19: Google Analytics - Get More Leads from Your Website Traffic

Summary

In this episode, Meredith’s husband walks through how website owners can use Google Analytics to improve conversion rates by analyzing landing pages. By focusing on organic traffic and understanding what users see, what they should do, and what decisions they need to make, website owners can optimize their most popular pages to generate more leads and conversions.

Blog Post: Using Google Analytics to Improve Your Website's Conversion Rate

If you're running a website, chances are you’re already familiar with Google Analytics. However, many small business owners and photographers don’t fully utilize this powerful tool to optimize their site for conversions. In this blog post, we’ll break down how you can leverage Google Analytics to improve your conversion rate by focusing on one simple metric: landing pages.

What is a Landing Page?

A landing page is the first page a user visits when they come to your website. It’s the first impression they get, and it’s crucial that you make it count. Whether users arrive from a search engine or another website, you want to ensure that these landing pages are optimized to guide visitors toward taking the desired action—whether that’s booking a session, purchasing a product, or signing up for a service.

Step 1: Accessing Your Landing Pages in Google Analytics

Once you have Google Analytics installed on your website, the first step is to log in and find your landing pages. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the "Acquisition" tab on the left-hand menu.

2. Click on "All Traffic" and then "Channels."

3. Select "Organic Search" to see which pages are bringing in traffic from search engines.

4. Under "Primary Dimension," select "Landing Page" to view the specific pages users are landing on.

At this point, you'll see a list of your most popular landing pages in order of traffic. This is where the optimization process begins.

Step 2: Analyze Your Landing Pages

Now that you have the data, the next step is to examine each landing page carefully. As Meredith's husband outlines, there are three key questions you should ask as you review each page:

1. What am I looking at?Users need to know immediately what your page is about. Your headline is crucial here. Make sure it clearly conveys the topic or service the page addresses, ideally including your primary keywords.

2. What am I supposed to do?Visitors should easily understand what action they need to take on your page. Whether it’s watching a video, reading more content, or clicking a button, the instructions should be crystal clear. Use action words like "watch," "read," or "click here" to guide users.

3. What decision do I need to make?Your call to action (CTA) should be prominent and specific. Avoid vague CTAs like “Contact Us” or “Learn More.” Instead, try phrases like “Book Your Session” or “Schedule a Consultation” to be direct about what the next step is.

Step 3: Make Adjustments

Once you've reviewed your most popular landing pages, make the necessary adjustments to your headlines, instructions, and CTAs. If a page doesn’t have a clear CTA, add one. If the headline is too vague, refine it to include your key message. These small tweaks can significantly impact how users interact with your site, which in turn can improve your conversion rates.

Step 4: Repeat the Process

Don’t stop at just one page. After optimizing your most popular landing page, move on to the next one. Repeat this process for your top-performing pages to ensure they are all optimized for user engagement and conversions.

Key Points to Remember:

• Ensure your headline clearly communicates what the user is looking at.

• Guide users with clear instructions on what they need to do next.

• Make your call to action specific and action-oriented.

By following these simple steps, you can increase the chances of converting the traffic you're already getting into valuable leads, customers, or clients.

Resources

For instructions on how to set up Google Analytics for WordPress, Squarespace, or other platforms, refer to the link mentioned by Meredith’s husband in the episode.