Site Tip · Turning visitors into calls

Know where your visitors come from

You paid for an ad, posted on social media, and updated your Google listing. Then the phone rang a few times. Which one did it? Without an answer, you're spending time and money on a hunch.

What Google Analytics tells you, and why it beats guessing

Google Analytics is a free tool from Google. Once it is added to your website, it records how visitors find you and what they do once they arrive.

It can show whether people came from a Google search, a social post, a link on another site, or by typing your address directly. It also shows which pages they read and how many took an action, such as clicking a phone number or sending a form.

If you don't know what works, you can't do more of it. You might keep paying for something that sends nobody, or skip a free source that sends plenty.

Data also helps you spot problems. If lots of people visit your pricing page and nobody calls, that page may need work.

Many owners also learn something surprising, such as a page that gets far more visits than expected. That tells you where to put your best information and your phone number.

How to set it up

Setup is a one-time job:

Tip: install it before you run a new ad or post, so you have a starting point to compare against.

• Sign in with a Google account and create a free Analytics account for your business.
• Add your website and copy the tracking code or measurement ID that Analytics gives you.
• Paste it into your website. Most website builders have a spot for this in the settings, and a developer can add it if yours doesn't.
• Set up your key actions, such as phone clicks and form submissions, so Analytics counts them.
• Check back in a day or two to confirm data is appearing.

What to check once a month

Don't try to read every chart. Once a month, look at three things:

• Top pages: which pages get the most visits?
• Top sources: where are those visitors coming from?
• Calls and forms: how many people took action?

A note on privacy and getting help

Tracking tools collect visitor data, so your site may need a privacy policy that says so, and some places have rules about cookies and consent. This isn't legal advice, so check with a qualified professional about what applies to you.

Keep your notes simple: write the numbers down each month and compare. Over time you will see what's working. Modestius builds and fixes websites for small businesses, including setting this up.

Questions owners ask

Is Google Analytics really free?

Yes, the standard version is free to use. Paid options exist for large companies, but a small business rarely needs them.

Will it tell me exactly who visited?

No. It shows groups of visitors and their behavior, not names or contact details.

How long until I see useful data?

You will see basic numbers within a day or two. Trends become clearer after a few weeks of visits.