Google Analytics is a powerful tool for monitoring and reporting on your web site activity. It’s easy to install. There are lots of reports on Visitors, Traffic and Content activity. And even cooler reports on geotargeting, conversion funnels and on-the-fly visitor segmentation. Don’t forget the integration with AdWords too! In fact there is so much you can do in Google Analytics – you can forget the purpose for installing it: measuring the success of your web marketing plans.

I recently gave a presentation on using Google Analytics to a group of hospital marketers. The health care industry is increasing its online marketing efforts, and these marketers were looking for ways to report on their online tactics and the results they were achieving. But they were overwhelmed with the possibilities available when using Google Analytics.

This presentation focused in on three key areas for analytic reporting: (with apologies to Steven Covey)

1. Begin with the End in Mind
First, what business goals are your meeting in your online marketing plan? Look at four key areas:

• Reach
• Acquisition
• Conversion
• Retention

Second, develop key performance indicators (KPI) to ensure consistent reporting. KPIs provide you measurable data to align to your organization’s long-term and short-term goals.

2. Seek First to Understand

• Listen to your site visitors. Determine the appropriate reports and establish consistent time frames for reporting. Look at your site search logs, and learn what your site visitors are looking for when they arrive at your site.
• Observe site behavior. Google Analytics provides activity reports, as well as funnel visualization to track visitor actions. Note exit or abandonment patterns before your site visitors reach your conversion pages.

3. Sharpen the Saw
Now that you have consistent reporting activity and quantifiable data, put it to use!

• Start by ‘paving the paths’ that visitors are taking to your key conversion pages. Improve site navigation, combine or separate page content, or create new content based upon search results.
• Next work on improving your conversions. Evaluate your page stick to increase both pages viewed and time spent on the site. Revise page paths to reduce the links needed to reach your checkout page or other conversion point.

Web site analytics is an important part of online marketing. Remember that it is a tool to help you measure the success of your creative online endeavors, and not an end unto itself. The best tool in your marketing toolbox is your brain and your ability to creatively solve business problems and help your organization meet its goals.