A couple of months ago, we published a post on making your site a closer. But, before your website can close a sale, it has to get the visitor's attention. Presenting your visitor with a landing page that's relevant to what she's looking for is the best way to start the conversation and proceed towards the conversion or sale. Of course, you'll want to pair your landing pages with the appropriate keywords and ads. But, what else can you do to get more visitors to become customers?

Google Website Optimizer can help you identify the copy, images, and page layout combination that is most effective at getting visitors to convert. The key is to use Google Analytics to find out which landing pages are least effective, so you can start working on those first. Our first Google Analytics + Website Optimizer in 60 Seconds video shows you how.



Do you have a tip on using Google Analytics and Website Optimizer together? Feel free to post a comment and share. And, be sure to check out the techie guide for more advanced Website Optimizer tips.


Posted by Melissa Hsieh, Google Analytics Team

Today we're delighted to announce a new blog for our German speaking Google Analytics users. The German Conversion Room blog launched recently and is run by our colleagues in Europe. In addition to covering Google Analytics tips and advice, the new blog will also include posts about Website Optimizer and Google AdWords conversion tools such as Conversion Optimizer.

Check out the new blog today by visiting conversionroom-de.blogspot.com. You can sign up for the site feed to have weekly posts delivered directly to your inbox.

And don't forget we have other conversion focused blogs for our non US readers...

• conversionroom.blogspot.com for our readers in the UK and Ireland
• central-de-conversiones.blogspot.com is our Spanish conversion blog
• analytics-fr.blogspot.com for our French speakers and
  
• analytics-ja.blogspot.com in Japan
  

Posted by Evelyn O'Keeffe, Google Analytics Team

We've picked two free tools that anyone can use while setting up Google Analytics for your site. The tools below are pretty basic but are applicable to anyone tracking a campaign with an Analytics account.

URL Builder

The first tool we want to introduce our beginners to is the URL Builder. In order for Google Analytics to track your marketing campaigns effectively, you'll need to tag your online ads with the right information (e.g. campaign, medium and source) so that Google Analytics can track your marketing campaign and show you which activities are paying off. To help the the tagging process goes smoothly, you can use the URL Builder from our Google Analytics Help Center.

Tagging your campaign links will consist of a URL address followed by a question mark and your campaign variables. But, you won't need to worry about link syntax if you fill out the URL Builder form and press the Generate URL button. A tagged link will be generated for you and you'll be able to copy and paste it to your ad.

SiteScan

The Google Analytics SiteScan tool, created by EpikOne, a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant, is a very handy tool to verify that all pages on your site include the tracking code.

SiteScan picks up on some classic signs indicating that your site has improperly implemented tracking code like:

1. No data in your account. (The tracking code was either never implemented or has the wrong account number)

2. You're seeing a high bounce rate even though your site isn't a blog and has more than one page. (If you've only tagged your homepage, your Google Analytics account will be unable to identify any other pageviews from your site. )

SiteScan then reports each page in an easy-to-read CSV file after you've installed the tool. This makes it easy for you to isolate the pages with tracking problems, fix them, and effectively manage your Google Analytics Tracking Code installation.

We're constantly working on developing tools to diagnose problems associated with your account or increase the usability of Google Analytics. We hope that you find the above two tools useful and leave us a comment about any other diagnostic tools you would like to tell us about on this blog!

Posted by Christina Park, Google Analytics Team

With recent launch of the Google Analytics Data Export API, Google Analytics data is starting to show up in some new places. One of the most exciting places is on your mobile phone.

In the past it was challenging to keep up with your performance data while on the go. Using the new API, a number of developers have created mobile solutions to tackle this challenge. Note, it still takes our system some time to process your data, so if you're checking today's data, proceed with caution.

For the Android OS:

Check out Mobile GA from Actual Metrics.

Mobile GA's date range comparisons

This app is great since it allows me to quickly identify what metrics are changing on my site.

I reached out to Mike and Kirk from Actual Metrics to get a sense of how difficult this application was to build. "The GA API was very easy to use, Mike mentioned, "it is extremely flexible and allows us to get the data we want. What may require multiple calls in other product APIs can be done with just one with the GA API, allowing for higher product performance. "

For the iPhone:

Analytics App by Michael D Jensen	The Google Analytics for iPhone App by Sergej Mueller	Ego App by Garrett Murray

Analytics App is great for accessing all your GA Data. The Google Analytics for iPhone app also has some great reporting. Finally, Ego App allows you to consolidate reporting from different services, such as FeedBurner and Twitter, all in one simple dashboard.

Note, these apps were developed by third parties, so if you encounter any bugs or issues, you should reach out to those developers directly.

That's it! Do you have a cool app you want to share? Post a comment and let us know!

Posted by Nick Mihailovski, Google Analytics API Team

We're lucky to have Avinash Kaushik, web analytics practitioner extraordinaire, on our team here at Google. We're also lucky to have Nick Mihailovski, our developer programs manager who was a member of the Urchin team before the acquisition by Google. And they're lucky to have each other - they are two peas in a pod. If you know one of them, you know what I'm talking about.

It's said that you can sum up a friend in three words. Me = tall, nice, good dancer :-) Sounds a little boring I know. I think Avinash and Nick could be summed up by the following: energy, intelligence and bluntness. I also find both of them inspiring and hilarious. I sit right near these guys and listen to them bicker about, I mean, discuss everything related to using data in online marketing; from best traffic metrics to monitor for certain industries, to new analysis tools or features that Google should roll out, to how to track rich internet applications, to what's going on in the online marketing industry. It may sound like standard geeky analytics stuff, but the intensity and level of expertise of their discussions is great to be exposed to. And in addition, they're easily understandable regular guys who are just passionate about changing the way marketing is done - and their belief in the power of using data is infectious.

So, we decided to bottle these discussions and share them in short YouTube videos. We recorded a series of unrehearsed, unscripted sessions where I posit a question to Nick and Avinash and then get out of the way as they answer and sometimes bicker, I mean, discuss. We didn't have a name for the series when we recorded (the marketing irony is hopefully not lost on you) and later decided to call the videos "Data Driven Discussions". They're hopefully fun, high energy, and informative. And we're going to record more, so we'd love to talk about topics you'd like to hear about. You can submit a question or vote on an already existing one for a future episode of Data Driven Discussions at google.com/analytics/ddd.

As you know, a few months ago Google Analytics released a feature called Advanced Segmentation, a staple of web analytics which was championed internally by Avinash. In this first episode above, Avinash and Nick offer their favorite ways to segment data.

All future episodes will be posted on this blog, as well as on the Google Analytics Youtube Channel.


Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team

Hello, Edmonton Canada! Home of the worlds largest shopping and entertainment center (West Edmonton Mall) and gateway to some of the North's most spectacular National Parks and our first Seminars for Success in province of Alberta!

Our Google Analytics Seminar Leader, Benjamin Mangold from Mangold Sengers is making a special trip from his home country of Australia to teach the Google Analytics Intro and Advanced session.  These are great in person trainings and will jump start you in Google Analytics.  Return from these trainings with a practical understanding of how to use these products for your business along with some great tips & best practices.. and maybe some pictures of Elk and Bighorn Sheep.

They're tooting the horns on how beneficial these courses are. Here's what a recent attendee said:

"Well worth it all, travel, money and the time spent at the seminar flew by. "
David Wentworth Barton Publishing, attendee Seminars for Success, June 2009, Miami, FL

Google Analytics – Introduction & User Training  

Edmonton, Canada - Tuesday, July 7

Day one offers an introduction to Google Analytics and then some. Learn how to turn the sea of web analytics data into information that you can use to make the decisions that drive your bottom line. Day one topics include:

• Introduction to Web Analytics
• Common Interface Features
• Dashboard Reports & Customization
• Understanding Visitors, Traffic Sources, Content, Goals and Ecommerce
• Motion Chart Visualization
• Analytics Best Practices for Branding, Lead Generation & Ecommerce
• And much, much more…
  

Google Analytics – Advanced Technical Implementation

Edmonton, Canada - Wednesday, July 8

The second day will show you how to install and configure the advanced features and capabilities of Google Analytics. We'll show you how to use every ounce of this tool with tips and tricks, technical aspects, and how to avoid common problems. Day two topics include:

• Profiles and Strategies
• Filters – Uses and Implementation
• Goals & Funnels - Configuration & Setup
• Ecommerce Implementations
• Site Search, Event Tracking, Custom Reporting and Advanced Segmentation
• And much, much more…
  

Seats are limited, so register today for the July seminars!

Register for Edmonton, Canada Seminars

Posted by Eva Woo, Google Analytics Team

Our good friend John Marshall just posted this Facebook status update: "cycling to work this morning I hear the birds twittering. Instinctively I wonder if they should be doing something more productive."

Lol, John. He's referring to twitter.com and the fact that with it, your opportunities to waste time have increased. Anyone following Ashton Kutcher? Consider this recent tweet:

you are the man @tonyhawk skates the halls of the white house http://twitpic.com/7sx4j

Actually, that is kinda cool. Definitely a good way to waste time if you want to. =) And we appreciate how Twitter has been a powerful force in the current Iranian election. It's a novel and intimate way to broadcast - and even moreso to listen - many to many.

If you work with and love web analytics like John does and we do, then following some tweets from thought leaders in the industry will keep you on the forefront of what's going with your favorite products. It's an energizing and quick way to connect and engage, in 140 characters or less. Here are a few Google Analytics and Google Website Optimizer-related tweets from last week along with some of their latest and greatest posts.

Brett Crosby
twitter.com/brettc(@brettc)
Google Analytics Group Product Marketing Manager
Twitter bio: "One man brand"

• New Aberdeen report, Google Analytics wins enterprise: http://bit.ly/HK3RY
  9:13 AM Jun 22nd from web
  
  
• New Google Analytics website launched, what do you think? http://www.google.com/analytics (retweet all you want)
  about 15 hours ago from web

• Google Analytics cost data issue fixed, no longer in "direct": http://bit.ly/18eGbk
  about 20 hours ago from web
  
  
• Now use Conversion Optimizer with Google Analytics goals: http://analytics.blogspot.com/2009/06/import-your-google-analytics-goals-into.html
  10:45 PM Jun 17th from web
  
  
• RT @avinashkaushik 2 say the downside of free tools is U have 2 invest in people is wrong. Paid tools with Analysts? Free tools=more $ 4 U.
  11:01 AM Jun 17th from web
  
  
• How to visually explain analytics to the world: http://bit.ly/1p1U0J
  10:26 PM Jun 15th from web
  
  
• @DennisMortensen sounds like it is going to be extremely entertaining... esp'ly if you end up having to do it in your underwear.
  9:30 PM Jun 15th from web in reply to DennisMortensen
  
  

Avinash Kaushik
twitter.com/avinashkaushik (@avinashkaushik)

Analytics Evangelist, Google
Twitter bio: "Author - Web Analytics: An Hour A Day | Analytics Evangelist - Google | Co-Founder - Market Motive Inc"

• Want to improve conversion rates? Consider following Seth Godin's specific advice for ecommerce: http://tr.im/p4SL
  about 3 hours ago from web
  
  
• Hurray! Auto-tagged Google paid search campaigns move back fm Direct 2 the Search report: http://tr.im/p4vp Thanks Phil!
  about 3 hours ago from web
  
  
• [And this is in NYC!] What is a Browser? Video, 3 mins http://tr.im/oYTe
  about 14 hours ago from web
  
  
• "Simplicity good. But simple it is not." - Yoda.
  about 21 hours ago from web
  
  
• @links4legends You could set them up as separate sources http://tr.im/oYPH and then segment them as normal. Pls try it.
  about 22 hours ago from web in reply to links4legends
  
  
• Just look at it... http://tr.im/oYc0 Its the most perfect gorgeous day in San Francisco. I love this city!
  about 24 hours ago from web
  
  
• The best free e-book on Web Analytics+Testing+Usability, 30 pages: http://tr.im/oT6x So simple ur grandma will love it!
  9:18 AM Jun 18th from web
  
  
• This is cool web analytics: The 50 most frequently looked-up words on nytimes.com in 2009: http://tr.im/oSQf
  11:38 PM Jun 17th from web
  
  

Trevor Claiborne
twitter.com/tclaiborne (@tclaiborne)

Google Website Optimizer Product Marketing Manager
Twitter bio: "Product Marketing Manager for Google Website Optimizer and a nice guy too"

• Free new AdWords interface webinar today at 11 AM PDT. Register here: http://bit.ly/1kePS
  about 6 hours ago from web
  
  
• Holy crap - RT @MotivityCMS: Google Website Optimizer Increases Conversion 591% http://ow.ly/eH8e. I love #gwo
  10:02 PM Jun 17th from TweetDeck
  
  
• @oggy Sure it can. Are you doing an A/B or an MVT test? Happy to walk you through it if you DM an email address.
  4:15 PM Jun 16th from web in reply to oggy
  
  
• @waynepelletier What issue are you seeing? And have you read this: http://bit.ly/VBYWL? GA and GWO should play nicely together.
  10:06 AM Jun 11th from web in reply to waynepelletier
  
  
• RT @josh_baker Interpreting Google Website Optimizer’s Page Sections Report http://tinyurl.com/quasvf #GWO #optimization - Nice post!
  10:17 AM Jun 4th from web
  
  
• In Seattle for #SMX. Come to my session Deep Dive into the New AdWords Interface tomorrow at 11.Also at the Google booth for #GWO
  1:11 PM Jun 1st from web
  
  

Justin Cutroni
twitter.com/justincutroni (@justincutroni)

Google Analytics Authorized Consultant with Epikone and author of Google Analytics Shortcut
Twitter bio: "Dad, husband, skiier, hiker, cook, data nerd, author."

• Are you an @avinashkaushik fan? Are you a Timbuk2 fan? Check out their new bag: http://tr.im/nTO8 How about a discount Avinash? :)
  6:21 AM Jun 9th from tr.im
  
  
• @BrainsOnFire Try creating an INCLUDE filter to only include traffic from your home country.
  1:49 PM Jun 3rd from TweetDeck in reply to BrainsOnFire
  
  
• What it's like to be the Comcast's Twitter guru. Could you handle 6,000 email a month + 30,000 tweets? http://tr.im/njlb
  11:17 AM Jun 3rd from tr.im

• Ok, I'm a fan of using new media (Utube) 2 drive innovative marketing ideas.But I think this might be going a bit too far! http://tr.im/niXp
  10:01 AM Jun 3rd from tr.im
  
  
• RT @jonathanpb: Podcast catchup #1: my interview with @justincutroni is now posted online #btv http://bit.ly/3iSL Thanks Jonathan!
  5:43 AM Jun 3rd from TweetDeck
  
  
• #GA ToTD:Advanced Segment data sampling sucks.To avoid create different profiles for the segments that you need to measure accurately.
  5:42 AM Jun 3rd from TweetDeck
  
  
• Has anyone used SeeWhy abandonment tracking? Looks like a simple way to follow up on abandoned carts. http://tr.im/ncly
  11:56 AM Jun 2nd from web
  
  
• Went a whole week without any social media. Quiet, but very refreshing. Surprisingly the world has not changed that much :)
  11:33 AM Jun 2nd from web
  
  

Bryan Eisenberg
twitter.com/TheGrok (@TheGrok)

Google Website Optimizer Authorized Consultant with FutureNow.
Twitter bio: "Website Conversion, Persuasion Architecture expert and best selling author of Waiting for Your Cat to Bark, Call to Action, and Always Be Testing."

• Web Analytics and Yellow Lobsters http://tinyurl.com/mr5lt2
  about 8 hours ago from twitterfeed
  
  
• Conversion Rate Exercise: Why Should I Do Business With You? http://tinyurl.com/m6rok7
  4:25 AM Jun 18th from twitterfeed
  
  
• Import web analytics data from Google Analytics in to an Excel spreadsheet http://tr.im/oTQi #wa
  2:15 AM Jun 18th from TweetDeck
  
  
• Bagging the Conversion Elephant: Google Analytics Blog http://tr.im/oQZC
  3:36 PM Jun 17th from TweetDeck
  
  
• Are Your Analytics Causing You to Lose 30% of Your Sales? http://tinyurl.com/lha4sq
  12:24 PM Jun 17th from twitterfeed
  
  
• RT @minethatdata: #IRCE Top 500 Internet Retailers represent 65pct of e-commerce sales. Mercy.
  6:45 AM Jun 17th from TweetDeck
  
  
• RT @Mike_Stelzner: Interesting stats on how much video people watch online: http://bit.ly/srS6L
  6:16 AM Jun 17th from TweetDeck
  
  
• Do you think Twitter will become obsolete?- iMedia connection's Jason Clark does - http://tr.im/owWI
  5:37 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
  
  
• The Day the Media Died http://bit.ly/12Le0c
  4:17 AM Jun 14th from TweetDeck
  

Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team