What Data is Google Analytics Goals Unable to Track?
As a website owner, you know how crucial it is to track the engagement of your users. Google Analytics is a powerhouse of information and data review for many business-based reports. However, its Goals function may not provide you with the access you need to stay on top of things. In this article, we’ll explore what data Google Analytics Goals is unable to track and what you can track instead.
What is Google Analytics Goals?
Before we dive into what data Google Analytics Goals is unable to track, it’s essential to understand what this function does. The Goals function of Google Analytics is a robust way to measure a website’s conversion rate. You can identify what user interactions count, including pages viewed per session, session duration, and any actions you want them to take.
These goals are easy to set up and can open up a wide range of conversions. Your customers will become more than just a number when you can harness the complete metric included in this platform, measuring how valuable different users are.
What Data is Google Analytics Goals Unable to Track?
For most people, Google Analytics provides a wealth of knowledge that can help them set accurate goals for their business, blog, or other venture. However, Google Analytics Goals can’t reliably track everything. Aside from this caveat, what data is Google Analytics Goals unable to track?
From here, you’ll find that it’s missing one very important function: a customer’s lifetime value.
Customer Lifetime Value
While dealing with a lot of data, Google Analytics is hard-pressed to generate a lifetime value report. It can only track user behavior on your website. For example, it knows when someone clicks a link from your email newsletter, how long they spend on your site, and how many times a day someone visits. Customer lifetime value is a different type of metric that doesn’t rely on the same historical data.
To access the Lifetime Value Report, you can visit Google Analytics Reports.
Measuring Customer’s Lifetime Value Instead
While you should measure it, you’ll also want to look at other possible goals.
Acquisition
After setting up a revenue goal, an acquisition report lets you pinpoint how many people are likely to become customers over time. For example, it might clue you in to how many people signed up for an email newsletter, notifications about an upcoming release, or created an account for shopping.
Inquiry
Sometimes, a business bases its entire model not on e-commerce but on services provided to local clients. In this case, you wouldn’t have the same acquisition functions listed above because they’re not making sales on your website. This is where your inquiry data can come in handy.
Engagement
Maybe you have an excellent video explanation of your services on your website, or you want people to download your mobile apps. Perhaps you want people to share your content on social media or start to compare your various product or service offerings. All of this can be tracked in Google Analytics Goals.
Final Thoughts: Measuring Goals with Google Analytics
What data is Google Analytics Goals unable to track? There is really only one aspect of your business that can’t be monitored via this robust platform: customer lifetime value. This single number is crucial for your analytics, but accessing it will require a bit of a workaround.
On the other hand, there are some real benefits to the data Google offers to businesses. Follow these guidelines to set more goals for your business, and keep tabs on how your progress is shaping up!