If you happened to log into your old Google Analytics 3 account recently, perhaps to briefly to mourn analytics data you could understand, you might have noticed a warning, similar to this: When I first stumbled across it, I ignored it. I knew that the old Google Analytics 3 stopped collecting data months ago, so thought that it had no … Read More
Google Analytics 4 – the most basic introduction to using it
I assume that by now, you’ve at least looked at your Google Analytics 4 account. If you found it a little overwhelming, you’re not alone. And if you mentally filed it under the “get my head around it one day, but not today” category, then I certainly feel your pain. So putting aside my own dislike of the new platform, … Read More
Google Analytics 4 – it’s all about to change
By the second half of 2023, Google Analytics as you know it will die. Sadly that’s not hyperbole. When most people talk about Google Analytics, they’re actually referring to what Google calls Universal Analytics. On July 1st 2023, Universal Analytics will stop processing new data. And there’s nothing that you can do about that. The good news is that it’s … Read More
Sales drop – looking for the reasons in Google Analytics
Most business owners are uncomfortably aware of that feeling you get when your sales are down, but you don’t know why. It’s somewhere between concern and panic, but to stay at the more practical end of the scale, a good starting point is to look in your Google Analytics data. But rather than the standard headless-chicken-blindly-pecking-at-data model (not the best … Read More
Two questions (something for everyone)
Recently, I asked our Google Demystifier subscribers for any Google-related questions you may have that could help your business in 2019. To be honest I didn’t know what to expect in terms of quantity or quality. No offence intended. But I’ve been blown away. They sent some great questions my way, and choosing which to use has been bordering on … Read More
Your website’s organic traffic trends
If I asked you what’s been happening to your organic traffic over the past year or so, would you know the answer? Not just how much traffic you’re getting right now, but how this has changed over time, in terms of quality and quantity? If you don’t know how to find this information, our Google Demystified in two minutes video … Read More
Google are going to kill conversion tracking – here’s why
If you’re spending on AdWords (or other online ads) then you’re probably paying close attention to conversion rates. Doing so is understandable but flawed. And it may be hurting you and also Google. At risk of oversimplifying how conversion tracking works, a person clicks on your ad, a cookie is placed in their browser, and when they buy your product, this registers as a conversion. Voilà . … Read More
Be quiet and let your data talk
Have you ever got carried away with a bad or impractical idea? In the cold light of day, vision and dreams are poor substitutes for facts. It can be painful. Many times this is down to the massive gap that lies between a dream and a plan. One simple and effective way to transform such ideas is to get rid of words and phrases like think, believe, … Read More
Conversion tracking in Google AdWords – a better way
AdWords conversion tracking is dead. No, Google haven’t removed it from AdWords, nor are they phasing it out. Yet. But if you’re using conversion tracking as your sole gauge of success, you’re doing it wrong! Why? Because AdWords conversion tracking is a highly inaccurate indicator; but not a reliable metric. The entire system is based on a cookie, and that cookie might not … Read More
What everybody needs to know about tracking
The era of being able to accurately track your online marketing efforts is over. Or more accurately: the era of thinking you could accurately track your online marketing is over. Only a few years ago, we thought we could track almost every single keyword that was used to find our websites. The reality was that we could track the keywords … Read More
