As a website owner, it’s important to understand your site’s traffic patterns and behavior in order to make informed decisions about its content and functionality. However, analyzing website traffic can be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to the game. To help you avoid some common mistakes, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 mistakes to avoid when analyzing your website traffic.
1. Focusing solely on pageviews
Pageviews are a good indicator of how many times a page on your site has been viewed, but they don’t tell the whole story. It’s important to look at other metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rate to get a better understanding of how users are interacting with your site. For example, if you have a high bounce rate, it could mean that users aren’t finding what they’re looking for on your site and are leaving quickly.
2. Ignoring mobile traffic
With more and more people browsing the internet on their mobile devices, it’s important to pay attention to how your site performs on mobile. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly and that pages load quickly on mobile devices. You can also use tools like Google Analytics to analyze mobile traffic separately from desktop traffic.
3. Not setting up goals
Goals are a way to track specific actions that users take on your site, such as filling out a contact form or making a purchase. Setting up goals in Google Analytics allows you to track conversions and see how users are interacting with your site. Without goals, it’s difficult to gauge the effectiveness of your site’s content and functionality.
4. Obsessing over vanity metrics
Vanity metrics like social media likes and shares can be enticing, but they don’t necessarily translate to real business results. While it’s important to have a social media presence, don’t get too caught up in the number of likes or followers you have. Instead, focus on how social media is driving traffic to your site and whether or not it’s leading to conversions.
5. Not comparing data over time
Analyzing website traffic should be an ongoing process. It’s important to compare data over time to see how your site is performing and whether or not changes you’ve made have had a positive impact. Without tracking data over time, it’s difficult to make informed decisions about your site’s content and functionality.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be able to get a better understanding of your site’s traffic patterns and behavior. Remember to focus on metrics that matter and to analyze data regularly to make informed decisions about your site’s content and functionality. Happy analyzing!
