One of the known challenges of online marketing is that you have to come up with articles or blog posts that your readers will find interesting. And with Google giving priority to web content that can benefit users the most, you definitely need to step up your writing game so you can impress not only your target audience, but the tech giant as well. But did you know that Google Analytics reports can give you ideas on what you should write next?
According to Andy Crestodina, strategic director at Chicago-based web design company Orbit Media, there are three Google Analytics reports that could provide you with nifty ideas for your articles and blog posts. These are the All Pages report, Site Search report, and Queries report.
All Pages report
Checking the All Pages report will help you identify web pages or content that is already popular amongst your visitors. In particular, you should check out the Average Time on Page metric as it is the best way to determine if your readers love a particular post and, therefore, the topic.
Scan through the list and look for patterns. If you notice that your visitors are spending more time reading posts and articles that belong to the same category, then you might want to consider writing more on that particular topic. As Andy pointed out, “Creating new content on topics that are already getting traction gives you a natural advantage.”
Site Search report
Site Search report lets you know what people are searching for when they arrive on your site. You can find it under Behavior > Site Search > Search Terms. Andy explained that when reviewing the report, if the Total Unique Searches for each search term is low, you should expand the date range to add more data and statistical significance. This, according to him, will leave you with a report that will give you a glimpse into the minds of your readers. This will help you discover the topics that your audience is asking for.
Queries report
Perusing the Queries report will give you an idea of which topics you’re already ranking. It lets you know when and how your site is appearing on Google search results. You can find the report under Acquisition > Search Engine Optimization > Queries. Andy said you should use a filter to remove queries that include your brand name or buyer-related keywords. Now, you’ll see a list of phrases for which you are already getting traffic or ranking for.
The next thing you need to do is use Google to see what topics are related to the phrases you’ve found. You can do this by entering the phrase on Google Search and typing each letter of the alphabet to see what topics are suggested. While Andy admits that this may be a time-consuming process, it can be a goldmine of ideas for website owners and online marketers.
