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They say that knowledge is power. Yes, it's cheesy, but oh so true, and web analytics prove it! In recent years, analytics have become a huge part of Fishhook. We want to give you, our clients and friends, the best experience possible, so we use analytics to see what you care about and why. 

What Fishhook looks at: 
We use analytics all the time. In fact, we use multiple tools to analyze our online engagement.

• HubSpot – This is the main tool we use. Because it's an all-in-one platform, it houses our website, blog content and social media. Within HubSpot, we are able to see exactly what people love about our website. It's how we know that the number one ebook that people download is the Seven Deadly Sins of Church Communications. We look at the number of people who visit our website, the pages they like the most and what they download. Then, we use that information to decide what kind of new content to create and where we spend our marketing/communications efforts. 
• Google Analytics – Because HubSpot has such detailed analytics, we don't really need Google Analytics. However, we DO use it to check out the most used browsers, operating systems and mobile devices. We want to make sure that our website, content and emails come through clearly, so we use Google Analytics to see which platforms and devices to test. 

Getting started? What your church should look at:
Especially within Google Analytics, there is a LOT to look at. We know that it can feel so overwhelming, so first, check the dates you are analyzing. The date range will be in the top right corner of Google Analytics. I would suggest analyzing one month to start. If you feel like that doesn't give you enough to work with, go with 90 days.

Here are the first three items you should look at: 

1. Audience – Who is coming? 
2. Acquisition – Where are they coming from? 
3. Behavior – Once they find you, where are they going? 

Here's our number one piece of advice: Start by thinking about the overall mission of your website or social media. What do you hope people care about on your website? How do you hope they interact with your social media? Once you identify those goals, you can jump into the data and look for the numbers that support your goals. This will help you know if you are truly being successful.

Still not feeling prepared? Here are a few next steps you can take:

1. Download our Monthly Analytics Checklist. This will help you start analyzing your data in a more efficient way.
2. Watch our webinar, Once Upon a Website: The Story of Your Analytics. (It's free and on-demand!) In this webinar, we talk through: 
   • Where to find the right numbers
   • How to read the data
   • How to know what’s important
   • Using analytics to make decisions
3. We love helping churches uncover hidden gems in their analytics! If you're interested in learning more about how we could partner with you, reach out to our Director of New Client Relationships Shayla Kenworthy, and she will get you more information.

Happy analyzing!