Many people installed Google Analytics, opened it once, saw a screen full of charts and never went back. It is understandable. The tool was made for analysts. But the part an SME needs fits on one sheet, and answers simple questions.
The four numbers to look at
- How many people visited the website. In the overview report, see the users in the period. It serves to see the trend, not to celebrate the absolute value.
- Where they came from. Google search, direct (they typed the address), social media, other websites, ads. It tells you which channels work.
- Which pages they saw. The most viewed and the ones people land on. If nobody sees the services page, there is a path problem.
- What they did. Clicks on the phone number, on WhatsApp, form submissions. In Analytics these are called events or conversions, and they must be set up. It is the most important number.
How to read them
- Compare with the previous month, and with the same month last year, if there is data. An isolated number says little; the change says a lot.
- Cross-check with the rest. If enquiries rose and visits did not, the website converted better. If visits rose and enquiries did not, the problem may be on the page.
- Be wary of spikes. A post that went well, a shared article or a bot can inflate a day.
What to ignore, for now
- Average time on page, bounce rate and other fine metrics, until you know the four numbers above.
- Dozens of reports nobody consults.
- Comparisons with other websites, which are rarely comparable.
What the numbers do not show
- Those who did not accept cookies. If the website asks for consent for analytics, and it should, whoever declines does not appear. The numbers always show less than reality, and that is normal.
- Those who saw it and called later. Many people see the website and get in touch through another channel. That is why it is worth asking each new customer how they came to know the company, as explained in how to tell whether your website brings enquiries.
- Private conversations with AI tools, where someone may have heard about you.
A fifteen-minute routine
On the first working day of each month, open Analytics and fill in a sheet: visits, the three main sources, the three most viewed pages and the number of actions (phone, WhatsApp, form). Write one sentence on what changed and another on the decision it suggests. In Digital Marketing, the reports we make follow this logic: few numbers, read calmly, and a decision at the end.
The fifteen-minute sheet
Create a sheet with one row per month and five columns: visits, main source, most viewed page, actions on the website and a note. Fill in the last month and the three before, if you have data. In fifteen minutes you can see whether the trend is up, down or steady, and which channel weighs most. In a quarter, this sheet is worth more than dozens of automatic reports nobody reads.
In short
- Four numbers are enough: visits, sources, pages viewed and actions on the website.
- Always compare with the previous period and be wary of isolated spikes.
- The numbers show less than reality, especially when there is cookie consent.
- A fifteen-minute monthly routine is worth more than many reports.
Quick questions
Do I need to know how to set up events?
Someone has to do it once: mark as events the click on the phone number, on WhatsApp and the form submission. After that they are recorded on their own. Whoever manages the website usually knows how.
Why do Analytics numbers not match the enquiries I receive?
Because not all visitors accept cookies and because many people get in touch through another channel. Analytics shows part of reality, not the total.
Are there alternatives to Google Analytics?
Yes, there are other measurement tools. For an SME, what matters is to choose one, use it regularly and respect visitors' consent.
Want to choose the few numbers that matter for your company?
The exploratory call is a 30-minute conversation, at no cost. We choose with you the few numbers to follow. You keep the written summary.
Book an exploratory call