What is Google Analytics?

By admedia
In Affiliate Marketing
0

Even though “web analytics” sounds like a very small area of your digital presence, the implications of Google Analytics are in fact huge.

This is because for most companies, your website serves as a hub for all of your digital traffic. If you are running any marketing activities such as search ads or social media ads, your users are most likely going to visit your website somewhere along their user journey.

Given that your website is the central hub of your digital presence, your website is the best way to give you a holistic view of the effectiveness of all the campaigns you are running to promote your product/services online. Google Analytics is a free tool that can help you track your digital marketing effectiveness.

That’s why over 50 million websites around the world uses Google Analytics. If you are not using it, you should set it up right now.

The tool allows you to track websites, blogs, and social networks. In addition, it puts at your disposal predetermined and customizable reports. As indicated in its entry in Wikipedia, Analytics “offers grouped information of the traffic that arrives at the websites according to the audience, the acquisition, the behavior, and the conversions carried out on the website.” And also, Google Analytics is the dominant tool. It offers more data and metrics than any other.

It works on elements as varied and vital as the following:

  • Number of visits
  • Their duration
  • Sources of traffic
  • Visited pages

It also acts in sections such as:

  • Your users preferred sections
  • Keywords used
  • Technical details of visitors’ devices. That would enter the browsers that users use or their mobile operating systems.

But what makes Analytics a complete tool is that it is compatible with the rest of Google’s tools. Thus, it is possible to combine Analytics with AdWords, Blogger or YouTube. In fact, all Google tools in which visits and traffic are counted can be mixed and complemented with Google Analytics. In addition, there are different attractive resources for Analytics available in Google Chrome. You can play with them too.

How do Google Analytics works: Processes

 

The free Google Analytics tool collects data using a combination of cookies, browsers and the JavaScript code discussed above.

The analytics program can collect information from your site thanks to the JavaScript code that you must include in your pages and the cookies that are generated once the user accesses the web through a browser.

In this way, all Google Analytics records the activity of your user from the moment he arrives until he leaves your website and transforms it into different reports with graphs and statistical data to make it easier to know the evolution.

Its operation is based on three processes: the collection of data, the processing thereof and the creation of reports. However, to start with the process, as in any strategy you should set some objectives.

Also, although there are three important aspects, to offer you complete information, we will even talk about the configuration.

1.- Data Collection

Google Analytics uses a JavaScript code to collect information from websites. In this way, Analytics records a visit each time a user views a page with the Google Analytics code. In the case of applications for mobile devices, it is necessary to add additional an code to each “activity” that you want to track.

In order to understand the data collection process we will explain it step by step:

  1. The server responds by sending the page that is requested to the user’s browser. In this way, once the browser analyzes the data, it will contact other servers that will deal with some parts of the code of that requested page. This is how the Google Analytics Tracking code works.
  2. Next, the user’s browser that visits your page asks that code to Analytics. The platform is sent and saved in a file called Urchin.js. While the code is being executed, the previously commented attributes of the visitor and his navigation are studied.
  3. Once all the data has been collected, the code creates cookies on the visitor’s computer.
  4. When the cookies are already defined, the code sends all that information to the Google Analytics server by requesting an invisible GIF file.
  5. Then save the data in another file called File Logs and create a section of data in it for each page viewed. These data include aspects such as the date and time, the search engine where the visitor comes from, the number of visits, etc.

2.- Data Processing

Once the interactions of a user have been collected, Google Analytics begins the data processing to transform the raw data into useful data that gives you knowledge. To process them, each of the data sections is analyzed separately. That is, their attributes are divided.

Google Analytics transforms each attribute into elements that it calls ‘fields’. In this way, for example, the IP address will become the “Visitor’s IP” field. Each section or line provides several attributes, and each of them is stored in different areas.

If you work with Google Analytics every day it is likely that you have faced the definition of the attribution model that helps you extract value from the data. It is very important that you define the model very well, in this way you will improve the results.

3.- Settings

Google Analytics applies its settings (for example, filters) to raw data. When the data has been processed, it is stored in a database. Once processed and inserted into the database, it is no longer possible to modify them.

This way you can control how this data appears in the Analytics profiles that you have created in your account.

4.- Report generation

The resulting reports can be consulted either from the Google Analytics web service itself, www.google.es/analytics or from other spaces for which it is necessary to use the reporting APIs.

Each report is created based on field comparisons. That is, aspects such as the visitor’s city or its conversion rate are taken into account.

Finally, once the data is stored in the database, the process is terminated.

How to set objectives with Google Analytics?

 

One of the great values of Google Analytics is that it allows you to know how some of the tractors elements of your digital marketing campaigns are working. For this, it is essential that you know how to set a goal. Only then can you get the data you need to make decisions.

 

In Google Analytics you can configure many types of objectives. From the duration of the visit to your web page to much more specific information such as the number of pages visited, the number of visits or the number of users that have clicked on any of the elements shown on the page.

It is also interesting that the tool allows you to configure the objectives that you consider essential. Click on a specific item. However, you also have the option to use the targets that the tool automatically marks.

The 4 primary objectives in Google Analytics are:

  1. Destination: Define specific locations.
  2. Duration: Mark the length of a session.
  3. Pages/screens per session: It is the number of pages visited in the same session.
  4. Event: Activate an action that you have previously defined as an event.

7 attribution models in Google Analytics

 

Once you have set a goal, it is important to define the attribution model you are going to use. An attribution model is a system by which you will assign the contribution value to the objective of each of the channels that intervene in the customer experience.

 

The 7 attribution models that Google Analytics puts at your disposal are:

  1. Attribution of last interaction: In which 100% of the value of the conversion is attributed to the previous channel with which the client has interacted before making the conversion.
  2. Last indirect click: In this case, the total of the conversion value is attributed to the previous channel in which the customer has clicked before making the purchase.
  3. Last click of AdWords: Conversion is granted to the last ad in which the user clicked before making a conversion, regardless of whether or not he had previously clicked on other ads.
  4. First interaction: The conversion value is completely granted to the first channel with which the customer has interacted
  5. Linear attribution: Assigns the same credit to each channel interaction until the conversion occurs. Therefore, all points of contact have the same importance.
  6. Attribution of deterioration of time: A model that has a predetermined duration of 7 days. The point of contact that occurs seven days before the conversion receives half the value of the one that happens on the same day of the conversion. In addition, the value that takes place 14 days before gets a quarter of the attribution. And the action produced 30 days before receives the minimum attribution.
  7. Attribution according to the position: This is a hybrid model between the last interaction attribution model and that of the first interaction. Instead of attributing all the value to a single interaction, the one between the two is divided.

What are the most important metrics in Analytics?

Do you know how to get the most out of this tool? We are going to present the three most important and essential metrics in Analytics that will be fundamental to optimize your results.

1.- Average time on the page

It is a metric that calculates the time the user spends on your website. This time is average, that is, it refers to the common visitor.

Google Analytics offers you information about the average time spent on the website, but not for each user.

This information can help you uncover the importance of factors such as:

  • The level of interest aroused in the reader.
  • The average reading speed of the page.
  • The level of engagement of your web page.

In addition, it is interesting to combine this data with the one referring to the relationship between the extension of the content and the time of permanence. If your content is extensive but the time of stay does not exceed the minute, something is happening.

The time of permanence is an essential data for some websites, especially those focused on putting value on their contents. However, for any web page, a longer stay time is always synonymous with success.

2.- References

Where do users come from? One of the best ways to know the origin of the readers of your website is to know what other websites link to yours.

Referrals, or references, are the indicators that will tell you what websites or sources your readers come from. This data is shown in a table that takes into account those traffic sources that provide you with traffic.

This table also shows the number of users coming from a website as well as the amount of traffic that comes from general sites. Organic traffic is also analyzed, which is the one that arrives either through SEO actions (search engine positioning) or by users who enter directly into your website.

The data of the referrals is essential. Knowing the sites that refer you and that feed you with traffic is a basic fact that will allow you to build bridges with them. Remember that one of the pillars to be able to position better in Google is to get valuable links to your website. For this, it is essential to have data such as references.

3.- Interests

One of the essential aspects of marketing is to find and identify users, people who may be interested in your offer. You can do this, among other ways, knowing your interests. For content marketing, it is essential to understand the interests and issues that move your customers.

If you want to connect with customers, it is necessary to have information about them. Google Analytics offers you this information through the keywords or concepts used in the search. The interests are the themes and words that make the clients come to you. What idea makes your website interesting?

The interest generated will give you an account of the type of user that enters your web page. In combination with other metrics, it will be possible to analyze the interests of the clients. Through these interests, you can better specify the keywords you use on your website. What will help you generate online marketing campaigns with more chances of success.

It is possible that you have a lot of traffic on your website but few conversions, you should then look at the conversion funnels that you have set in Google Analytics. This way you can know how your website works, the number of users that have arrived through different channels, which pages work best or in which pages you should start to make a radical change. In short, optimize the conversions of your websites. You can also use heat maps to measure it.

Related Posts

Biggest Affiliate Marketing Trends and Changes for 2021

By admedia
In Affiliate Marketing
0

We all witnessed the calendar flipping from 2019 to 2020 — we just didn’t see that the whole world would flip with it.  Who would have known stepping into this new year would also mean stepping into the “new normal?” Here are the biggest affiliate marketing trends and changes that have occurred in 2020 and will likely carry far into the future.

The global pandemic has indeed affected everything.

Affiliate marketing trends have drastically changed, ranging from large-scale industries down to the domestic level. Safe to say, no one has been spared.

Yet, some have naturally faced the impact stronger than the others. All thriving businesses that make money through affiliate marketing are now experiencing their own set of challenges and trying to adjust accordingly.

Affiliate marketing is one of the industries that has been under enormous pressure since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak. More and more people are now self-quarantining, cutting down their spendings and subsequently. Marketers are dealing with business disruptions and lower commission rates.

I am sure you have read tons of blogs on how 2020 will reshape the marketing industry. You might have already watched dozens of YouTube videos explaining what is really going to happen this year and beyond. I came across an expected trend that offline shopping will lose its charm.

But what is the entire picture?

There are far more interesting affiliate marketing trends bound to surface sooner or later. Some trends will likely stay for longer than you expect. Let us have a look at the most interesting top 11 trends in affiliate marketing that have happened in 2020.

There is an important question to answer:

Is Affiliate Marketing Dead After COVID-19?

If you want to be confused over simple things, leave it to the internet! An innocent Google search on affiliate marketing trends for 2020 will bombard you with hundreds of articles citing how it is a “thing from the past” now.

There will be an equal number of articles explaining how this particular field is actually going to flourish in 2020. Both justifications will be compelling enough to leave you with a befuddled mind, a wasted hour, and yet no solid answer.

Did You Know? Most analysts believe that affiliate marketing will follow Betteridge’s law. If the headlines are still asking whether it is dead, then the answer is probably no. Publishers are aware of this and do not have any facts to back it up.

The truth is, some things cannot be put in clear black and white. It is better to accept them as grey. Here is why:

Affiliate marketing and its life are both relative terms. How these are perceived may vary from person to person. The aim is to determine whether it has actually become part of the Stone Age or merely changed itself into something new that we do not understand yet.

No, Affiliate Marketing is Not Dead

The truth to the trends in marketing cannot be understood without weighing both sides. However, one thing is for sure; it is not yet out of the picture.

Affiliate Marketing Analysis

Keen analysis of the on-going affiliate marketing shows that investments are still going up steadily. Many other statistics also back-up the idea.

  • 15% of the whole digital advertising revenue is being put in affiliate marketing around the US.
  • 80% of the brands now use affiliate marketing as one of their major sales modes.

Thus, it can be safely said that the industry is booming, although the trends and modes of marketing have evolved with time, especially since the coronavirus introduced us to a new way of living.

As more and more activities move to the online platform, affiliate marketing becomes increasingly relevant. As the wise say, “a rising tide lifts all boats,” businessmen who are readily adjusting to the new trends will undoubtedly make a lot of money out of it.

Is Affiliate Marketing as We Knew it — Dead?

Does a rising tide really lift all boats? Unfortunately, when the boats are too many, the tide leaves behind those unfit for the storm.

When it comes to affiliate marketing trends, persuasive banners and product reviews are no longer going to cut the deal. In fact, its death is a metaphor being used to show the significant changes observed in the coming years.

The idea of working from home has gained much attention in these troubled times. Job opportunities that can be catered from home now seem attracted more than ever. Therefore, the masses want to try their luck with affiliate marketing.

On the other hand, bigger platforms on the internet are imposing stricter ad policies. Those platforms are confining joiners for new programs and investing in better content regulations.

These are just a few trends that have surfaced in the initial months of this year. Keeping in view how affiliate marketing trends have mostly shown an improvement amidst economic uncertainty. There are going to be more surprises stacked for months to come. All hail the new marketing!

Affiliate Commissions are Going to Take a Dip

Many affiliate marketers have shared their reviews online, but all of them had one common horror story to tell: reduction in affiliate commissions and its harmful effects.

Right now, what is the largest affiliate network you can think of? The first answer that came to my mind was Amazon, duh.

Amazon had to cut down affiliate commissions and suspend various programs with partners to survive the Covid-19 hit. The CEO of SearchPromoCodes, Mark Mazza, shared that Amazon was just one of over 100 other partners that cut down their commissions at the start of 2020.

Ahmed Mir, the founder of Nature and Bloom, shared how coronavirus and reduction in affiliate commissions made his overall income drop by over 50%. This is what he had to say:

Amazon is the world’s largest affiliate network and lately, they announced to cut the referral fees for most products with multiple categories seeing a 70% referral fee drop. I own a site in one of the niches with the most severe drops, which is dropping my income for that site by over 50%.

With passing days, people are accepting that Coronavirus is here to stay. With increasing economic uncertainty, it is no longer just about reduced commission rates. Some marketers also had to face outright suspensions of affiliate programs. It is imminent that the impact of Covid-19 has shaken the entire economy with no prior warning!

Is there any other way out?

Affiliate marketing is a relationship built on respect and trust. It makes sense why a flourishing business would cut down commission rates in the middle of a pandemic. If you still want to have friends in the market when all of this is over, you should do it with minimal damage.

Let’s say a brand needs to pause its affiliate program. Then it must show understanding and empathy towards the partner who is obviously going to suffer due to the sudden change. Clear instructions should be given regarding the existing tracking links and the duration of proposed changes.

Another thing you can do is to diversify your website income through multiple affiliate marketing programs. SAAS affiliate programs are a great option to explore & diversify your website income. There are multiple examples of software as a service affiliate marketing that you can quickly go through.

Reality Check: Covid-19 might continue to change the world for quite some time now.

There will be products and services vital for survival, although people will eventually gravitate to newer options. A smart move to make would be to shift marketing interests accordingly so you can emerge stronger than before once the dirt settles down.

Affiliate Marketing vs. The New Normal: What to Expect

Yes, things will be different in the duration of and post-Covid-19. In a nutshell, affiliate marketing is still here, and it is still making money. But Where?

Before you start building up schemes for making money during these crazy times, it is important to understand what is going on and trending. Let’s have a look.

Online learning is here, and it came to stay.

The concept of online learning was always there, but the events in 2020 have clarified how important a virtual mode of education is. With more than half the population, including adults and children, got self-quarantined at home. We saw everyone was bound to spend more time online.

This is not just about surfing the web. More and more people are looking for ways to continue their day to day responsibilities such as jobs and education using online portals.

Is the trend expected to decline once the lockdown is over? It is highly unlikely. Although normal life will resume sooner or later, it is expected that many will still stick to the idea of using online platforms as a source of learning and managing daily tasks.

You can expect some “uneven changes” in the web traffic.

The internet is the first thing we turn to when we need to dig up information on something quickly. With everything being affected, directly or indirectly, by the spread of coronavirus, it makes complete sense why websites will get more traffic via searches related to Covid-19. However, the effect will be quite uneven and not straightforward.

Let us take an example of a website maintained for selling different types of equipment. It might experience a dip in traffic for visitors looking for things related to outdoor use, such as bicycles.

On the other hand, sales of home exercise equipment may flourish. Obviously, affiliate marketing trends will have to adjust accordingly, producing more content on subjects that viewers find relevant given the conditions in 2020.

Relying on Ads revenue? It is time to look elsewhere.

There is definitely going to be a drop in advertising revenue. No surprises there. Some businesses might face a huge drop in organic traffic. The impact will be felt by various affiliate marketing companies worldwide, from healthcare to property and the real estate industry.

A real estate affiliate worker who relied on ad revenue, Andrew Helling, shared that this income dropped by almost 20% in just a month. Fewer people are now interested in visiting homes or making any such purchase.

A majority of the population is stuck at home, so their general engagement is down. Therefore, it might not be a smart move to rely heavily on Ads revenue anymore.

Marketing will now rely more on automation.

With marketing relying more on automation now, the competition around the world has become more “fair.” Many companies aid in easier startups by offering loans or cash to invest in marketing. In this way, more beginners can now benefit from SEO and paid ads campaigns.

Artificial intelligence is now being readily incorporated in software that will let you skip all the headaches and jump directly to better recommendations, improved SEOs, and other marketing forms.

There are platforms like BrightEdge that can help you Go Big. Its approach for automated SEO solutions is known to increase the traffic by as much as 60%. You no longer need to spend long hours searching optimizations or saving dollars for marketing before winning a chance on the playing field.

A single marketing channel is not enough for growing a business.

The main aim of affiliate marketing is to increase conversions and revenue. Amidst the changing trends, it will now become more important to carry out the task of being an affiliate, influencers, and partner in marketing at the same time.

In a nutshell, the boundaries of different channels are about to blur. It will become increasingly important to use a single platform for tracking trends, building relationships, rewarding affiliates and partners, and providing meaningful insights.

People will only buy what they completely trust.

We have always been interested in “saving money yet buying the best.” With the changes in the economy and earning patterns, more people will be inclined towards budget-friendly options. Undoubtedly, they are still going to spend money — but WHERE?

First of all, buyers will be more attracted to discounts that are both engaging and relevant. Accordingly, brands will need to develop heart-winning ideas such as free-shipping codes, flash sales, and interesting limited-time offers. Make sure that these programs reach out to the maximum number of viewers.

However, that may not be enough. A larger population will be interested in buying what they already tried or what they trust. Do you know why Nike is a hit? Because it is NIKE, a name that everyone is comfortable relying on.

Via affiliate marketing, it is now more important to build customer trust. Reliable partnerships can help brands build a long-lasting relationship with the customers using gift-cards, cashback, or other loyalty programs as an incentive.

Biggest Trends in Affiliate Marketing and Your Marketing Strategy –Moving Beyond 2020

If there is still money in affiliate marketing, where is it? Here are some of the niches that are bound to blossom in this time of crisis.

As the above section shows, the use of online platforms is here to stay. People are always searching for something new, and they are always in need of money. Therefore, the need for both online learning and earning will stay even when Coronavirus bids us goodbye.

This means all the sites with paid online surveys, digital payments, platform offerings, freelancing, and online education, as well as the job listing sites, can expect a sheer rise. Most “make money online” types of businesses help.

Articles with headlines that make money while staying at home have become more relevant as people are confined to isolation.

Best Affiliate Niches

The best affiliate niche in 2020 has been health care facilities. Doctors are important inside the hospitals, but now as more people suffer from the effects of reduced socializing and loneliness, it is proving to be a high-time for online counselors, psychological advisors, and medical advisors.

Health care is no longer just limited to the walls of the hospitals. Many workers are now extended to services via social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to get in touch with clients who might be looking for counseling and discussions.

Software for online communications such as Zoom has become increasingly important.

Humans are social animals. If you take away their comfort of meeting face to face, they will eventually develop alternative methods to keep the communications alive. The need for conversations has resulted in different types of offers during the lockdown.

An example of finding ways for conversations is referral programs — where different social sites are willing to pay the users who get more viewers to join them. This means you get to meet new friends online and make money in the process. Double treat.

Everyone who is stuck at home found themselves asking one important question “How are we supposed to kill time?” The more creative of us naturally surfed the web for Do-it-Yourself projects while most users relied more on gaming and watching online streaming to pass the long quarantine hours.

These activities during COVID resulted in a boost for traffic for not only the well-known channels such as Netflix but also for the new mobile games, adult games, online gambling, etc.

Finding Opportunities Requires Looking at the Right Place

Dramatic changes almost always result in new opportunities that were not obvious before. Coronavirus has made us question the old lifestyle, rethink business strategies, and adapt to a brand new environment.

As an affiliate marketer, you would need to take advantage of the current conditions and let go of the campaigns that do not seem relevant anymore.

For example, working on a niche that relies heavily on live content may not be fruitful anymore. Instead, niches related to home entertainment, making money online, Do-It-Yourself projects, and online learning platforms will definitely win many followers.

Affiliate Marketing: Future and Beyond

The rebirth of affiliate marketing will have to do a lot with how well you know your audience. It will be all about how clever you can be with targeting the right people via optimized options.

Most of the trends mentioned above are the changes that we had not thought about. Like it or not, that is the future to which we all need to adopt. There will come a time when global marketplaces will reopen, although with a renewed cautiousness.

It can be the end of the “old ways” yet a wonderful beginning with new opportunities. Whether you seize the chance or let it slip by will be your choice! It does not matter if you had a self-made small setup or a large-scale business. The best approach is to stay ahead of the competition.

New online trends are coming your way. After going through this article, you can start preparing your marketing strategy to cope with affiliate marketing trends.

Let us know what you think about these trends in the comment section below. We would also love to hear about any other marketing changes you think might come true in the near future.

OH! Let us not forget the final note — Stay Home, Stay Safe.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad next logo

If you are looking for:

Sales, Registrations, Leads, Installs, Videos Views, Traffic, Programmatic, Social media buying, Media buying, email marketing, outsourcing your affiliate program, affiliate recruitment

Then we can help you with the same.

Contact

General Queries: [email protected]

Advertiser Queries: [email protected]

Phone: (+91) 9811823090

Address: ADNext Media, Plot no. 308, Phase IV, Sector 18, Gurugram, Haryana 122016