How to Create an Annotation in Google Analytics

​This is the second in my series of posts aimed at helping you use Google Analytics to grow your business.

I have a quick question for you before I get started. What were you doing 3 months ago today that might have affected traffic to your website?

Perhaps you'd just published a blog post or you were running a competition on social media.

Or maybe you'd sent out an email to your mailing list letting them know about a new product or service you'd just launched.

When you go into your Google Analytics account and you see peaks in your traffic i.e. periods of time when there was more traffic than normal, do you know why they're there?

Or perhaps you can see troughs in in your website traffic. Periods of time when your website visitors deserted ship. Something went wrong. 

It's easy enough to remember what we were doing last week or last month (most of the time!), but can you remember what you were doing two months ago, three months ago that might affect traffic to your website? Or what about last year?

Why Is It Important to Know What Caused Peaks and Troughs in Your Website Traffic?

When you know what caused peaks and troughs in your website traffic then you can use that information to create a better strategy for your business.

You'll not be wasting time making the same mistakes again. You'll save yourself both time and money.

For example, if that Facebook advert you ran last March to drive traffic to your website didn't actually drive any traffic to your website, why are you thinking of running the same advert again?

You'll be able to take action and keep doing the things that drive traffic to your website. The things that people like. 

You'll be able to fine tune the things that drive traffic to your website so that you can drive even more traffic to your website.

For example, if that blog post you published earlier in the year was very well received and drove a lot of traffic to your website, why not do a mini-series on the subject? Give people more of what they want. Make them feel more loyal to you.​

How Can You Set Reminders?

A simple way to set yourself reminders so you remember what you were doing when you see peaks and troughs in your website traffic is to add annotations in your Google Analytics account.

These are like little post-it-notes to remind you of an event that might have caused an increase or decrease in your website traffic.

How to Set Up an Annotation in Google Analytics

Watch this short video to find out how to add an annotation to your Google Analytics reports.

Get in Touch to Find Out What Google Analytics Can Do For Your Business

I hope you've found this blog post on how to add an annotation to Google Analytics and why you might want to use annotations useful.

If you would like to find out more about what Google Analytics can do to help your business grow, please get in touch today. You can call me directly on 0131 629 5117 or email me - tara@ticketyboomarketing.

We offer Weekly or Monthly Google Analytics Reporting for just £79 as well as in-house Google Analytics for Beginners Training for £399.

I'm looking forward to helping you!