What is a Goal in Web Analytics?

3 min to read

A goal in web analytics is an action or series of actions performed by an individual on your website that is important to your business’s objectives.

The concept is to assess if your website can accomplish certain goals that you have established, such as making sales or encouraging a subscription to a newsletter.

Key Takeaways:
  • Track goals that matter
  • Monitor micro and macro conversions
  • Analyze your website's performance
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What are examples of common website goals?

Websites have various objectives to accomplish, including:

  • Purchasing an item: Applicable to an online shop.

  • Filling out a form: For acquiring potential customers and contact information.

  • Downloading a file: A brochure or free trial, for instance.

  • Watching a video: Related to encouraging your audience to engage with your content.

Such action completions indicate users’ interest and interaction with your site.

Pro Tip: 
Consider expanding your focus beyond just macro site conversions, such as purchases. Track micro-conversion events (adding product to a shopping cart) to help you understand the pathway users follow to achieve a primary goal.

How do you set up goals in google analytics?

When it comes to Google Analytics, you have the option of establishing goals by completing the following steps:

  • Selecting the goal type: Such as achieving a designated page or interaction time on your website.

  • Providing a name and a description: This helps you keep track of the data you are measuring.

Google Analytics has notes that give you instructions for each stage.

Pro Tip:  
Once you’ve configured your goals, it is necessary to check if tracking is done right.

How do you track goal completions in Google Analytics?

Google Analytics has reports which reveal the number of people who are achieving your designated objectives. This information can be found under the tab “Conversions” – “Goals”.

What is goal segmentation, and why is it useful?

Goal segmentation allows you to identify specific groups of users who are achieving your goals. For instance, you may find that social media visitors to your website have a higher purchase rate when compared to visitors that originated from search engines.

How can you troubleshoot common issues with goal tracking?

For precise goal tracking, we must check whether the goal has been set accurately, including the correct type and details. Observe the following steps and get your goal tracking up and running:

  • Confirm the website’s platform tracking mechanisms are actively, and integrated with your website, and that there are no obstructions. 

  • Evaluation of attribution models coupled with processing times and potential sampling can help in explaining any discrepancies in the data that arise. 

  • The goals must correspond with the business objectives and be realistic. 

  • Use conversion testing tools and debugging tools to help with the tracking problems.
Pro Tip: 
Run Google Tag Assistant to check for any errors in your Google Analytics Tracking Code and scrape out any existing bugs.

Conclusion

Setting goals, keeping track of micro and macro conversions, and assessing your site regularly are crucial processes for your website’s success. These measures aid in a better understanding of the user’s behavior and the relevant decisions you should take to improve your site’s efficiency and achieve set business goals.

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