Website Metrics

[Gary Lewis]

In case anybody is interested, although unlikely, I've learned how to create a "dashboard" for the website and share it on here: Metrics.  It isn't done by any stretch, but thought I'd tell you how it works and a bit about what I'm seeing.

On the "how it works" front, I have a Google spreadsheet that has a Google Analytics add-on.  That add-on allows me to set up reports, run them, schedule them, and even share them.  And the reports can have any number of different parameters included in them, many of which are someone obtuse to me.  To this point I've selected a few parameters to show on three charts, and the charts will be automagically updated between 2:00 and 3:00 each morning.

And so far what I'm seeing is that in the early part of summer:

Sessions and users started a significant increase.

Hits, meaning the number of times that the website is found in a Google search, are on the increase as well.

The number of returning users, meaning those who have been to the site before, is showing an upward trend, albeit a slow one.  However, the number of new users, meaning those who've not been on the website before, is growing dramatically.

I think the increases are probably due to your efforts directing people to the site.  In addition, my having been introduced to the FORDification forum as well as the F100 Facebook page in early June seems to have brought a lot of traffic.  And, somewhat simultaneously, I started helping a bit on several different Facebook pages, and the vast majority of my posts have included links to the site.

So, keep up the good work!  It is obviously having a positive effect in our effort to help people with Bullnose trucks.  And, if you can think of another way to look at the data please let me know.

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

In case anybody is interested, although unlikely, I've learned how to create a "dashboard" for the website and share it on here: Metrics.  It isn't done by any stretch, but thought I'd tell you how it works and a bit about what I'm seeing.

On the "how it works" front, I have a Google spreadsheet that has a Google Analytics add-on.  That add-on allows me to set up reports, run them, schedule them, and even share them.  And the reports can have any number of different parameters included in them, many of which are someone obtuse to me.  To this point I've selected a few parameters to show on three charts, and the charts will be automagically updated between 2:00 and 3:00 each morning.

Is this somewhat the opposite of "peeling the onion?"

[Gary Lewis]

I would have said it is the same as peeling the onion.  The traffic to the website is a big unknown.  But the metrics are helping me understand what is driving them, from whence they come, etc.  So each chart has one or two onion rings on it.  

[Ford F834]

Neat graphs Gary! It is good to see the membership growing... and on the number of returning users, is that a count or a ratio? i.e., total number of repeat customers or a percent of the membership that visited more than once?

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Jonathan.  But to be accurate, these numbers don't represent forum membership.  Instead they represent users going to any page of the garagemahal - which should include the forum itself.  However, people can visit the garagemahal w/o being a forum member.  Does that make sense?  

But, do I need to create a "forum members" chart?  I can probably do that, albeit manually.  (These charts get updated automagicaly.)  I could just add to the chart each time we get a new member.

As for the user numbers, supposed the New Users have never visited the site before.  And I'm subtracting that number from Total Users to get Returning Users.  So those are actual numbers, not percentages.

[Ford F834]

That makes sense Gary 🙂

Hopefully having the forum is increasing use of the rest of the site.

[Gary Lewis]

I think everything is synergistic.  The more people find the site the more it is suggested as solutions to problems on other sites.  The more it is suggested the more people find it.

I know that is happening because I've shared links to something on the site and can then see that page get viewed several times almost immediately from different locations.  And I'm starting to see other people share links to the site as well.  (I was all geared up to share a link to it the other day and someone beat me to it.  )

Then some of those who find the site ask to join the forum.  And they tell others.........