Reasons to Use Google Analytics

Incredibly, research suggests that the vast majority of small businesses still don’t use Google Analytics. Among those who do, usage rates are quite depressingly low.

At a glance, Google Analytics can seem like a complex and intricate piece of software. In reality, it’s one of the simplest and most accessible business tools every entrepreneur has at their disposal.

The painful truth is a simple one; if you don’t use Analytics to your advantage, you’re giving your competitors the advantage over you.

And so, here are seven of the endless reasons why using Google Analytics is a must for every small business:

1.  It’s free

Right off the bat, there’s nothing to lose by using Google Analytics because it is 100% free of charge.

Most of the platform’s advanced and immensely insightful tools cost nothing. Hard to believe, considering they provide the kind of intelligence you need to take your performance to the next level. But it’s true.

And Analytics is actually far more comprehensive than any number of paid analytical tools that cost a pretty penny.

2.  It’s easy to get to grips with

For the most part, getting to grips with the basics of Google Analytics is a walk in the park.

It has a simplified and streamlined interface, and its predominantly ‘visual’ UI and method of presenting information couldn’t be clearer. There’s also no shortage of video tutorials available, which guide you through the fundamentals of its features and functionalities.

3.  It takes seconds to sign up

Even if you’re not 100% convinced, it literally takes a few seconds to open your account and launch the app. Once you’ve linked Google Analytics to your website, you’re free to dive into the wealth of invaluable data. No contracts, no costs and nothing binding - it really is as simple as it gets.

sign saying "data has a better idea", reasons to use Google Analytics

4.  It helps you understand your customers

Google Analytics is more or less the closest alternative to watching every move your customers make in-person in real-time.

There’s no better tool at your disposal to;

• Help you build an understanding of your customers

• Track customer behaviour and activities

• Learn from a cross-section look at who your customers are and what they do

• Pick up on customer preferences

• Identify and eliminate areas of customer dissatisfaction time after time

5.  It enables you to set goals

It’s no secret that the key to getting ahead in any line of work lies in setting realistic goals. And, of course, measuring your performance accordingly.

Which is something Google Analytics simplifies. The platform makes it easy to establish meaningful business goals and track your progress on the way to achieving them.

6.  It helps you optimise your marketing strategy

With Google Analytics, you can monitor and assess the performance and ROI of every marketing activity in real-time.

Each time you launch or modify a campaign, Google Analytics can show you how it impacts your performance. You can then make further adjustments and modifications as necessary. This helps you ensure every aspect of your strategy is delivering the best possible return on your investment.

7.  It allows you to create customised reports

Last but not least, there’s a whole heap of standardised reports that are automatically created and made available. Once you grasp the basics of Google Analytics, you can take things one step further with your own customised reports. All the insights you need and nothing superfluous, presented in a digestible form and available at the touch of a button.

Suffering from data-phobia?

We’ve presented Google Analytics in this post as a simple-to-use tool for those driven by an analytical mind. Of course, we know all too well that data analysis isn’t everyone’s forte.

As with any tool, results achieved through Google Analytics are in direct correlation with the user of the tool; their skill, experience and penchant for crunching the numbers.

At Pivotal, we’re somewhat obsessed with data. We hunger for it. We dream about it. In short, we love it. But we know it’s not to everyone’s taste. So, if the idea of intricate data analysis still has your hairs standing on end and your stomach knotting, get in touch with our experts today.

We’ve got your back. Because you might not know it yet, but we’re already part of your team.