Analytics help the bottom line

Seemingly every week there’s a story about someone’s massive database being hacked. The thieves are all after personal data and credit card information they can use for nefarious purposes.

This data, of course, is provided by the consumer. You go onto Amazon, buy something, and divulge your address, security information, and the like.

These companies use this information not only to track what’s been selling, but also your individual buying habits. They examine web site traffic to see which pages are being visited, and use this “Big Data” to learn how to better sell to every one of us.

It’s called analytics.

Regardless of what you sell, you too can utilize analytics to positively impact your bottom line. The deciding factor is whether you choose to take advantage of it.

The fun begins at your web site. Google (naturally) kindly provides a free tool that can easily be slipped into the code on each page of your site.

Actually tracking activity on the site is up to you, of course.

Though it won’t let you determine who individual users are, that snippet of code will let you uncover patterns of site movement by your customers. It’s potentially the lifeblood of any web site hoping to monetize its content and visitor traffic.

Parsing your online statistics helps explain where your business comes from and what pages and products on your site capture interest. Pretty soon you’ll better understand when you got traffic and why. And it’s really easy to compare patterns by the hour, day, month, or year.

Like you, I know that my web site is the least expensive, most flexible item in my marketing toolbox. Furthermore, analyzing my own online browsing habits, I appreciate that there’s little need to frequent any site not changing its content. This recognition constantly prompts me to keep my site’s content fresh.

And since most of my sales come in online (explaining my recently cutting the cord with Ma Bell), the web site is where I want to drive prospective clients. That site increases my credibility, consolidates my communications, and simplifies my life.

You, too, should be consistently assessing your site’s effectiveness. Regularly analyzing your message, product line, and audience reactions is an investment that’ll directly feed your bottom line.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

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Make your marketing more profitable at www.askmrmarketing.com.