Measure Your Website’s Success
3 Simple Steps to Track and Improve Performance
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Not Sure If Your Website’s Working? Here’s How to Measure (and Improve) Its Success
You’ve spent time, effort, and money on your website. But here’s the question that keeps nagging at you: Is it actually working?
If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. Many small business owners feel like they’re in the dark when it comes to their website’s performance. Are people visiting it? Are they taking action? Or are they just clicking away?
The good news is, you don’t have to guess. By tracking a few key metrics and making data-driven tweaks, you can measure your website’s success and improve it over time. In this post, I’ll walk you through three simple steps to start measuring - and improving - how well your website works for your business.
Set Up Google Analytics to Track Website Traffic
The first step to understanding your website’s performance is knowing how people are using it. Google Analytics is a free, powerful tool that shows you exactly what’s happening on your site - how many people are visiting, how they got there, and what they’re doing.
What’s the Fix? Get Started With Google Analytics
- Create a Free Account: Visit Google Analytics and follow the steps to set up your account.
- Install the Tracking Code: Add the code Google provides to your website. (If you’re using WordPress, tools like MonsterInsights or Site Kit can simplify this.)
- Focus on Key Metrics: Start with these beginner-friendly numbers:
- Sessions: How many times people visit your site.
- Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page.
- Traffic Sources: Where visitors are coming from (Google, social media, direct, etc.).
- Top Pages: Which pages are getting the most visits.
Why It Works:
Google Analytics gives you clear, actionable insights. For example, if your bounce rate is high, visitors might not be finding what they need. If your traffic is low, it might be time to improve your SEO or marketing.
Real-World Example:
Let’s say you’re a financial advisor, and you see that 70% of your traffic comes from social media but almost none comes from Google. That insight helps you prioritize: spend more time on social media and focus on SEO to get found in search results.
Track Conversions: Are Visitors Taking Action?
Traffic is great, but it’s not enough. Your website’s true success comes from conversions - when visitors take the action you want them to take, like filling out a form, booking a call, or making a purchase.
What’s the Fix? Set Up Goals to Track Conversions
- Define Your Goals: What action do you want visitors to take? Examples include:
- Filling out a contact form
- Scheduling a consultation
- Signing up for your newsletter
- Making a purchase
- Set Up Goals in Google Analytics: You can track these actions as “Goals” so you can measure how often visitors convert. (Many website platforms have built-in tools for this, too.)
- Improve Your Calls-to-Action (CTAs): If conversions are low, make your CTAs clearer and more prominent - like “Book Your Free Consultation” or “Download Your Free Guide.”
Why It Works:
Tracking conversions helps you see if your website is doing its job: turning visitors into leads or customers. If people aren’t converting, you’ll know where to make improvements.
Real-World Example:
A wedding photographer notices that many visitors land on her pricing page but don’t submit a contact form. She adds a clear CTA - “Check My Availability Today” - and sees a 20% increase in inquiries.
Use Customer Feedback to Identify Gaps
Sometimes, the data doesn’t tell the full story. Your visitors’ opinions and feedback can provide valuable insights into why your website isn’t meeting their needs - and how to fix it.
What’s the Fix? Gather and Act on Feedback
- Add a Quick Feedback Form: Use tools like Google Forms, Typeform, or SurveyMonkey to ask visitors simple questions like:
- “What are you looking for today?”
- “Did you find what you were looking for?”
- “What could we improve on our website?”
- Ask Existing Customers: During conversations or follow-up emails, ask how they found your website and whether it helped them take the next step.
- Test User Experience (UX): Ask a few friends or colleagues to visit your site and give honest feedback. Was it easy to navigate? Did the content answer their questions?
Why It Works:
You might discover small fixes that make a big difference. If visitors say they can’t find your contact information or your site is confusing, you can address those issues quickly.
Real-World Example:
A local bakery learned through feedback that their online ordering process was unclear. By simplifying the steps and adding clear instructions, they increased online orders by 30%.
Let’s Recap: Measure Your Website’s Success in 3 Simple Steps
If you’re unsure whether your website is working, here’s how to find out - and improve it:
- Set Up Google Analytics: Track traffic, bounce rates, and your top pages to see how visitors use your site.
- Track Conversions: Measure how many visitors take key actions, like filling out a form or booking a call.
- Gather Customer Feedback: Ask visitors what’s working and what’s missing to uncover areas for improvement.
By tracking these metrics and listening to your audience, you’ll have a clear picture of what’s working - and the confidence to make changes that drive real results.
Next Steps: Ready to Take the Guesswork Out of Your Website?
If you’re tired of wondering whether your website is helping your business grow, we can help. At Digital Rebel, we take the mystery out of website performance with clear analytics and actionable improvements.
- Schedule a Free Website Audit: We’ll analyze your site’s performance, identify opportunities, and create a plan to help you get results.
- Not Ready Yet? Download our free checklist: “5 Metrics Every Small Business Should Track on Their Website.”
Your website doesn’t have to be a mystery. With the right tools and a little feedback, you can see exactly what’s working, where you’re losing visitors, and how to improve. The result? A website that drives real results for your business. You’ve got this - and we’re here to help.
Your Website is One of Your Most Powerful Tools
Let’s make sure it’s working as hard as you are.
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