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Reason vs. Emotion, Science vs. Myth, Math vs. English. Call it what you will, we are all used to seeing logic and creativity pitted against each other. The truth is, you need both to build a successful website. Exceptional creative content is a must for an engaging website, but without feedback from someone other than your mom, it’s hard to know what’s working, what’s not, and how to improve.

That’s Where Google Analytics Comes In…

Google Analytics does all of that work for you. It quietly runs on the back-end of your site, collecting data and putting it into neat little packages. Not only can it give you general information like how many people are visiting your site and which pages or posts are the most popular, but it can also tell you where those viewers came from, how many of them stuck around, and how many converted from readers to customers.

Google Analytics can also give you insight into areas you may never have considered. Let’s say you look at your user demographics and you realize, “Wow, I had 10,000 views from Canada this month. Too bad my product doesn’t ship to Canada.” Now you’ve identified a demand, and you can work on meeting it. Or maybe this is a service you already provide. Then why not offer a limited time promotion for free shipping to Canada, eh?

But I’m Not a Math/Science Person…

You’re not alone. Many creative people don’t consider themselves to be “math” people. The beauty of Google Analytics is that you don’t have to be. Google Analytics does the nitty gritty crunching of the numbers. If you know enough about numbers to know that 5,000 is bigger than 10, then you know enough to make Google Analytics work for you.

The basic assumption for any website is that you want more. More pageviews from more users who stay for more time, explore more content, and purchase more products or services. At its core, Google Analytics is a tool that shows you where you need more and also how to get it. The data doesn’t just tell you what isn’t working, it also tells you how to fix it by showing you what you are doing well. Say you’ve only sold a few copies of your Guide to Sumo Wrestling at Home, but you see that you have more views of your competition videos than anything else on your site. You already know that your audience is more interested in your video content. Turn that book into a video guide. Make it a package deal with the book, and you can even find homes for the 10,000 hardcovers you ordered. No math required.

Won’t All Those Numbers Kill My Creativity?

Maybe you aren’t scared of numbers, but your gut still tells you that focusing on the statistics will curb your creativity. We would argue the opposite. Feedback from Google Analytics won’t cramp your style, but can actually enhance your creativity by showing you where to focus your best creative energy.

If your analytics tell you that only 10 people read your post on the anatomy of chameleon eyes, but 5,000 read the one about caring for pet chameleons, and, hey, 100 of those people bought your specialty vitamin D chameleon supplement, you now know what kind of content is drawing readers to your site and turning them into customers. Your readers seem interested in practical advice based on your own experience. Now instead of wasting your creative energy on a breakdown of all the plant species that live in the chameleon’s natural habitat, you can focus on the story of how you got Spike and how much he loves your custom misting system that mimics the humidity of the rain forest (available for purchase here!).

Sold on Google Analytics, but not sure you want to tackle it yourself?

We’ve got your back. Den Web Design is fully equipped to handle your analytics and help you make the best decisions for your site and for your business. Good analytics are an essential component to the health and growth of any website. Data-driven feedback keeps you headed in the right direction, giving you the boost you need to break through creative blocks. Whether you tackle it yourself or hand it off to us, Google Analytics can make all the difference in how far you go and how fast you get there.

Lily Dunn

Author Lily Dunn

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