Showing posts with label Conversion Strategy. Show all posts

Tracking Clicks on Outbound Links

Posted on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 by

Clicks on outbound links is an advanced statistic to track. It can give you insight into the biggest traffic leaks on your site or how well you're doing when you encourage people to follow a link offsite.

I recommend using Google Analytics for all your tracking needs. Its a free and powerful analytics package which can plug right into your Adwords account. (Note: This article assumes you're using the new Asynchronous tracking code.)

There are two main ways to track outbound links using GA, Virtual Page Views or Event Tracking. Both methods use a piece of javascript code within the link attributes to track the action of clicking the link.

Virtual Page Views

This method creates whats known as a virtual pageview when the link is clicked. You specify the path for the pagview as if it were an actual page and it is recorded within GA just like any other page view.

The problem is that the extra pageviews affect other important statistics such as Bounce Rate and Page Views/ Visitor. The advantage is that you can use the virtual page view as a goal.

Event Tracking

This method simply tracks the click as an event and is the more appropriate way to track clicks on outbound links.

The problem is you cant use the event as a goal within GA (yet).

I've been trailing the use of virtual pageviews on this blog and another site and I've decided that its ability to be used as a goal is not worth the affect it has on bounce rate. I am in the process of switching over to the event tracking method. I've found an interesting article which has a workaround for using event tracking as if it were a goal.

These resources might also be helpful:
Trying to work this stuff out was made much more difficult by the existence of this article: http://www.google.com/support/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55527. It contains an outdated method but because it was in Google support it was difficult to discount it. I eventually found some other threads; here and here that clear it up.

[Conversion tracking resources and reading]



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Conversion Tracking - Superplay

Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2011 by

The conversions and methods for tracking them on the website for the Superplay Cafe.


If you look back at my Determine Conversions post for Superplay you'll notice that a number of the conversions require an offline activity which makes them more difficult, although not impossible, to track. This post deals with onsite conversions that we can track.

Conversion 1: Kids Party/ Function Contact Form is Completed

The completion of the contact form generates a lead for booking a children's party or function. I used Google Analytics Goals with the goal being the thankyou page that the visitor is delivered to once they fill out the form and click 'send message.'

Conversion 2: Someone Views the Address or Contact Information

For the 'viewing' conversions I used the javascript OnMouseOver function that records a 'virtual pageview' each time the cursor moves over a certain part of the page. The 'virtual pageviews' are recorded using Google Analytics. I set up separate mouse over conversions for the address, phone number and email address at the different locations they appear on the website.

Moving the mouse over a particular section of the page is a rough indication of where a person's attention is focused. However it is certainly not a hard and fast rule.

[This article is part of the Superplay Cafe Case Study. See the latest articles in the case studyhere or head over to the case study index for all the articles.]



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Call to Action

Posted on Friday, February 18, 2011 by

"A call to action is wording that asks the reader or viewer to take immediate action. The desired action may be to fill out and send in an order form or reply card, make a phone call, click something on a website, look for the product in a certain store or many other possible actions. The call to action closes the sale by telling the reader or viewer exactly what to do to get the product, service or information offered."- Wisegeek.com


A call to action (CTA) reduces the friction between the user and what you ultimately want them to do on your site. It is an important part of conversion optimisation. The CTA consists of the 'Call' which is a verb telling us to do something and an action which is what we are being told to do. Common Call's to Action:
  • Contact Us
  • Download
  • Get a Quote
  • Open an Account
  • Add to Cart
  • Proceed to Checkout
  • Share on Facebook
  • Book Now
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Below
You need to work out exactly what your want your website visitors to do on your page. You can have multiple Call's to Action if there are several different things your visitors can do but you need to pick the most important to make your main call to action. The main Call to Action should be something that will go towards completing a conversion and hence achieving your goals.

The call to action should stand out from the rest of the page in order to draw the attention of the visitor to it. This is commonly done by using a button of a different colour and greater size than the other elements on the page and putting it in a prominent position. Have a look at the call to action design examples in this Smashing Magazine article.



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Conversion Optimisation Adelaide

Posted on Thursday, February 3, 2011 by

In internet marketing, conversion rate is the ratio of visitors who convert casual content views or website visits into desired actions based on subtle or direct requests from marketers, advertisers, and content creators.- Wikipedia

Recommended Conversion Optimisation Providers in Adelaide:

See all recommended of Adelaide's recommended Internet Marketers in our directory.

Our top posts on this subject:



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Determine Conversions- Superplay

Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 by

Determining the conversions that I consider as measurable steps towards achieving the objectives for the Superplay Cafe project.


Objective 1: Increasing the number of customers visiting the play cafe
  • Someone views the play cafe address on the website, Google place page, blog or Facebook page and then visits the cafe
  • Someone views the play cafe email address or phone number on the website, Google place page, blog or Facebook page and then makes an inquiry about the play cafe
  • An existing customer returns after viewing on the of the web properties or receiving an email or promotion
Objective 2: Increasing the number of kids party and function bookings
  • Someone views the contact details on one of the web properties then contacts to make an inquiry about a party or function
  • Someone views the function and party details on one of the web properties and then makes an inquiry at the cafe
Many of these conversions can only be measured so far using electronic means so a system will have to be put in place in the cafe where the staff ask people how they heard about the cafe or parties in order to track the conversion.

[This article is part of the Superplay Cafe Case Study. See the latest articles in the case study here or head over to the case study index for all the articles.]



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Conversions Basics

Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 by

The basis for almost all online strategies is to increase traffic to the web property and then improve or increase the conversions of that traffic.


A conversion is not merely a purchase or sales lead, it can be anything to help achieve the objectives, such as;
  • Capturing an email address
  • Gaining a fan or follower on your social media presence
  • Having a piece of content read or downloaded
  • Being contacted by email or phone
  • Having your address viewed and then visited
The conversion path or funnel is the series of steps that a user takes to convert. You can track how many people convert and where in the funnel they leave using tools such as Google Analytics Goals. Over time you can tweak your products, marketing and conversion funnel to get the best conversion rates and therefore greater profits.

Here is a great guide to improving your conversion rate.



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Determining Conversions- IMA

Posted on Monday, January 10, 2011 by

These are the conversions and sub-conversions I would like to see to achieve my objectives:
(conversions are numbered, sub-conversions are bulleted).
  1. Someone contacts me about an employment position or some freelance work
    • Someone views my portfolio page
    • Someone clicks through to my linkedin profile
    • Someone downloads my resume
  2. I become an authoritative source
    • Someone links to one of my articles
    • Someone asks me for advice
    • My articles are emailed, shared, liked or otherwise voted for
    • My articles are commented on or discussed elsewhere
  3. A local internet marketing professional connects with me
    • Adds me to their linked in network
    • Contacts me
  4. I refer business to a local internet marketing professional
    • Someone clicks through to an internet marketing professional's website from one of my company profiles
  5. I refer traffic to a source of knowledge provided by a local internet marketing professional
    • Someone clicks through to an information source from one of my articles, company profiles or other links
[This article is part of the Internet Marketing Adelaide Case Study. See the latest articles in the case study here or head over to the case study index for all the articles.]



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