We’ve noticed that many of you like to use Google Analytics to measure some of the ground level results, and we think that’s a great idea! We’ve noticed some basic issues that some folks are running into when using the tracking codes, and we decided to give you a couple of tips based on what we’ve seen!

1. You can only track webpages that you own

This seems fairly straightforward, but we’ve seen folks trying to use UTM codes on Facebook pages, Google Maps, and many other websites. You won’t see any results for this in your analytics, since you don’t own those pages! Facebook and Twitter usually have tools to measure these, but they won’t be in your Google results. This also applies if you have links to outside webpages, like the BBB, or Angie’s List.

2. Tracking Code Location

Google is very specific about where they want their tracking code snippets, and they’re consistent in saying that it should be just before the final </head> tag. If the code is anywhere else, you may miss out on some (or even all!) of your traffic. There are a lot of moving pieces in the tracking systems, and just a small error like this can make a huge difference.

If you think you’re having issues, check out Google’s troubleshooting page

3. Remember Context

Once you have your code set up properly, it’s worth noting that the number of website visits shouldn’t necessarily determine your campaign’s success or failure. A campaign that has a ton of website visits that all leave quickly is still a failure, and a campaing with 3 visits that all resulted in sales should be considered a success!