When running your own small business, it important to be able to communicate about the products and services that you are selling. In order to expand your growing business, you need to develop a marketing strategy. In today’s modern society, technology is a consistent platform for growing businesses to expand. Now more than ever, it is necessary to understand how to target your audience and drive traffic to your business’s website.
Although hiring a marketing specialist may not always be feasible, you can still make the most of your website, without spending a tremendous amount of time learning and understanding the analytics behind it. Google has developed a free web-based platform, called Google Analytics, which is ideal for small businesses. Simply by creating a login, you will be the marketing expert at the office in no time with access to how-to videos and step-by-step instructions at your disposal. You will have the tools necessary to improve patient retention as well as the opportunity to expand your business.
Google Analytics provides a wide range of reports, from general reports, like the number of visitors to your online site, to comprehensive reports, such as targeting information based on specific dates. Easy to read reports enhance your understanding of audience and visitor traffic, and it allows you to target the more successful methods of reaching out to your audience, by analyzing online traffic and the number of return visits.
On these reports, businesses can view what operating system and Internet browser their visitors use to access their website. For example, some browsers, like Google Chrome or Mozilla, are generally more user-friendly and are easier to navigate. While other web browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Safari, are limited with displaying web features. You can also keep track of visitors accessing your website with their tablet or smartphone. With that information, you can then decide if you need to troubleshoot your website or even develop a mobile site to make it easy for your audience to find your practice and access your website.
Google Analytics can also filter your audience, reporting what does and does not interest your audience. You track what your audience is clicking away from and what keywords they are searching on your site. It also provides a “Bounce Rate” report, which accounts for visitors that navigate away from your website without clicking to another page. The lower the Bounce Rate, the better your quality traffic, meaning that visitors are interested in what your site has to offer to them. Although the number of hits to a site are important, a business needs to make sure that their website makes an impression to their visitors.
A counter is also available to track the number of pages visitors click on while they are on your website. Google can also run a “Depth of Visit" report, which accounts how many pages visitors are viewing on your site. If the majority of visitors are not clicking around your website and viewing different pages, you may want to discuss reorganizing your content of to make it easier for them to explore the ins and outs of your site.
Managing and running a small business is not always smooth and easy, and Google Analytics understands the importance of celebrating with your small business when reaching milestones as it continues to grow. It will notify you when your website achieves victories, like reaching 100,000 clicks on your website.
As is every small business, you are a wearer of many hats, and with the free help of Google Analytics, you can sharpen your marketing skills, be the mastermind behind your office's analytics report, and continue to expand your business.