With an abundant level of traffic, lead, and customer data available, the challenge for small businesses isn’t collecting information; it’s extracting meaningful insights from it.
Small businesses often find themselves settling for general or basic analytics that lack actionable data because they don’t know any better and a basic install was all that was included in their website design package.
While we don’t want to throw designers and developers under the bus, the truth is that those who are less experienced add “analytics installation and setup” to their website design packages to increase the perceived value and check the box that they “did analytics” — not because they understand what analytics metrics matter to your business and what data you need to track.
More seasoned designers and developers know the difference and make sure to tell you they connect your site to an analytics provider and then it’s up to you to figure out how to use your analytics.
We Ensure Websites Succeed By Avoiding Mistakes
Most of our referrals come from smart, savvy, experienced web designers and web developers who recognize that their strengths and ours.
- For new websites, we provide customer and keyword research to inform the sitemap and content creation.
- For existing websites, we do initial audits, benchmark current data points, and make recommendations for design and content improvements, and after sites are launched, we track and report the significant changes and results.
If your small business website isn’t collecting any data, or it’s only collecting general or basic analytics data, you’re likely experiencing little traffic and slow growth. You may also be making important business decisions based on best guesses and assumptions, which can waste time, energy, and your hard-earned money.
Here’s what’s at risk if you settle for basic analytics data or ignore your analytics altogether:
1. Misaligned Strategies
General analytics can lead to a one-size-fits-all strategy that doesn’t consider the unique aspects of your business. Without insights tailored to your specific business model, sales funnels, and conversion goals, strategies may be misaligned with your actual needs, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities.
2. Inefficient Resource Allocation
Basic analytics might show traffic and engagement levels, but without drilling down into what these numbers mean for your business specifically, you risk misallocating your budget. For instance, investing in marketing channels that seem to perform well on the surface but don’t contribute to your bottom line.
3. Overlooking Conversion Optimization Opportunities
Understanding the nuances of how users interact with your website and content is crucial for optimizing conversion rates. General metrics might indicate high traffic, yet they won’t reveal why visitors leave without converting. Specific metrics allow you to identify and address barriers in your sales funnel, enhancing user experience and increasing conversion rates.
4. Inability to Personalize and Segment
Today’s consumers expect personalized experiences. Basic analytics provide limited insights into customer behavior, making it difficult to segment your audience and tailor your offerings. This lack of personalization can lead to lower engagement and conversion rates as businesses fail to connect with their audiences on a deeper level.
5. Competitive Disadvantage
Relying on general analytics places you at a disadvantage compared to competitors who delve deeper into their data. Businesses that identify and track specific metrics gain a clearer understanding of their market position, customer needs, and operational efficiencies, allowing them to innovate and stay ahead.
6. Reactive Instead of Proactive Decision Making
General analytics often result in reactive strategies, where businesses respond to trends without fully understanding them. Specific metrics, however, empower businesses to anticipate changes, understand the underlying factors, and make proactive decisions that align with their long-term goals.
Tracking The Right Analytics Data Gives You A Strategic Advantage
You can mitigate these risks by prioritizing the identification and monitoring of the metrics that matter to your business model, sales funnels, customers, and conversion goals. This specificity provides a more strategic approach to using analytics to transform data into actionable insights.
For example, a business might discover through specific analytics that a significant portion of its conversions comes from a particular demographic segment or marketing channel. This insight could then inform targeted marketing strategies, product development, and customer service improvements, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
If you’re ready to level up your basic analytics setup and pave the way for optimized operations, enhanced customer experiences, a solid competitive edge, and confident, strategic decision-making, we can help.
We’ve got 20+ years of data analytics and SEO consulting and we use it to help small businesses succeed online. Reach out today to learn more about how we can help you better understand what’s happening in your business, on your website, and with your marketing.
We can’t wait to speak with you.
