How to Interpret Your Shopify Google Analytics
5 Min. Read
If you are reading this article, then you have already started down the path of implementing Shopify Google Analytics. This transition away from reliance on Shopify Analytics alone tends to happen after realizing that the analytics supplied with the basic and standard Shopify accounts are inadequate for your needs. The good news is you can also integrate Google Analytics and with Conversific you can visualize both data sources together.
If you want to scale up, but without the risks that come with the additional huge costs associated with higher Shopify plans, then Conversific is the way to go. Below you learn why.
Shopify lacks most necessary KPI reports on its cheaper packages that are needed to grow.
Implementing Shopify Google analytics is essential for every Shopify store owner as an alternative to relying on Shopify’s own tracking and when combined, is more powerful.
GA is fantastic, tried and tested method of tracking ecommerce websites, however, the data it supplies is out of context and is miss matched to the data supplied by Shopify because of the differing tracking methods.
Table of Contents
Overcoming the Complexity of Google Analytics
The problem with using GA is that it is a multipurpose tool that requires you, – the Shopify store owner to calibrate it correctly and interpret the data supplied by it.
The very fact that it is a multipurpose tools makes things more difficult to understand.
In GA your data is presented within “dimensions” such as the geolocation or the visitor source, for example social, direct or organic traffic, and “Metrics” which are the quantitative measurements of the dimension.
While GA does provides what you need it is of limited use in the interpretation of your data especially if you are new to Shopify and/or GA. It doesn’t tell you what to do next.
In addition, some data obtained from the Shopify database is not available to GA, therefore some of the reports you need in order to make good decisions are not available.
In order to improve your Shopify store experience and conversion rate, you need to have a deep understanding of your customers. It takes a lot of time to learn the knowledge of GA necessary, inside and out, let alone learn how to interpret the data it supplies. If you are like most store owners, working to a limited time frame or/and a limited budget then your options are very limited indeed.
Your Options for Interpreting Data
- Learn how to use Google Analytics + combine data manually (if you can access it via Shopify).
- Hire someone to create the 20 or so metrics/reports you need for GA + combine data manually (again if you can access it via Shopify).
- Install a 3rd Party Shopify analytics app such as Conversific which automatically supply most of the reports in real-time.
- Give up and pay for Shopify Advanced or Plus (an expensive proposition).
If you choose GA, without Conversific your data will be split across two locations because many of the reports you need are generated from data in the Shopify database and not available to GA. Therefore, GA cannot present data in a way to provide understanding (not holistic).
The Benefits of Using Conversific
The third-party Shopify Google analytics app Conversific is the best option because it is the only option that combines all your data into a neat presentable way. It provides most of the reports you need if not all, but there are many additional benefits of using Conversific.
Conversific’s role is to adapt to the changing landscape of Shopify and Google Analytics making sure your data is always in sync, by using this option you are effectively outsourcing the maintenance, reporting and to a large extent the interpretation of your uniform data. In addition, the Conversific dashboards are certainly more attractive to look at than the GA ones. The data is supplied in a holistic context and provides:-
- Onsite behavioural data
- Accurate Revenue Data
- Most important data all in one place
- Industry ecommerce benchmarks
- Actionable insights
- Detailed customer data.
Conversific also supplies great support in the implementation and use of the features, helping you to optimize your store ASAP.
If you have many Shopify stores then Conversific is even greater value because one price covers all of your Shopify stores if using a single GA account.
Conversific – Simplify your Conversion Rate Optimization Process.
The old methods of canvasing customers for improvement suggestions, – face to face is no longer practical offline in global markets. The only way to understand your customer’s motivation is to leverage your GA traffic data and trigger onsite messages dependent upon their interaction.
You can request feedback, or trigger surveys to help understand their actions but you need to generate effective persona’s and customer journey maps as well. Here is where Conversific is invaluable because it provides insights to help you to improve what you offer and to whom through its reports and insights.
Conversific greatly assists with the understanding of your customers, enabling you to better target different groups (through segmentation and personalization).
Indeed, many of the advanced features of costly, bespoke Shopify themes, those that leverage your data to automate targeting require the more expensive Shopify Advanced or Plus, are features that are available via third party CRO apps like OptiMonk (Shopify app).
There are many ways to do Shopify on a tight budget (the topic of my next article).
Conclusion
There are many eCommerce metrics that need to be considered when deciding how to optimize your customer experience or change what you offer and improve your conversion rate.
Rather than taking a piecemeal approach to interpretation take the holistic approach with Conversific and data integration, with comprehensive reporting integrating data from both GA and from the Shopify database.
If you don’t need to scale up just yet but still feel you need the data that your Shopify package fails to deliver, then Conversific might well be your answer. At least don’t don’t upgrade without trying Conversific first.
Utilize insights generated by Conversific to build-out the customer journey and define new persona’s, improving personalization and targeting through your Shopify CRO app (for example OptiMonk).
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