expectations, good goals and a good plan on how to realistically put as little time into the website as possible (but still enough time to make the site successful). How much time is needed really depends on your website's goals. Check out our website goal questionnaire - it might help you determine some good goals for your website.

The Web Crew:

You're busy and you don't have a whole lot of extra time, that's part of the reason why you hired a web crew.  The other reason is that while you know your business, HTML (website programing language)  isn't  your area of expertise. Did your web crew discuss what they will do AND then explain what you need to do? Hopefully that's been made clear, because you need to be involved with your website.  Even if the web crew knows quite a bit about your company, unless they are involved with the day-to-day activities they won't be able to "add" value to the website.  The web crew should be hired to create the website and offer advice on how to improve the site. The web crew won't know exactly what "content" to put on your website.  They aren't speaking with your customers everyday. They aren't involved with the "new" product you have or the "new" happenings in your industry.  So while it is important that the web crew create a great website, it is unrealistic for them to add that appropriate content that goes into your website. You need to do that part.

Myth: Websites will draw traffic automatically.

Many people think that by creating a website, that it will draw new people to their website and business.  It doesn't without work. There are millions - many many millions of websites on the internet.  So by simply "creating a website" doesn't actually do a whole lot for drawing "new" customers to your business.  It might help people find you that are already aware of your business... but even that is not a guarantee.  There are many strategies for creating "successful" websites... which is what this page is all about.  Helping you determine what you can do to make your website more successful.  We'll continue to post some tips and advice that you (the business owner) can do to improve your website.  Just remember, you need to start by having goals and realistic expectations of your website... and then it takes some of your time (or an employee of yours that is involved with the day-to-day happenings of your company).