Show Me the Numbers: Basic Metrics to Grow Your Project, by Susan Mernit

Show Me the NumbersBasic Metrics to Grow Your ProjectApril 10, 2013

Susan MernitKnight Circuit Rider, Oakland Local Editor/Publisher

Type questions here

What we’re discussing

• How can I look at core metrics and use them to grow what I do?

• What are the basic tools and tips to work with?• How do I make decisions based on metrics data?• What are best practices to follow working with

metrics in an ongoing way?• What are some good time management practices

around metrics reporting?

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Getting started with metrics• Web analytics is the

measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage


Metrics are CORE for any small site operator

Core measurement tools

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Google Analytics

Facebook & Facebook Insights

Twitter & Tweetreach

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•Google Analytics dashboard measures site data including•Traffic•Audience•Content•Geography

•Google Analytics dashboard measures site data including•Traffic•Audience•Content•Geography

Essential GA metrics to evaluate

– Time spent– Pages viewed– Returning vs. new visitors– Referral source– Location– Unique visitors– Page views– Platforms


But it’s a matrix: Metrics are most meaningful in relationship to one another

Watching the GA connections to drive site growth

• Google Analytics factors:– Referral traffic: Where are the most engaged users

coming from? (referral traffic/time spent metrics)– Content behaviors: What is average time spent per

story? How do content stats per story (NOT averages) relate?

– Content: What keywords drive traffic for my site?– What are top entrance pages (correlate with search

engine traffic)


Decisions based on Google Analytics

• Type of content (topics, trending issues, cost)• Geographic focus (review of location &

mission)• Social media marketing outreach: Focus on

top social media referral sources based on– Top referrers– Best time spent metrics from specific referrers– Campaign reviews (newsletters)


Location: Checking geographic focus

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The Location tab (under Audience Demographics)shows where your audience is from—essential for sales/funders

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Understanding Mobile

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Under Audience, Google Analytics will tell you what percentage of your audience is via mobile—and which platforms


GA: Checking content & interest vs. referrals


IMPACT: Improve understandingof top content and referralsources

Other core metrics tools

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Measures Facebook page data

Measures tweet impact

Facebook Insights

Facebook Insights

Likes

Comments

Twitter

Followers

Retweets

Tweet reach

Facebook Insights--Admins can access

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Insights is the equivalentOf Google Analytics forBusiness—not personal-Facebook pages—need 30+ followersData is exportable—correlate with Google Analytics in your analyses


Use the FB demographics data!


Who’s talking shows demographics—key for advertisers—and fortargeting content

Facebook provides INSTANT feedback

Content & Audience• What’s popular (views)• What’s being referred (viral)• Who is your audience

(followers & demographics)

Ads & social marketing• Tracking response on social

marketing/promotion posts• Tracking likes & reposts


Apply Facebook data to recruit new advertisers, fine tune your content, define audiences, drive traffic to website

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Tweetreach is a critical Twitter metrics tool

• Shows most retweeted

• Shows top retweeters

• Shows top tweets and how far each reach


Oakland Local: Tweetreach

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How many people are you reaching via Twitter—and who are they? Tweetreachgives you data

How many people are you reaching via Twitter—and who are they? Tweetreachgives you data



Tweetreach reportFirst screen


Tweetreach data dive—who’sContributing to your stream?

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Workflow and process best practices

Sou

rce: http

://foba

ng

o.com

Create a reporting dashboard to track stats over time- Excel

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Spreadsheet tracking key metrics month by month, quarter by quarter.

Build or download a template to collect data

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Your dashboard should track

• Google Analytics• Unique visitors• First time vs. repeat visitors• Time on site• Pages per visit• Bounce rate• Top 10 Content (by page views or by unique visitors)• Number of comments (conversion goal)• Number of member blog posts (conversion goal)• New members (conversion goal)• Top referring sources

Let’s discuss: how does this work as a weekly/daily report?

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Your dashboard should track

• Facebook Insights• Followers• Demographics• Location

• Likes/virality• Tweetreach

• Top Tweets• Top Tweeters• Most retweeted

Let’s discuss: how does this work as a weekly/daily report?


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Want to learn more?Videos on the Official

Google Analytics YouTube Channel

are a quality resource.


http://www.youtube.com/googleanalytics?hl=en

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Putting knowledgeto work

Source: http://blog.podio.com


Things to Ask & Try

When do you check stats?

• Daily or weekly– 30 minutes or less– Look at basic weekly

stats• Top content• Top referrers• Time

spent/bounce metrics

• Monthly– 90 minutes– Review all stat sources– Build a monthly report– Compare 6 month trend

data• Google Analytics• Facebook Insights• Tweetreach


Putting info to work--Start with basic analysis

Planning• What is your site’s greatest strength according to

Google Analytics?• Example: High number of returning visits, high time

spent on pages metrics• Use stats to portray your strengths-Create a 1 pager

• What is a problem you see in your site that Google Analytics shows you?– Example: High bounce rate, poor referrals from

social media despite putting investment there– Use stats to portray--Create a 1 pager


Workflow: Monthly reporting?

• What does a monthly report about your site look like?– Construct a monthly report across all data sources

highlighting metrics you consider meaningful/important

– Make some inferences/assertions and test them


Followup

• Should we have a peer learning circle? More trainings? YOU TELL US– If yes, contact [email protected]– More on metrics (including the basics):

http://slideshare.com/susanmernit– More individual and group training possible—

contact [email protected]

–See this presentation and download at http://slideshare.com/susanmernit


mailto:[email protected]

http://slideshare.com/susanmernit

mailto:[email protected]

Show Me the Numbers: Basic Metrics to Grow Your Project, by Susan Mernit

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