When I create a website for my clients, my primary goal is converting visitors into customers.  A conversion is any transaction or engagement we want the visitor to take such as buying a product or downloading an e-book.  Goals in Google Analytics is one of the tools we use to measure conversion rates.  I am going to show you how to set up Goals in Google Analytics.  In my example, I will be setting up a Goal for a landing page where the user can download a free PDF.

Why set up goals?

Goals gives you an easy way to look at what is generating revenue, or isn’t, which gives you the data to take action and get better results.  If you have an eCommerce site, you may want to create a Goal for specific products. You may also want to measure what steps they take to checkout.  This helps you understand where they abandon the purchase.  In Google Analytics, you can create funnels and track conversions at each step in the process.

Let’s Set up the Goal in Google Analytics

1. First, you have to decide what you want to measure.  Let’s assume you want to create a Goal for an opt in form that takes the visitor to a thank you page.

2. Log into your Google Analytics.  You will see your website profile listed, click on the EDIT link under the Actions column.

3. You are now in the Profile Settings page. Click on the ADD GOAL link under the Goals section.  You can add up to four sets with five goals in each set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. You are now in the Add Goals page.

– Enter the Goal Name. I like to give it a name that relates to the specific transaction especially if I am going to set up multiple goals.  Set the Goal to Active.

– Next, select the Goal Type. In our example, it is a URL destination because the person is sent to a thank you page after they submit the form.

– In the Goal URL field, enter the URL as it appears after your domain name. For example, if the thank you page is https://old.marknetgroup.com/thankyou.html, enter /thankyou.html.  You do NOT need to enter the entire domain.

– You can enter a Goal Value which is the amount of revenue the conversion creates.  For example, converting a $75.00 product will have a Goal Value of $75.00.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Adding a Funnel is optional but recommended.  A funnel represents the path you expect visitors to take on their way to converting to the goal.  For example, as Google states, funnels in an e-commerce goal may include the first page of your checkout process, then the shipping address info page, and finally the credit card information page. The only report that shows the funnel path is the Funnel Visualization report.

– You will enter each step leading up to the final conversion. In my example, it is the initial landing page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations!  You have created a Goal in Google Analytics.

6. Now for the best part, analyzing your Goals. In Google Analytics, click on VIEW REPORTS and then the GOALS link.  You can now view the conversion rate for each Goal, the total value and overall performance. In my example, I can clearly see that Goal 4 is not doing well.  Clicking on the Funnel Visualization link displays your Funnel metrics.  Based on the above results, I will immediately go to the Goal 4 page and make changes until we have met the desired goal.  Actually, once we meet the desired goal we raise the bar because a revenue generating customer is a raving fan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setting up Goals is one of many ways you can use Google Analytics to measure and improve the effectiveness of your web presence.  Always test, always measure and continually look to improve your conversion rates.