When frustrated car owners need help, what’s the first place they turn to? That’s right, Google. A web presence is a big part of operating a successful auto shop, but simply setting up a website and assuming the rest will take care of itself isn’t good enough. In order to truly understand the impact of your website, the business it draws in, and the ways in which you can improve, tracking who visits your website, what they visit, and how they got there can be exceedingly valuable. Google Analytics is among the most common tools for digital marketers, collecting and displaying the important statistics you need to know.

What Is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a powerful free analytics tool used by millions of small to mid-sized business around the world. It provides an in-depth and user friendly way to track web traffic and monitor site interactions. Among other important statistics, Google Analytics provides insight into web traffic, site searches, and visit duration, offering a unique perspective into what your customers find valuable.

With the kinds of metrics Google Analytics tracks, businesses have the ability to evaluate SEO effectiveness, explore what information your customers want to see, and even see detail into how customers are making their way to your page. Boasting a comprehensive dashboard designed to facilitate digital marketing even for those without expert-level knowledge, Google Analytics puts the data you need directly at your fingertips.

Why Should You Track Website Visitors?

Tracking your website traffic can clarify a lot about your marketing techniques, helping you better understand the mind of the average consumer. Tracking website traffic goes beyond tracking the number of visitors who come to your page; when used properly, website traffic metrics can help you evaluate the effectiveness of your content marketing, social media campaigns, and, of course, your website as a whole.

Monitoring website traffic provides insight into many different points that can impact your approach to building a web presence, including where your visitors are coming from, what keywords they use to search for you, where they click, and what they read. This information can be an asset in many ways, highlighting areas of both strength and weakness in your marketing campaigns.

How Can You Utilize Web Traffic Metrics?

You have Google Analytics and have access to significant data regarding your web traffic, but now what?

A big part of using Google Analytics is interpreting and applying what the metrics have to say. For example, if 90% of your traffic comes from Google searches and only 10% originates from your Facebook ad campaigns, this indicates that your targeted marketing strategies may need some refining. Alternately, if most of your traffic comes from social media and virtually none is linked to organic searches, you may need to enhance your SEO practices. How you choose to utilize what Google Analytics reveals will depend entirely on how your website is performing, but making the most of what you’re learning is a big part of managing an effective site.

As a free tool for small businesses, Google Analytics has a lot to offer, giving you a way to track and measure website traffic in order to provide better visibility into website performance. By learning what web traffic metrics can tell you and how to use them to better your business, you’ll have the information you need to make your web presence as effective as possible.

If your auto shop needs help with Google Analytics, give CarCareCONNECT a call!