Analytics tips for All Occasions

How do YOU measure up?

Over the last 6 months of writing the SEO Geeks newsletter I’ve been collecting a wide variety of posts dealing with web analytics… Just for fun, I thought to wrap them all up, with some that didn’t make it into the newsletter (gotta’ spread the luv, oui mon ami?) and post them in one place for everyone…

Analytics have always been important and personally, always been fascinating (even before my SEO addiction). Like playing an instrument, it can seem cumbersome at first. But once you become one with the instrument, more beauty emerges. So for me there is a real sense of intimacy to be had with site visitors by looking at the analytics.

Anyway…rambling… away we go...

Getting started;

Google Analytics – for starters, you should consider attending Conversion University: and the when yer ready - take the test

• Guide to Google Analytics, Part I, II, III, and IV – a good series of posts for those getting the basics down.
• Google Analytics for Beginners  - Another good starter post
• Web Analytics Demystified – a good overview from Avinash for anyone getting into the swing with analytics and data analysis
• Understanding direct visits in Google Analytics – VKI Studios looks at getting a better understanding of direct visit data.
• 5 fast and easy reports to optimize your site – a good starter guide and some of the basics from Web Analytics World

Stepping it up

After we get past some of the fundamentals it's time to play with some of the more interesting applications for your metrics madness...

• Capturing demographics data in GA – Web Analytics World is back once more with a great post on getting at demo data…
• Viewing you’re a/B experiments in GA – just like the name suggests, working with A/B testing from ROI Revolution
• How to set up a GA IP filter – the gang at the Daily SEO Tip shows how to isolate IPs.
• Measuring Your Marketing: Campaign Tracking via Google Analytic – Jill Whalen digs into tracking applications for GA.
• Share Customizations and Dive Much Deeper, Available Soon – Google Analytics Blog
• Google Analytics API – some goodies for the new API from the Search Engine Optimization Journal
• 10 Must track Google Analytics goals - this one is just like the title says. Learn to use these weapons from Web Analytics World well.
• Google Analytics Tagging Demystified – a good guide to tagging in GA (Conversation Marketing)
• Goal Setting Example with Google Analytics – A guide from a Trail guest post alumni, Marshall Sponder
  
• Tracking social networks with Google Analytics using filters – just like the name suggests, setting up filters for social.
  
  

Advanced Segments and Custom reports

Another good area, though we're a tad light, are the additions this year of advanced segments and custom reporting in Google Analytics...

• Isolate your Google analytics data by Advanced Segments – info on a video from the GA team via Web Analytics World
• Google Analytics and User Defined Reports - Web Analytics world looks at user defined reports and what’s under the hood at GA.
• Google Analytics Releases Advanced Segmentation: Now Be A Ninja! – Avinash looks at using the advanced segments.
  

Analytics for Search Geeks

And of course where would we be without hitting some of the SEO related posts for analytics?

• Keyword funnel tracking with Google Analytics – Patrick Altoft over at Blogstorm digs into fennel tracking with user defined variables.
• Second page keyword targeting – a good post for link builders; mining data using Google analytics.
• Monitor your rankings – Patrick is back with this great post for using Google Analytics advanced filter segmentation (BlogStorm)
• Google’s Search Based Keyword Tool: Monetize The Long Tail of Search – Avinash gives some good pointers on using Google tools for long tail research.
• Using analytics to measure SEO success – Jill is back, on Search Engine Land this time, with her ‘forget the rankings, track the truth’ boondoggle (srry, couldn’t help myself) and cuts trough the mist about useless SERP positions.
• Track SEO rankings with Google Analytics - has a cool filter to better track the actual rankings of a referrer, (this one from Joost is cool too!).

On the Trail;

Google Analytics for SEOs - Part I - Part II - Part III

Conceptualizing Analytics

These ones are to start thinking outside the box with your analytics mind…

• Barriers affecting web measurement strategy solutions – Avinash discusses some of the road blocks to be had with one’s analytics strategy.s
• Concepts of velocity in web analytics – Gary at SEM Angel looks at velocity concepts and change rates can affect perceptions.
• Google Analytics Myths – a good top 10 list of things to watch for from John Andrews.
• Slay The Analytics Data Quality Dragon & Win Your HiPPO’s Love! - Tips and best practices to overcome the web metrics data quality challenge from Avinash.

Analytics on Video

Just for fun I thought to add a section for those of you into the visual arts (many of which came from the Dojo Video Section)

And there you have it…. Hopefully there was something for everyone and just in case yer still wanting some more goodiness… some further reading -

More Resources

Here’s some more reading that I dug up while putting the post together… just to keep ya busy :0)

30+ Google Analytics Tools, Goals, Segments, Filters, Hacks & Resources - SE Optimise
The Huge Collection of Google Analytics Tips – Search Engine Journal
Google Analytics Plugins, Hacks and Tips Collection – GrokDotCOm
8 Awesome Google Analytics Hacks, Tips and Tricks - Search Light
7 Advanced Google Analytics Tricks – Davici Planet
The Missing Google Analytics Manual – GrokDotCom
Resources for learning Google Analytics - Lunametrics

Enjoy!

(and be sure to get hooked up with the SEO Geeks Newsletter - of course :0)