This document provides an overview of how to use Google Analytics to evaluate content on eXtension.org and enhance a content strategy. It outlines existing analytic reports, how to access eXtension's Google Analytics account, tools to find top performing content and referrals, and how to create advanced segments and optimize time. The take home message is to utilize analytics to inform future content development by looking at past performance, keywords, referrals, and correlating data to marketing outreach. Contact information is provided for help with using Google Analytics.
Maximizing Impact_ Nonprofit Website Planning, Budgeting, and Design.pdf
Google analytics
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Editor's Notes
Why would we consider looking at search engine data to evaluate our content? More than 80% of users come from sources outside eXtension, which leads us to want to know how and why people find our content.
Review the report, explain how CoPs can read it and utilize it. 1.) Understand on a daily basis how of their pages are found or searched on in Goggle2.) Understand how much content is discovered on a weekly basis
Often times the top finds may not be articles, but news or FAQ. Communities might want to search for articles and work on that aspect first.
Notice a lot more articles are viewed right up front1.) Take an assessment of the top of the list 2.) What is it about these pages that might indicate CoI needs? 3.) For highly used FAQ’s do you have an related article? Why or Why not?
We are now looking at pages viewed from any source. Sometimes you will find that it’s similar to “Pages viewed in Google Search” BUT, notice something – about ½ way down, there is an event. I recall this event. I sent this event around my networks. You can often figure out why or how something became viewed. Also, this tells you that people shared this link more than it was searched. Therefore, if you had a media campaign for this event, it appeared to work well.
Notice a lot more articles are viewed right up front1.) Take an assessment of the top of the list 2.) What is it about these pages that might indicate CoI needs? 3.) For highly used FAQ’s do you have an related article? Why or Why not?
Sign in with your eXtension ID
Click on view report
For this session, we are going to concentrating on a few places1.) Tools area2.) Time period areaSpecial note: Be aware that March is when the NEW search algorithm was activated (Panda) – therefore, be careful of timeperiod.
Visit Content
ALL content1.) for all eXtension.org2.) We want to start at “Top Content”
Make sure to pay attention to the time period.
We changed this now to a 3 month periodHowever, we are still looking at ALL CONTENT
We want to filter the content to a single CoP1.) use the “resource tag” 2.) if there is a space in your resource tag, complete with an underscore *if you don’t know your CoP resource name, go to it on the public site
You can look at any page by it’s details
Sources of your traffic outside eXtension
What were users looking for?
You could even get more information if you really want to delve into the pages.
Advanced Segments let you create directed reporting just for you CoP resource area.
Test the segmentIf you like it, create the segment
Go back to the dashboardNow you can change it to your unique segment
Now, you can really begin to have some discussions….
You may look for more information over a longer period Who is sending quite a few people to your site? Is this a potential partner? Make contact.
Check statistics when you have a targeted marketing or media campaign. Can you see an impact from those efforts?