Using Google Analytics to Measure Social Media ROI

#GoogleAnalytics, #SM, #SMM, #SEO

If you aren’t already using Google Analytics to track your website/blog performance, you’re missing out on a great feedback system and it’s FREE. It isn’t necessary to have a Blogger blog. It can be used on static websites hosted on your own server, on Wordpress, or some other platform. You will need a Google account and then follow the directions in how to place the codes on your site so that it can begin tracking the activity on your site.

I use Google Analytics to get an idea of how many visitors I receive each month, to track new first-time visitors vs returning visitors, and to measure my blogs' traffic flow from social media. It let’s me know the percentage of people from the US, Canada and other countries, who is using what browser platform to view my site, and what percentage of my readers are on mobile platforms such as Verizon Android or iphones. 

Why is this important? It helps me tailor my content, and to use gadget plug-ins that will work with these features. I don’t want to use something that the majority of my readers’ software won’t be compatible with and will prevent them from viewing my site. My goal is to gain readers, not lose them. This means I have to tailor my content to something they can use and value, as well as be compatible on the reading device they choose to use. 

Google has implemented the Social Plug-In Analytics. It shows how many people visit your site from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+. This eliminates the guess work in how much of a difference your social media efforts make in your overall platform. It can be great info for the Marketing Plan piece of your proposal. It isn’t enough to have 8,000 Twitter followers and 2,500 likes on your Facebook page. Those numbers are only a start—they give you “access” to people you wouldn’t otherwise have. Now take it a step further, and learn the percentage of those people who are actively engaged in following your posts and interacting with you.

• Do they take action and click onto your website/blog and read the whole post? 
• Do they now follow your blog? 
• Did they like your content enough to further promote it to their friends and family? 

You can know the answers to these questions by keeping up with how many +1 hits on Google, shares it on Facebook, or retweets it on Twitter. If this is happening, you have Social Media spreading your news by “word of mouth marketing”. This is what you want—other people promoting your work. You won’t know this without some mechanism to track your efforts--and why not use a free, accurate system like Google Analytics?

This will give you a “return on your investment” of time, types of posts, and content that people are interested in sharing and seeing or hearing. Often, what we “think” they are interested in is completely different than the “truth”. I can get people to share an image of Bambi on Facebook much faster than I can one of my devotional posts or an announcement about my books or events. Yet, on Twitter, people will retweet one of my devotions or my book announcements easier than on Facebook. It’s given me a chance to get to know my readers better on each individual social media site. Each social media site has its own culture, and you must learn them.

Here is an image of traffic flow that Google Analytics will show you from your Social Media sites. It will show you what percentage of “click thrus” come from which social media, which page they entered, and which pages they clicked on next and when and where they dropped off from your site. This will also give you an idea of which content (blog posts) people are interested in so that you will be able to target your future posts to garner more interactions. 

Below is an old image from one of my personal blog sites. 

If you want specific directions in how to implement the code on Blogger, click here.

What are your thoughts? Have you used Google Analytics? Did you know about the ability to also track your Social Media actions? Would it be helpful in helping you with YOUR online marketing efforts?

Why Marketing Plans Are Important to Authors

Regardless of whether you're pre-published or published, writers should consider creating an annual marketing plan. Such a plan helps you evaluate where you are and prompts you to think about where you want to be at the same time next year. Otherwise, you're just floating along and hoping to make progress without really being deliberate, consistent, or strategic.

If you have new books coming out, you probably have a book launch campaign and you could incorporate that into your overall plan, but don't let your campaign be your only plan. There are some basic steps you can incorporate into your daily routine that will build your platform while you write the next book. If you're pre-published and you aren't yet doing any speaking engagements, radio talk shows or book signings, I'll bet you're online and could benefit from a marketing plan that would increase your social media platform.

It isn't necessary to hire a professional publicist to create your marketing plan unless you're published and at the stage where you need to take your platform to the next level. If you've never written a Marketing Plan, you can start out with something basic, depending on how much time, money and effort you want to put into your marketing plan. No boiler-plate marketing plan is going to work for everyone. We are all different, our schedules vary, our talents unique, and our books are in various niches. The marketing plan you create for 2012 may not be the best one for you in 2013.

Below are some basic categories I would suggest to start. 

• Book Launch Campaigns - If you have any new books coming out this year.

• Internet Presence - This is your home place on the web. It's usually your domain location whether it be a static website or a daily/weekly blog. 

• Traditional Media - TV and radio shows, newspapers and magazines, and places to distribute media releases. These days most authors are concentrating on using traditional media through local outlets unless they are a huge NY Times best seller.

• Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube, as well as online forums.

• Digital Media - Blog interviews, e-zines, podcasts, videos, and video book trailers.

• Speaking Engagements - Conferences, workshops, webinars, video conferencing, Skype and Google+ Hangouts.

• Book Signings & Readings - Some of these are just signings and others allow authors to provide a reading, offer Q & A, or give brief presentations.

• Print Publications - Graphic Design and printing of bookmarks, flyers, business cards, postcards, signs, banners, magnets, and memorabilia.

If you noticed, I've absorbed Public Relations into Traditional, Social and Digital Media. It's started taking on different forms these days, but should be utilized in all three mediums as needed. How best could you see yourself using a Marketing Plan? Do you think it would help keep you motivated and give you milestones to target?