BizyDad
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I detailed my tracking methods here:
But I don't know what I don't know.
For example, lately I've been thinking that when I start an ecommerce store, I might want to move beyond Google analytics.
I know there's other solutions out there that get more granular on a user basis.
I did a search for some threads on tracking, and they're all 6 years old or older.
Have you had any experience with paid tracking platforms? Does anyone have any feedback on HubSpot, Zoho, or similar platforms?
I guess my question is what software do you use for tracking your online results and why?
Track As Much As Possible
Nobody has an unlimited budget. Nobody wants to waste money. It is imperative to stretch every dollar of the budget as much as possible. But you won’t know what is working if you don’t track it, right?
So we use callrail.com for our call tracking and call recording, integrated with Google Analytics. (We report first time callers to Analytics to best reflect actual results generated)
We’ll also use a call tracking number for our TV ads, TV spots, Postcards/Direct Mail pieces, Billboards, Street signs, Digital ads when possible. Pretty much everywhere except a directory or a Google/Bing/Apple/Mapquest map listing.
We’ll also use tracking domains to track our offline effort. We forward them to URL’s with UTM parameters. Sorry for the tech babble, let me see if I can explain it simply.
Let's say we've got a billboard to promote the forum. So we set up something like www.fastlanefreedom.com and set it to redirect to www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/?utm_source=billboard&utm_medium=offline&utm_campaign=3rdAve
In this case, a billboard on 3rd Ave will say visit fastlanefreedom.com and when they type that in they’ll come to this forum, but analytics will track that they saw the 3rd Ave Billboard.
You can use the same tactic for your street signs, your postcards, etc. We use this free Google tool to set up those UTM values - Campaign URL Builder — Google Analytics Demos & Tools
We also use appropriate tracking pixels for social ads, programmatic ads, etc. And to track the effects of press or other difficult to track marketing mediums, I will dig into the search volume to see what kind of lift we received in the days that follow a new marketing article. We promote our actual domain in press, for SEO reasons.
Lastly, we trained staff to ask clients how they heard about us. Some of that data is reliable "I drove by" or "so and so told me" and some is not "I saw you online".
The truth is, there is no perfect tracking solution. There is always stuff that will slip through the cracks. In the end, we do the best we can and this kind of set up gives us more than enough data to make educated choices about our marketing efforts.
But I don't know what I don't know.
For example, lately I've been thinking that when I start an ecommerce store, I might want to move beyond Google analytics.
I know there's other solutions out there that get more granular on a user basis.
I did a search for some threads on tracking, and they're all 6 years old or older.
Have you had any experience with paid tracking platforms? Does anyone have any feedback on HubSpot, Zoho, or similar platforms?
I guess my question is what software do you use for tracking your online results and why?
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