Track Your SEM with Analytics
 by Mattya56
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06-24-2007
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Be Smart, Track It
The most important question any internet marketer will ask themself is, "Will all this hard work pay off?" We'd like you to take that question one step further with, "If this doesn't work, how can I fix it?" If you're not asking that of yourself, you better believe the upper brass at your company will. You'll need to show them that the hard work you're putting into your company's Web site is paying off. Or if it isn't working, what steps you can take to fix it. That's exactly what analytics do for you, they show you exactly what's working and what isn't. You can gain valuable insight into the way surfers view and navigate your Web site. Analytics will tell you where you are losing customers, as well as any issues surfers may be having with the conversion process; i.e. where they are bailing on the way to conversion. It's really sweet technology. If you aren't using it currently, you should be ASAP.
Why Analytics?
Well, I think that's a very simple question to answer. You need analytics because you NEED to know how well your SEM/SEO and Persuasive Architecture is functioning. If not for your own pocket (if you own your own Web site) but for the benefit of your employer. I would be very surprised to find, in this day and age, a single outside SEO that is not using some kind of tracking application. If the pros are using, don't you think you should too?
One great reason to use analytics is that they are so simple to use. They can be set up quickly, and reading your analytics reports takes only a few minutes each day. You won't want to jump to quick conclusions, instead you should opt to track your Web site over a specific period of time (keeping in mind that most businesses have seasonality) to determine the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of your current strategy.
Google Analytics
This free application is really a no-brainer. If you don't already know more than 60% of all search is conducted through Google. If you have ads running in AdWords you can even use Google Analytics to determine how effective the copy you have written is in terms of brining qualified users to your Web site. Google Analytics can also help you track how users are coming to your site by telling you what sites they were visiting prior to landing on yours. One of the most valuable applications in Google Analytics is its ability to tell you the "hot spots" on your site. It will show you how "hot" certain areas of your site are, enabling you to restructure your site rapidly to take advantage of your visitors' clicking patterns. Google Analytics also has your run of the mill reports like how many people are visiting your site, their geo-specific location and other helpful information. You can get started with Google Analytics at www.google.com/analytics/
Yahoo! Analytics
Like Google Analytics, Yahoo! Analytics is a must have. Together, Yahoo! and Google make up nearly 90% of all search traffic. Like Google's application, Yahoo! Analytics are freeware and can help you determine the efficacy of your ads running on Yahoo!. Yahoo! Analytics will also help you determine where users are coming from and the most clicked links on your page.
