Q: As we are working on the revamp of our website, I would like to begin collecting information through the process using Google Analytics. Have you seen any problems or negative feedback regarding using this service? How invasive is the program? Any information you have would be greatly appreciated.
A: We have installed Google Analytics for literally hundreds of staffing and recruiting firm websites and can say I have NEVER heard a negative piece of feedback.
Google Analytics is a free tool from Google, and arguably one of the best for tracking traffic on your website. To use Google Analytics, you simply go to Google, do a search on Google Analytics, and sign-up for an account. You will then get a tracking code that gets installed on the pages in your website. Once the code is installed, you can then start to collect and analyze data. You can also control who has access to these statistics–they are not publically available.
You mentioned that you were in the process of creating a new website which is a great investment. But I would actually even suggest installing Google Analytics on your old website. Why? Because it can help guide the design and functionality of your new site. Google Analytics will allow you to gauge:
- Overall site traffic. You’ll be able to do a before and after analysis to see how traffic was affected by your redesign.
- Where traffic is coming from. Are people finding your site on Google and Bing searches? What keywords are they typing in to find your website? What other websites are referring traffic to you? These statistics will help you decide if you need to invest more in Search Engine Optimization or even if your job postings and other marketing efforts are driving traffic back to your website. At Haley, we even integrate analytics with our email newsletter campaigns and job board software, so we can see the impact these marketing efforts are having on overall website traffic.
- Where people leave your website. You can find out which pages on your website have the highest exit rates. This may mean you need a more attractive design, better calls to action, or a more compelling value proposition.
- And much more!
In short, GA is an ideal tool for monitoring your website–and since it’s free, you can’t beat the price!
If you have any questions about SEO or Google Analytics, feel free to give me a call at 888-696-2900. I’d be happy to help you!
– Brad