Top 5 common myths regarding Google Analytics
Even the most experienced analyst can be haunted by many myths regarding Google Analytics. But, just because an idea is repeated often does not mean it is a fact.
Google Analytics is a popular tool in digital marketing. Although there are no recent updates, Google Analytics is used by at least 30-50,000,000 websites. The true number is likely much larger. GA provides many actionable insights that can be used to improve digital performance and scale organizations.
This article aims to clarify some of the misunderstandings and fallacies that surround this invaluable tool. Also, if you need any professional assistance you can reach us at Digital Specialist anytime you want.
Google Analytics myths: A low bounce rate is essential
This is one of the most common myths surrounding Google Analytics. Marketers are obsessed with achieving a low bounce ratio. But, without context, Google Analytics is essentially meaningless.
There can be huge differences in bounce rates between pages of a website. It’s difficult to know if the number is good or not without context. The bounce rate is largely determined by the purpose of the website, its general goals, and the flow of users through its pages.
Google Analytics is accurate at all times
Google Analytics is a Google property. This myth about GA suggests that it can be used without any errors or inaccuracies. Many factors can cause a website to lose its tracking data. Because tracking happens through a JavaScript tag
Although not widespread, there are some things you should be aware of, such as extreme swings in any metric and irregular behavior in trends.
Direct traffic is not the only indicator of direct traffic
Analytics offers several default channels that will help you to understand traffic sources. These default channels allow you to see where your website visitors come from.
- Organic search
- Social
- Affiliates
- Referred
- Paid search
Google Analytics uses information about the origin to determine which segment of incoming traffic it should be assigned to. This sorting method generally works well. One of the biggest myths about Analytics, however, is that it only covers direct visits.
You must match other reporting sources
This myth is probably the most popular about Analytics for marketers. Different software platforms have different metrics definitions. There are also differences in counting methods, which can lead to discrepancies among figures. This holds for both Analytics and Google Ads.
Google Analytics counts a visitor’s visit every time they arrive at a website via a referral source. This person’s interactions are all counted as one visit over the next half hour.
Although this can cause a discrepancy between the visits displayed by each tool, it is generally not a problem if there is less than a 20% variation. You can also analyze the data to see if there are any similarities in the trends of increases or decreases between the platforms.
If you see wildly different numbers on different platforms, it is worth doing some research to determine if your tracking system was incorrectly set up. If this happens, consult your technical team to determine the cause.
It’s Great and Out Of The Box
Google Analytics is an excellent tool that is easy to set up. However, depending on the way your website was built, you might need additional settings. You may need cross-domain tracking or referral exclusions. These items allow you to collect more precise tracking information and provide the information you need for success.
Google Analytics, at its most basic, doesn’t distinguish between e-commerce sites, informational sites, and other types of websites. The tool can’t determine what information is most important, beneficial, or relevant to your website.
Google Analytics is an excellent platform that helps businesses make informed business decisions. There are many myths surrounding Analytics. These include its capabilities, its application, and its reliability.
Above all, these myths are not to be believed. Instead, learn them and use them to help guide your brand in a more successful and informed direction.
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