Are you a Google analytics user? If not you should be. How can you gage the success of your website and blogs if you do not understand their effectiveness or better yet what is your intent and what do you want as your end result? Readers...subscribers...$$$$$....Do people get lost in your words?
What I mean by this is the time spent on your site and where the heck are they going after they are filled with your words...do people take action? Meaning...maybe view MLS listings | request a cma or contact you via email or phone? Do they buy a house or request additional services? What is the final outcome, did you achieve your goal? If not...
Add interesting and relevant content! Make a few changes!
I am amazed at how long people will sit on a site especially if it is packed with useful information...and updated frequently..
I've been experimenting..and its interesting in what I have found.
The time people spend on my ActiveRain blog is much higher than any of my other sites. It's my oldest, most active blog and the numbers recently went down..people have spent as long as 12 minutes on my blog and now average 7 minutes....here is what I found.
- I do not post as frequently and am not consistent keeping my content fresh and up to date.
- Posting members only can reduce the time spent by readers especially if you have more consumer readers than active rain readers.
- Getting lazy and not adding a call to action or at least a post signature can affect your bottom line.
- Not adding links to past posts can really get them off your site.
- Less interaction equals less opportunity...it's almost as if I shut the door!
- The length of your post matters...shorter is not always best..if you can't make your point in just a few words.
- My Google page rank dropped by 1 :( now it is a page rank 3
- Fewer contacts = less opportunity =lost income
There is always a duel between my Active rain blog and my real estate website...and when it comes to search engines...my site usually wins at the end...because of Google analytics...I know..that often times...the traffic to my website is directly from ActiveRain. Not a bad lead in....
There are those that will aways criticize this site...there will be those that never will understand the true value of the network...and there are those well who are gutless and never tried it because of personal feelings or what they have heard...if only they knew....
I wonder should we tell them?
If you found this useful please subscribe! Midori Miller authors DaytonaRealEstateTrainer.com | The Business Center | Celebrity Truths and her Active-rain blog DaytonaRealEstateTraining.com. Feel free to contact her via email or phone.
I don't spend enough time using google analytics to see how the statistical breakdown of my blog and everything that comes along with it. Clearly it helps to find out what actuall works and to keep doing it rather than spinning your wheels blogging about topics that don't provide your readers reason to interact or reason to stay and read your content.
I tend to use stats from a variety of places but google definitely breaks it down. I have really gotten into using all the google products and they are fantastic...just like Activerain.! :)
My assistant just sent me over an Excel spreadsheet of popular words so I can focus in on my blogging to obtain more clients.
Not sold in Google analytics. . because just one visitor to my site will want to purchase a million dollar home . . coming from some long term unfrequented search term (it happened to me)
Great post. Google Analytics is very good but one should be careful in only using these stats. If your hosting platform has stats of any kind to (like Point2) you should also give these stats heavy consideration as well. I have seen that in almost every case the server side statistics (like a Point2) are much more accurate than Google Analytics. Point here is that both are important and should be used when analyzing ones site.
I must confess I am nto a google gargler..but probably should be...have to tune up my SEO this year...it's on the list...
Featured @ Club Chaos
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Best wishes for continued success!
Harry-assistants are great aren't they?
Fernando-yup all it takes is one big one right? In Daytona we have to increase our odds..that's why I evaluate so often and from different sources.
Wayne-I have built in stats for my wordpress sites...and I love them...point2agent is a great site..but I gave it up...last year..it has hurt a little but not much! Thats why I love my blog for lead in....
Sally-I just started to get into google products recently...I love them all!
Carolyn-Thank you!
I am a stat lover as well. Your advice about having links is crucial to your success. I remember when 1st joined AR it was discouraged the have a link footer. I was even told by AR staff that it was not worthwhile. I knew better:)
I am just starting to look at the Google analytics stuff. There is some interesting data to capture.
Great Post. I need to my review my stats on a more regular basis to make the necessary tweeks to improve visibility.
Thanks for sharing,
Matt Naumann
Every little thing counts when blogging and thinking about SEO, we agents just have to be perfect all the time! Especially online nowdays!
Sounds like I need to get into Google analytics. Thanks for the tips!
I need to get more proficient with Google Analytics so I can really know what is happening on both my blog and website.
I hate reading something poorly written for SEO. Be creative. Thanks for sharing the post.
I do like to look at the stats. Google analytics, MyBlogLog and Google Webmaster Tools are my addictions.
Great post - a reminder to make my blog posts worthwhile and check my Google Analytics more frequently
Beth I had to actually take a few moments and ponder the importance of your words... thanks for the challenge! How do you check google analytics???
As I've been slowly getting up to speed with AR, I just don't have the time to getting it all at once. I even have planned on calling Aaron who got me started to ask for some advice but my very good problem is that I'm too busy to devote more time. Good problem to have. I will definitely get to this at some point. But as they say if it ain't broke don't fix it.
I love having the stats to see what is working and what isn't.
Everything I do on this site directs people to my website. Thanks for the tip, I will check it out.
Hi Midori - What I would love to know about our ActiveRain blogs is how much traffic comes from other AR members vs. consumers. Knowing that might also partly explain the average 7 minute visits on your blog.
I need to use my Google analytics more. And start putting links to past posts as well.
Boy, I learn something new every day. Thank you for your post. I will have to do some homework on Google Analytics!
It sounds like engagement and involvement are key success issues. I need to check into Google Analytics .
Thanks for the post. I have Google analytics on some but not all of my websites and blogs. The information by way of comparison would be helpful.
Thanks. Plenty of good information. Just spent the last 15 minutes setting up. Very easy to do
Tony
Midori,
While I'm not certain I fully understand all the Google Analytics metrics, I am so impressed with what I gain from checking them! Perhaps you will do a follow-up post explaining how best to decipher Analytics?
Thanks for these valuable reminders. After 24 years, I am still working to build my business using all avenues available! That's what I love about real estate - you never come to a resting place - always moving to stay ahead of the market! Happy serving and selling in 2010!
kp
Getting lost in words is easy when there's no "call to action" or a "lack of interest," but in reading through the comments, I found buying shoes from Jordan Shoes in comment #23 was a great example of a "Call To Action!" lol~ Sorry Midori, I couldn't resist.. :-))
In marketing the sum is greater than the parts, so not really a duel as much as a complement.
I have paid attention to Google Analytics on my websites for several years now. Unfortunately I did not start to analyze them until last week. It is amazing what the numbers say when I took time to dive into them.
Great information.
Aaron
This is too old school -- they can take action if they wish, but people are hyper-sensitive to being pushed toward a sale vs. just getting information. Keep it low-key.
Midori - I too don't use Google Analytics enough either even though I have them fed to me with a spoon so to speak...lol in my reader. I need to pay more attention to these stats. Not sure I understand them all but I'm trying. Thanks Midori.... Hope you are well.
Stats are everything. good post, thanks.
O dear dear dear! I read your post and comments and am freaking out that I have no idea what a google analytics is or even how to find it. Maybe google it? Then the link thing... I need to do some more digging. Thanks for your insights. I am taking them to heart.
Thanks for getting this out to us today on AR....I'll have to check into Google Analytics for sure.
Patricia
Midori- Thanks for the great insight!
I have used Google Analytics for years but really just brush the surface. I took a webinar about it recently and thought gee I should pay more attention, but have not.
I really like all things Google. It is a great way to tie a lot of different products and utilities together.
Analysis is so important and can give surprising site. After learning that a previous site was written at a grad level I rewrote it to suit a wider audience.
Good advice Midori,
I always see the direct correlation between posting on several sites and linking back to my site. Google Annalytics is pinpoint and insightful.
My difficulty is finding the time to get good post out on a regular basis...so many other "big rocks" to put in the bucket first.
Thanks,
Mark
Very helpful! I am going back and editing my past blogs now and adding my website hyperlink! THANKS!! I am not sure how to google analytically, but I will give it a try.
Oh - I also subscribed to your blog.
Thanks again,
-Ingrid