Justine Jahnke — March 29, 2018 — March 29, 2018
So your team has set benchmark data and is constantly measuring your website performance…right? If you aren’t — You’re killing me, Smalls!
Using metrics to know what’s working on your website and what’s not will allow you to make smart decisions about updates and changes.
Go Beyond the basic website performance tools
Earlier this month we shared the 5 essential no-cost tools to measure your website…but there’s more out there. We’re sharing 5 additional website measurement tools that you’ve probably never heard of, or didn’t realize you already had. Good news – 4 of the 5 bonus tools listed below are free!
These tools will help you:
- Track follower behavior on Facebook and Twitter
- Audit your website for issues and performance insights
- Collect valuable user experience information
- Grade your website and marketing program
1.Twitter Analytics
What it is
An informative measurement tool right inside your Twitter account. You can navigate a summary metrics dashboard or dive a little deeper into audience insights, tweet engagement, and more. Cost = Free.
Why you need it
Understanding how your social activity is performing can help develop a more effective strategy and allocate the right time and budget to your Twitter presence. Use Twitter Analytics to:
- Track tweet engagement
- Track how your audience engages with your tweets
- Look at the demographics of who is following you
- See how your follower base is growing or declining
- Determine if your Twitter ads are worth the money
When should you use it?
Use this tool as often as you schedule your social posts. If you schedule posts once a week, use the tool at least once a week. Looking at it around the times that you schedule your posts can help you make quick tweaks to your Twitter strategy rather than an overhaul at the end of the year.
Special Tip
If you are a real metrics junkie, you can export the data from Twitter Analytics in a CSV or Excel file and sort through the data in ways not possible within the platform itself.
2.Facebook insights
What it is
Facebook provides a performance measurement tool right inside your business account. Get a quick assessment of your Facebook Page performance or dive really deep into specific metrics. Cost = Free.
Why you need it
Facebook insights is the god of social media analytics. Here are just a few of the things you can do with this tool:
- Take a look at your five most recent posts and their insights
- Compare your competitors pages to yours
- Look at where your pages likes are coming from
- Understand your reach and what factors affect it
- Find out who liked, saw, or engaged with your page
- When should you use it?
Check it weekly. Just like Twitter analytics, use the tool to tweak and test your tactics. That means using this tool as often as you schedule your Facebook posts.
Special Tip
Export your page summary data! Facebook actually gives you a lot more data on the performance of your page when you download the spreadsheet.
3.Google Tag Manager
What it is
It’s a user friendly, web-based interface that simplifies the process of installing various types of code (tags) to your website. Use Google Tag Manager to set-up and manage tags without touching your website’s code. Cost = Free.
Why you need it
Tags let you collect the website data you need to manage your website:
- Lead conversions and form submissions
- Remarketing campaign performance
- Tracking how people arrive at your website
- Tracking how people interact with your website
When should you use it?
Use it to DIY and save money on a developer. (Normally you would use a web developer to modify and add code but Google Tag Manager makes it simple).
Special Tip
The tool allows smaller businesses to comfortably use dozens of tags. Plus Google Tag Manager makes it easier to manage your tags and can even improve site speed by helping your website load more efficiently.
4.Screaming Frog
What it is
Screaming Frog (great name, right?) is a website crawler that audits your website for data including onsite SEO and technical issues — in real time. Cost = About $ 183 a year – but they also have a free version!
Why you need it
Many of our clients come to us not knowing anything about the technical issues on their site. Those issues add up over time and affect your SEO and how you rank in Google Search. Use Screaming Frog to:
- Find broken links
- Audit redirects
- Analyze meta titles and descriptions
- Discover duplicate content
When should you use it?
Often! Keeping an eye on your website’s technical and SEO performance is extremely important. At the very least, use the tool monthly to do a check up and make any quick fixes.
Special Tip
Integrate Screaming Frog with your Google Analytics account to compare your user data, such as sessions or bounce rate, and conversions for your pages against the tool’s website crawl.
5.HubSpot Website Grader
What it is
HubSpot’s Website Grader provides an instant, high-level scorecard for your website’s performance on a 1-100 scale. In under 30 seconds, it analyzes all of your marketing – not just your website. Cost = Free.
Why you need it
You can use the Website Grader to measure your:
- Competitive Benchmarking
- Lead Generation
- Mobile Marketing
- Social Media
- Blogging
When should you use it?
Use it Quarterly.
Special Tip
Use the website grader’s customized action items. The Marketing Grader tool makes it really easy for you to figure out what to do next and how to start improving.
Start measuring Your website performance…Now
These tools are excellent additions to your analytics tool belt. And if you are just starting to measure your website this will give you good base. Plus, it’s is an awesome morale boost to see your metrics improve after you establish that baseline.
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