Google Analytics provides detailed insights into the behavior of users and traffic on your website. There are several features available in Google Analytics that can help eCommerce store owners optimize sales and improve the overall performance of their stores. In this article, we will learn about some of the amazing features of Google Analytics for eCommerce stores in detail.
Some of the Best Features of Google Analytics for eCommerce Store
Enable eCommerce Tracking
By default, the Universal GA tracking code tracks only page views and user data. It is necessary to include an eCommerce tracking code to track eCommerce transactions and activities like product performance, category performance, related product details, etc.
If you own a WooCommerce store, then you can add eCommerce tracking code with enhanced eCommerce Google Analytics for the WooCommerce WordPress plugin. And, on other platforms like Shopify and Magento, you have to add it manually.
Besides adding a tracking code to your store, the eCommerce tracking option in Google Analytics needs to be enabled.
Site Search
The search option helps customers to locate products they are looking for in your store. You can track the search terms entered by a customer by enabling Google Analytics’ site search options. Also, by tracking the search terms, you can understand their taste and preferences when the search results are generated.
These metrics will help determine how to design the store’s home page and navigation to make products more discoverable.
You can find the following metrics under the site search section of Google Analytics:
- Search Refinement % – Number of times the search query has been refined by the visitor.
- Page views/Search – Number of pages visited after a search result has been displayed.
- Time After Search – The amount of time spent on the site following the display of the search result.
Tracking of Micro Goals
Making more sales is the primary goal of every eCommerce business. Nevertheless, tracking transactions will not give you an accurate picture of what your customers are doing on your website.
Customers always take minor actions in your store before making any purchases. By understanding these micro-goals, you can easily get aware of your customer’s journey on your site, and with the help of Google Analytics, you can do it very easily.
Some of the best examples of Micro goals: Signing up for the newsletter, Liking the Facebook Page, Social sharing, etc.
Excluding Referrer Domains
The availability of online payment options makes it easier for users to purchase products quickly. Additionally, it increases conversion rates. In order to accept online payments, you need to integrate one of the payment gateways into your store.
But the problem is that, once the user clicks on the payment button, they are directed to the payment gateway website, and the payment is processed there. After the customer makes the payment, they will be redirected to the store.
As a result, visitors to your payment gateway site will be considered referral traffic, and you will lose the actual channel through which your customer found you. Due to this, you are missing the data about channels that drive more conversions to your site.
To eliminate it, use Google Analytics to exclude the payment gateway website from referring lists of your eCommerce store.
Also Read: How to add payment method in WooCommerce.
Funneling
By setting up funneling, you can see your user journey in greater detail, and identify what pages are causing customers to abandon transactions. But for setting up, users have to go through some channelized steps before completing the transaction on your store.
Content Grouping
You will have various types of pages in your eCommerce store, for example, Category pages, Landing pages, Product pages, and Blog posts. By grouping these pages which are classified on the page’s category, it will be easier for you to understand the performance of each category.
You can create content grouping very easily with the help of Google Analytics and use it for the betterment of your eCommerce store with ease.
Google Analytics Product Linking
Google Adwords and Search Console are the best tools for tracking the effectiveness of your ads and SEO.
By linking Analytics and Adwords, you can learn more about customer behavior and the effectiveness of your ads. With Adwords, you can also monitor conversion rates and optimize ad campaigns effectively.
Annotations
The Annotations option enables you to mark events related to your marketing campaigns.
For instance, if you track the impact of any newly launched marketing campaign on your website traffic; you will be able to compare it with the impact of previous campaigns. Likewise, you can also mark any PRs or guest posts on industry blogs.
Eventually, in the long run, you will be able to determine which marketing activity contributed to the traffic spike on your site.
Final Words
All in all, in this digital age, with more information about your customers specifically in the eCommerce world, you can make better marketing and business decisions. By using Google Analytics, you can do Google-enhanced eCommerce which allows you to take appropriate action in order to increase your business’s profitability by better understanding customer behavior and preferences.