5 Google Analytics Reports for Skyrocketing Conversions

Google Analytics serves as a valuable tool in enhancing your conversion rate, and many conversion rate optimization strategies initiate with user testing and presenting different versions of a web page to a limited subset of visitors. However, this approach is akin to a doctor prescribing medication without a proper diagnosis.
To effectively improve your conversion rate, it is crucial to identify the issues impacting it before implementing changes. Leveraging the extensive analytics data available can assist in uncovering apparent conversion challenges that can be swiftly addressed.
Rather than struggling to pinpoint the sources of your conversion challenges, explore these five reports on Google Analytics for straightforward insights.
Each section includes a link to a custom Google Analytics report. Apply it to your view and follow the steps outlined.
 

Given the prevalence of desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and the emergence of "phablets," users access websites using a range of devices with diverse screen resolutions. 
While having a responsive website that adapts to these devices is beneficial, without actively monitoring the data, you may overlook areas where your site design falls short.
Objective: Identify the screen resolutions where your responsive or mobile site design is delivering a suboptimal user experience.

Access this Customized Report
At first glance, this report bears similarities to the one located in Audience > Mobile > Overview. Nevertheless, this specific report enables you to delve into each device category, providing detailed data related to screen resolution and device information (exclusive to mobile devices). Follow these instructions:
1. Apply the custom report

2.Examine Metrics at the Category Level

Choose the specific device category that you wish to explore more deeply. In the instance mentioned earlier, conversion rates exhibit a notable decrease for mobile phones.

3.Examine the Most Common Screen Resolutions for that Device Category

Attempt to pinpoint the dimensions associated with below-average behavioral metrics and conversion rates. In the provided example, it is 320×480.

By clicking on a specific screen resolution, you gain insights into the device brand and model used to access your site with those dimensions. In this particular case, the issue was attributed to a first-generation iPhone.

Once you have identified the problematic screen resolutions and devices affecting your website design, you can take several steps to address the underlying issues. The most effective approach involves accessing your website using the identified devices. However, if you lack access to older-generation iPhones, alternative options are available:

• For responsive websites, a straightforward solution is resizing your desktop browser to the relevant screen resolution. Chrome users can utilize the free Window Resizer plugin to quickly adjust browser dimensions, while Firefox users can explore Responsive Design Mode.

• Utilize a browser-based emulator such as Screenfly to assess your website across various device sizes. This tool displays your website based on popular device dimensions, or you can set custom dimensions. It also allows easy switching between landscape and portrait modes.

So, find out why your website design is breaking, have a front-end developer fix it, and you’ll have plugged up this conversion leak.

Determine whether your website attracts more conversions on weekdays or weekends, during business hours, or after work. Recognizing the timing of visitor conversions holds significant implications for site messaging, social media marketing, and online advertising efforts.
Objective: Gain insights into the peak times when users are likely to convert.
Access this Customized Report
Subsequently, adhere to the following instructions:
1.Implement the custom report

2.A valuable graph depicting your website's goal completions by the hour will be provided.

The hours are presented in the 24-hour format. The illustrated graph indicates a peak in goal completions from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please be aware that the time zone is determined by your settings in Admin > View Settings.

3.Link the Timing of Goal Completions to the Day of the Week

To achieve this, create a pivot table by selecting the pivot icon located at the top right-hand corner of the table. Modify the "Pivot by" dropdown to "Day of Week Name.

4.The resulting table categorizes goal completions based on both the hour and day of the week.

Identify the peak and off-peak times when your users are more or less inclined to convert.

Understanding the preferred conversion times of your users proves beneficial in various online marketing endeavors. For instance, the data in the table indicates that users tend to convert most frequently on Thursdays during lunch. 

Conversely, the likelihood of conversions drops on Tuesdays during the same timeframe. Armed with this information, adjusting messaging or calls-to-action (CTAs) on Thursdays to align with a lunchtime context could resonate effectively with your audience during that period.

Similar insights can be applied to optimize the timing of your social media posts, email newsletters, PPC ads, and blog posts, ensuring they reach your audience at the moments when they are most likely to convert.

Every passing second represents potential revenue loss for your site. While much of the attention in conversion rate optimization is given to design and messaging, visitors might be bouncing before reaching that stage.
Objective: Identify sluggish sections of your website contributing to a decline in conversion rates.
Access this Customized Report
Google Analytics provides various metrics for gauging page speed, and we'll concentrate on Average Document Interactive Time. This metric reflects the average time (in seconds) required for a page to be rendered, allowing user interaction. Follow these steps:
1.Implement the custom report

2. Look at with the “Comparison” view

Utilize the "Comparison" view located in the upper right-hand side of the table. Opt for "Avg. Document Interactive Time" from the dropdown menu to compare the loading times of your most visited pages with the overall site average. This enables you to identify pages with subpar performance.

3.Identify Sluggish Web Pages
Next, utilize the dropdown to assess whether the load time aligns with unfavorable behavioral metrics or a diminished conversion rate. In the example above, it is evident that the site's homepage and blog experience significant delays. These sections serve as primary entry points for new visitors, making them crucial to the initial stages of the conversion funnel.
To diagnose the reasons behind the lagging performance of these pages, free online tools can be employed. One recommended tool is the Pingdom Website Speed Test, which furnishes a detailed analysis of the page, pinpointing issues such as scripts, images, or other potential culprits.
Addressing the speed of key areas on your site will alleviate bottlenecks in the conversion funnel, enabling users to swiftly navigate through their desired actions.
 

While Google Analytics no longer provides organic keyword data, valuable insights into the performance of your web pages in organic search results can still be obtained.
Objective: Optimize your website's landing pages for search terms that yield high conversions.
Access this Customized Report
For those mindful of their site's SEO, the focus is likely on optimizing page titles to target pertinent keywords. This report evaluates the effectiveness of your website's landing pages, specifically filtering for organic search traffic and categorizing them by page title or target keywords. Essentially, this process resembles A/B split testing for page titles. Follow these steps:
1. Apply the custom report

2. You’ll see your site’s landing pages ordered by organic searches

Your website's landing pages will be displayed in order based on organic searches. As an additional dimension, the page titles linked to those landing pages and other pages visited by users during their site navigation will also be visible. Expanding the date range for this report is advisable, particularly if you have recently updated your page titles.

3. Use the search box or the advanced filtering to search URLs or keywords

Utilize the search box or advanced filtering options to search for specific URLs or keywords. In the given illustration, a modification was made to the page title of a particular landing page to align with a more specific keyword. This adjustment correlated with a notable 200% surge in the page's conversion rate.

4. You can take this report one step further by going to your Google Search Console account

Once logged in, click Search Traffic > Search Queries, and change the tab at the top to “Top pages.”

5.Locate your landing page within the table

 If keyword data is associated with that page, an arrow to the left of the URL will be visible. Click on this arrow to assess the performance of your keywords. In the example above, it is evident that the Variation B keyword from the page title is driving clicks of high quality to the page.

By scrutinizing several of your top landing pages using this report, you will begin to identify patterns among the keywords that lead to high conversions. These may be location-specific or contain sales-related qualifiers. Apply these insights to your underperforming landing pages, and employ this report to gauge the outcomes of your adjustments.

Many individuals have a preferred browser that they consistently use. However, it's essential to periodically review your website's compatibility with browsers like Internet Explorer or Safari. It's common to neglect potential compatibility issues with your site's code and its rendering on widely used browsers.
Objective: Identify technical and user experience (UX) issues that are particular to a specific browser type.
Access this Customized Report
Credit to Craig Sullivan of Optimal Visit for sharing this preferred analytics report.
Follow these instructions:
1.Implement the custom report

2.Assess the Behavioral Metrics and Conversion Rates Across Different Browsers and Versions
As evident in the example above, there are apparent issues with Safari on the website.

3.Employ advanced segments for desktops, mobiles, and tablets

Once cross-browser compatibility problems are identified, the subsequent action is to inspect your site using the problematic browser. 

However, if you lack the necessary browser version or if the specific browser is confined to a device you don't possess, considering a tool like BrowserStack may be worthwhile.
 

The majority of the issues identified through these five analytics reports typically have straightforward solutions. The key is to pinpoint the problem. Regularly monitor these reports, implement necessary actions, and you'll observe an immediate enhancement in your website's capacity to convert visitors.