How effectively are you using Google Analytics? – DARA FITZGERALD| DMR #176

Today I’m joined by an experienced trainer and conference speaker who specialises in providing Google Analytics consultancy and services.
Welcome to DMR, Dara Fitzgerald. [You can find Dara over at MeasureLab.co.uk.]

How effectively are you using Google Analytics? - DARA FITZGERALD
How effectively are you using Google Analytics? – DARA FITZGERALD

On this episode of Digital Marketing Radio we discuss “How effectively are you using Google Analytics?”, with topics including:

  • Is Google Analytics the right analytics software for the majority of businesses?
  • How many businesses don’t even have their GA scripts installed correctly?
  • Is it always best to use Google Tag Manager to install the script?
  • What other things need to be done in the set-up process to take full advantage of all the reports that Google Analytics can offer?
  • Is it / why is it important to set up Search Console data sharing?
  • If you haven’t got a lot of time, what are some of the reports that you need to be aware of?
  • Is it important to set up email reports? If so, what should be included in that?
  • The first thing that you see in the menu is Intelligence Events – how does that differ to Goals?
  • Something else I see in the Audience section is ‘Cohort Analysis’ – what’s that about?
  • What useful features do people tend not to use?

Software I couldn’t live without

What software do you currently use in your business that if someone took away from you, it would significantly impact your marketing success?

Slack [Internal team chat]

MyMeasureLab [Internal tool]

GoSquared [Live chat for business]

What software don’t you use, but you’ve heard good things about, and you’ve intended to try at some point in the near future?

Audience Centre 360 & Attribution 360 [Google Analytics 360 Suite]

My number 1 takeaway

What’s the single most important step from our discussion that our listeners need to take away and implement in their businesses?

A lot of businesses aren’t using the full functionality in the very powerful free version of Google Analytics. Push Google Analytics harder for your business. Don’t just rely on the out-of-the-box solution. Make sure that you’re fully aware of all of the features that are available. Pick the ones that are most relevant to your business. And make sure that you’ve got them implemented correctly. And that you’re actually using the data effectively as well. There’s no point in adding extra data if you can’t use it. Focus in on whatever reports are right for your business, then make sure that you have somebody or some people who can effectively use that data and actually drive improvement – because that’s what it’s all about.