Your Web Traffic and Your Bottom Line
Author: Scott Buresh
Most companies that have websites have access to traffic statistics,
usually provided by their web host. Those that don't look at these
files (or use a bargain basement web hosting company that doesn't
provide them) don't know what they are missing- there is a wealth
of information to be found, and reacting to this information can
have a positive impact on a company's bottom line. What follows
are some of the most basic stats that are typically available,
followed by brief suggestions on how to use the information.
The Myth of "Hits" Most web surfers have come across sites that
boast about "20,000 hits per day" or something similar. But what
does this mean? To an internet marketer, unfortunately, not much.
"Hits" actually refers to the number of requests for information
the web server receives. To use an oversimplified example, if
your company homepage has 20 separate graphics on it, each visitor
to that page will account for 20 hits. If you were boasting of
20,000 hits per day, you would really only be talking about 1000
visitors. Obviously, this statistic is not a fair indication of
actual site visitors, and shouldn't be figured into your traffic
analysis.
Average Visitors (Daily, Weekly, Monthly) This is the true measure
of website activity. Of course, more traffic is desirable in most
circumstances (provided it is at least somewhat targeted). Without
access to this data and the ability to look at visitor history,
it is impossible to tell if your traffic building initiatives,
whether online or offline, are working. It should be noted that
the more your traffic increases, the more accurate the rest of
your data becomes. This is simply because trends in a larger sample
are more telling than trends in a smaller sample where a small
number of atypical users can skew the results.
Average Time Spent On Site and Average Page Views Per Visitor
This data can be very useful in determining how your site is connecting
with visitors. If the average time that people spend on the site
is small (for example less than a minute), or the average visitor
only visits one or two pages, it may indicate some sort of problem.
Perhaps your site is attracting the wrong traffic, with visitors
abandoning the site quickly when they realize it isn't what they
were seeking. Perhaps visitors are confused by the navigation
and decide to look elsewhere. Maybe your site, even though you
love it, gives off an inexplicable bad vibe. Whatever the case,
an awareness of the time people spend on your site and the number
of pages they view can bring a potential problem to your attention,
and help you gauge how effective your solution is.
Most/Least Requested Pages This information is helpful in determining
the "hot" and "cold" areas of your website. If you notice that
a page that you think is important is not getting any attention,
perhaps the link to this page should be made more prominent or
enticing. On the other hand, if there are areas of the site that
you deem less important that are attracting a great deal of your
traffic, you can shift some of your sales/marketing focus to those
pages. Whatever you find in these stats, you can bet that it will
give you valuable insight into the interests and motivations of
your visitors.
Top Exit Pages There are probably certain pages of your site
where you don't mind visitors leaving (after all, they can't stay
forever). A confirmation page after they fill out a request for
more information might be one example of a reasonable exit point.
A contact page that tells visitors how to get in touch with your
company might also be acceptable. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic
to assume that each of your visitors is going to find exactly
what they are looking for on your company site, so it is normal
to see a wide range of exit pages. However, if a high percentage
of visitors are leaving on any particular page, it bears some
close scrutiny. Sometimes minor modifications in content can have
a positive impact on visitor retention.
Top Search Phrases This data can be very useful in understanding
what type of traffic is coming to your site. If you see relevant
phrases that bring you consistent traffic, you can assume that
you are getting some targeted traffic. On the other hand, if there
are predominant phrases people are using to find your site that
are unrelated to your business, you know that at least some of
your traffic is of a lesser quality. In addition, if you notice
that people find your site by typing in the name of your company,
you should be pleased to know that you have achieved some level
of brand awareness. By examining the search phrases that your
visitors are using, you gain a better understanding of your visitor.
Conclusion Some people are intimidated by these reports (mostly
because of the sheer volume of data available), but they shouldn't
be. While there are many highly specialized statistics that can
be used for more in-depth analysis of site traffic, the above
areas alone can provide invaluable information on site visitors
and website performance. Remember- this data is available for
a reason. It's up to your company to use it!
About the author: Scott Buresh is co-founder and principal of
Medium Blue Internet Marketing (www.mediumblue.com <http://www.mediumblue.com>).
For monthly tips on how to get the most out of your internet presence,
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