Analytics mistakes can cost you a lot of time and energy. And do you know what the worst feeling is?
It is to realize that the time you spent intently analyzing your website marketing data was faulty. And that is why it didn’t yield the desired result you were expecting.
It can be exasperating, and most people give up pretty quickly, but not anymore! In this article, you will get a vivid idea of the seven web analytics mistakes that must be avoided at any cost.
- Visits and views are two different things
A visit happens when a visitor clicks an external URL. If a person is inactive for at least 30 minutes after visiting a website or leaves a domain altogether, the visit ends right there. A page view happens when a browser loads and reloads a page repeatedly. For instance, if a visitor enters your website and visits six pages before leaving the domain, it will be counted as one visit and six views. A clear-cut understanding of the views and visits can help you with correct website data analysis. You can check any websites traffic for free and implement the gathered data to your advantage.
- Low numbers? Don’t be disappointed
A low number of “unsubscribes” from your mailer means people are connecting with your content more. If the customer acquisition cost decreases, it means your marketing strategy is on the right track. So, you do not need to spend big bucks for achieving satisfactory results. So, low numbers do not always mean you are doing something wrong. Sometimes, low numbers can showcase which marketing channel is not working for you. This way, you can work on the weaknesses and put in the correct effort wherever necessary.
- Unrelated growth or fall can be misleading
Two different search terms or metrics can have the same growth or falling pattern, yet they may not be related at all. We might be lured to find a relation, but that can be faulty. So, two metrics that grow or fall might have absolutely opposite meanings. Beware of the assumptions.
- Are you clubbing all traffic together? Avoid it
Always try to classify the source of organic traffic generation because traffic may be generated from numerous channels such as direct traffics, search results, email marketing, paid promotion, and more. Be prompt to identify the source of the traffic. The particulars will provide you with a better idea of where you should put in your efforts or money. For example, if your email marketing is performing better, you will be able to concentrate there. Basically, if you are looking for a better conversion rate, you’ve got to use the specifics judiciously.
- Leads and MQLs are different, so don’t be confused
Suppose you are marketing a particular product or service through various channels like emails, PPCs, social media platforms, and an individual comes in asking about your product arbitrarily, consider him a lead. You can go on to show him your catalog of products or services. On the other hand, a marketing qualified lead is an individual who is focused and shows purchasing interest in a particular product or service that you are selling. The marketing strategy you develop to nurture a lead and an MQL will be different.
- Are you counting internal website visits? You need to stop it
Many people from your company might visit the website, stop counting them. Most of your employees looking at specific pages of your website will be direct traffic because they know what they want. You can avoid it by not including your IP address.
- Do not confuse UX issues with a higher engagement rate
Chances are your customer might be spending more time on your website because they might be facing challenges finding what they are looking for. You might have severe UX issues that can leave your customer utterly frustrated. Hence, use your foresight and do not think your customers are engaging with the content. To be on the safe side, test the UX at regular intervals. Check whether people are actually connecting with the content or just wandering from page to page like a headless chicken. Poor UX can keep you from getting potential leads and hamper the conversion rate.