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What metrics matters for the money?

Most website owners uses Google Analytics or similar "out of the box" analytics and website tracking tools. 

The only metrics worth investing time in are those that help you making decisions. We make a distinction between vanity & actionable metrics.  A typical vanity metric is such as 10,000 monthly visitors, where as top performing keyword per market is an actionable metric. Unfortunately most analytic tools tends to focus on the vanity metrics as these are the easiest to measure and who doesn't get a pat on the shoulder by showing that they increased website traffic.
 
The actionable metrics are the important ones, the ones that you can improve and play with in-order to increase sales fast. 
 
A/B split testing
Use Google website optimizer to perform A/B split test. Not all of your god sent ideas of website "improvements" will actually work. By sending 50% of your traffic to the new landing page with a purple sign-up button and leaving the rest of your traffic on the old landing page, you'll soon have it black on white which page makes most revenue. 
 
Customer and segment metrics
When looking at number of visits on a particular landing page or the website itself, break it down in visitors or customer segments such as returning vs. new visitors. An increase in new visitors should normally have the same goal data, does it? Did the March peak in traffic on your poker section had the same % conversion rate? Was the traffic valuable for you, measure the actionable metrics.   
 
Goal funnels
Google Analytics has a great in-built feature of measuring your website goals in a funnel visualization mode. Use this tool to setup funnels on your most vital part of your webpage such as registration page. Where's the drop out, can you use A/B spit testing to increase the total conversion?
 

- Joakim Nilsson
Project manager Online marketing
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Joakim Nilsson's LinkedIn profile


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