Website analytics tools like Google Analytics tell you what's happening on your website. Understanding this data is crucial for improving your site and your marketing. Here are the key metrics to watch.
1. Users (or Visitors)
This is the number of unique individuals who have visited your site in a given period. It's a basic measure of your site's reach.
2. Sessions
A session is a single visit to your website. One user can have multiple sessions. This metric helps you understand how often people are returning to your site.
3. Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can indicate that your content isn't engaging or that your site is slow.
4. Average Session Duration
How long, on average, visitors are spending on your site. A longer duration generally means your content is engaging and helpful.
5. Traffic Sources
This is one of the most important reports. It shows you *how* visitors are finding your site. The main sources are:
- Organic Search: Visitors who find you through a search engine like Google.
- Direct: Visitors who type your URL directly into their browser.
- Referral: Visitors who click a link from another website.
- Social: Visitors who come from social media platforms.
6. Top Pages
This report shows you which pages on your site are the most popular. This helps you understand what content your audience is most interested in.
By checking these key metrics just once a week, you can gain powerful insights into your website's performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
