When it comes to content marketing understanding the analytics behind it all is incredibly important. The first time you log into Google Analytics or Google web tools it can all seem like… a lot. And it is a lot. But without all of that information, you’ll have nothing to base your strategy off of.
Of course when you log into your Analytics you’ll probably head right over to your page views for the day/week/month and check to see if that number is increasing. And while it’s definitely great to see that number creeping (or flying!) up, that’s not the information you’re looking for.
When it comes to content marketing, you’re looking for the following information:
- Your most popular content and landing pages
- The most popular search queries that directed people to your page
- Your navigation traffic and bounce rates
- New v. returning users
Popular Content and Landing Pages
This is probably pretty obvious, but when you’re creating your content strategy one of the things you’ll want to know is what’s already working. Let’s say your company is a travel agency that specializes in hot air balloon tours over Paris (sounds romantic, right?). When you’re taking a look at the content on your page that’s popular, you’ll want to know the types of things people are frequently searching for so that you can keep creating content that will keep them interested. Are they gobbling up the posts about specific Parisian landmarks? Write more of those! Do you have a post from three years ago that’s getting a ton of traffic? Refresh that and give it a bit of a makeover!
It will also help to see what isn’t popular. If you’re getting zero clicks on content about the different types of hot air balloons people can travel in, you may want to explore what’s going on. After all, hot air balloons are an important part of your business and your customers probably are interested in that information – so what’s the problem? Is that content not promoted enough? Is there only one post about it from eons ago? Are the posts short and not very detailed? Do they contain any references to travel or Paris, or are they just about the mechanics and engineering of hot air balloons?
Search Queries
Here’s another one that’s pretty obvious – knowing how people getting to your site. There’s (hopefully) going to be some direct traffic, meaning people are going to your site because they already know your URL and are going straight there. But what about the folks who are just stumbling upon your company through a Google search? What are the keywords they’re searching? Are they looking for travel agencies specifically, tours of Paris, or information on hot air balloons? When you’re reviewing your keywords, make note of the ones that are surprising. Does the term “baguette” rank high for you? People might be finding you by accident when they’re searching “best baguette in Paris” and they’re landing on a blog post about restaurant recommendations. If that’s the case, should you be writing more posts on baguettes?
Navigation Traffic and Bounce Rates
We’re sure you already know this, but just in case: your bounce rate is, essentially, the amount of time people stay on your page before they leave. When you’re reviewing your stats you’ll want to take a look at the navigation traffic: where people enter your site, where they go next, and how long they’re on your site overall. If a lot of your traffic is coming in through your homepage but not clicking through to any other pages, that could be a sign that people are in the wrong place. If they’re landing on the homepage, staying for a while, and still not clicking through that could mean that you’ve got tons of information for them up front and either a) it answers all their questions and they have no reason to contact you or b) they get overwhelmed and leave. Conversely, if they’re coming in through the homepage (or a landing page), clicking through to a page or two, and ultimately heading to the “Contact Us” page, that’s excellent news. Knowing their path to Contact is fantastic.
But pay attention to the drop off points and patterns. Is there one page that has a high amount of conversions while there’s another that almost always leads to an exit? What’s the difference in these pages? Is it the content’s topic? The way it’s written and laid out? Is one a bit intimidating (such as listing the super high prices associated with luxury hot air balloon travel) and one’s much more user friendly (maybe providing tips on how to travel like a rockstar on a shoestring budget)?
Knowing what pages are getting people to click through to the end goal will help you create similar content that funnels them through the process.
New v. Returning Users
Finally, take a look at your new versus returning users. This information does two things: tells you whether the content you’re creating currently is keeping your existing customers (or serious prospective customers) happy and coming back for more and whether it’s attracting new customers.
If your traffic is mostly returning users, that’s good because you’re building a loyal following and establishing yourself as an expert in the hot air balloon market. However, it could also indicate that no one new is finding you – and if no one new is finding you eventually your sales and bookings are going to begin to plateau. The goal is to have at least a fairly equal mix of the two types of users, although a higher percentage of new users with a low bounce rate, excellent navigation traffic, and a high conversion rate is the ultimate goal.
At Mood Marketing, we’re experts in content marketing. Schedule your free consultation and learn how we can help your business grow with content and social media marketing.