Website analytics for a small site: what to measure
Visits, sources, popular pages, form submissions and clicks on phone or email: a few numbers worth watching on a small website, and how not to drown in data.
Analytics tools can show dozens of charts. A small business needs only a few of them. The useful question is not “how many visitors do I have”, but “does the site bring me enquiries”. Here is what I would watch.
Five numbers worth watching
- Visits. Roughly how many people come, and how that changes over months rather than days.
- Where they come from. Search, direct visits, social networks, links from other sites. It shows which channel actually brings people.
- Which pages they view. It shows what interests people, and which pages nobody opens.
- Submitted forms. The most important number, because each one is a real enquiry.
- Calls and email clicks. Taps on your phone number and clicks on your email address. They are not counted by default and usually need a small setup.
How not to drown in numbers
- Pick three or four numbers and ignore the rest at first.
- Look once a month and compare with the previous month, not with other businesses.
- Write down what you changed, such as a new page or a new offer, so you can link it to the results.
- Do not react to daily swings. A small site has small numbers, and they move around a lot.
Tools and privacy
Google Analytics is the most common tool, and Google Search Console shows the searches that lead to your site. There are also analytics tools that focus on privacy. In the EU, measurement that uses cookies usually requires the visitor’s consent, so check the rules that apply to you with a lawyer.
What numbers cannot tell you
Analytics shows what happened, not why. Combine it with simple human questions. Ask new customers how they found you, and read the messages that come through the form.
What to expect after the site goes live is in website after launch. If you would like measurement planned into a new site, write to me or see website development in Bratislava.