Do you start on content? Paid advertising? Link outreach? Social media? We’re often asked “yes we know it’s all important, but what should we definitely be doing?”. Our answer often goes along the lines of “yes it IS important (and it is) but if you really want to lay the foundations for future digital marketing success, reporting is the answer”.

They say ‘if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.’ We couldn’t agree more.

Simply put reporting will (or should) inform everything else you embark on from a digital marketing perspective. For example, you note that you are receiving a good amount of quality traffic from referring websites while your non-brand organic traffic is pretty minimal, this might indicate a focus on organic search over linkbuilding might be more appropriate.

Another reason why reporting is so useful is that it acts as a springboard for discussions on how to make the site better for users - resulting in more bottom line conversions achieved from the website. We can point out particular things we find noteworthy from the report, while clients can ask questions on areas they’d like to know more about. Keeping that dialogue open and you as a client engaged with your data is a huge part of driving iterative improvements onsite.

However perhaps the most remarkable feature of reporting is how flexible it is - the sky really is the limit!*

Reports can contain the data you want, in the format you want, at a time you want. Whether it’s an Excel spreadsheet delivered in the first week of the month ahead of your monthly board meeting or it’s an online dashboard which can be viewed at any time, it can be achieved.

What’s most important is the metrics provided are those you are interested in and it's in a format which is accessible to you. The times when we see reporting fall down we often get a response of “we didn’t really get any value from the data we got”. So it’s important this is discussed extensively in the brief for the report and then maintained throughout its lifecycle.

With all of the above in mind, we hope we’ve given a good overview of why reporting truly is a fundamental aspect of proper website maintenance. So please don’t ignore this vital building block in the construction of your digital marketing plan. Of course you’re not alone in this, we’ve got experience for creating and maintaining almost every kind of report possible (if you’ve got a unique idea for one please get in touch, we love a challenge!), but most importantly we’re experts in listening to your wants from a report and delivering a framework tailored exactly to your requirements. 

You might be thinking “but I don’t know what I want?”, the good news is that’s fine too. We'll listen to your needs and discuss the business goals during the briefing stage and together we will find a reporting template which delivers on your key aims for the business. While we can also make edits to that template at any time from the start or moving forwards as it evolves to find the form most useful to you. Nothing is set in stone!

So take that first step and let’s start the conversation.

You’ve decided to invest in your website via digital marketing (good decision!), but where to begin or where to focus efforts?

Why reporting should be the cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy

The GA account itself may be operating perfectly and laden with interesting, actionable insights which could serve to improve site performance. However, if no one in the business has access to the account then these insights are left to drift unseen into the vast ocean of the internet.

To stop your Google Analytics account becoming the reporting equivalent of the Mary Celeste, lash your tether to safe harbour (to torture the boat analogy even further) by ensuring a plan is in place for account ownership.

Just by following a few basic principles you are likely to save yourself a lot of potential pain in the future:

Use a group email address - instead of using an individual team member’s email address as the only login for an account, ensure at least one group email address is associated with the account (e.g. reporting@yourbusiness.co.uk) with admin access. This will ensure that even when individual team members leave the business, your access does not disappear with them.

Document credentials & associated updates - credentials for any group email accounts which have Google Analytics access should be easily available to those who require it and then maintained e.g. when passwords change (of course using a secure documentation platform).

Ensure access is regularly maintained & updated - review user access on the account regularly to ensure only authorised users have access e.g. removing those who have left the business or external agencies who are no longer engaged.

If the above advice has come a little too late for you and your account is already lost to the high seas, get in touch and we’d be happy to discuss possible solutions.

However, it’s certainly true in this case that the ease of prevention far outweighs the pain of recovery - so take note before your account becomes the latest ‘ghost’ Google Analytics account to be set loose.

Too often the situation seems to arise whereby site owners are unable to access their Google Analytics account as they’re unaware as to who holds the account credentials.

Stop your Google Analytics account from going 'ghost' by following these basic tips on good account management maintenance.

Following rigorous assessment by UKAS accredited standards auditors, URS, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve met the requirements of ISO27001 certification, meaning that our internal processes and procedures have been approved by the world’s best-known standard on information security management.

ISO27001 sets out what is required to effectively implement a robust information security management system (ISMS). It provides a framework and guidelines for organisations like us to follow and supports the maintenance and improvement of our ISMS going forward. 

We’re a full-service digital agency who endeavour to do the very best for all our clients. While we have always been compliant with the principles of the ISO27000 series of information security standards (cybersecurity has, of course, always been a top priority in our line of business), our ISO27001 information security management system has now been officially recognised and certificated.

Information security demands a strategic approach. Achieving and maintaining ISO27001 assures our clients and partners that we’re protecting their information and data by carrying out thorough risk assessments, applying stringent policies and controls, and operating as safely and securely as possible at all times. 

It’s not only about the technical measures we put in place though; we also ensure that our business controls and management processes adequately address the information security threats and opportunities that we’ve identified and evaluated in our risk assessment. By implementing best-practice, we ensure a well-rounded perspective that addresses people, processes and technology.  

With our holistic approach to ISMS now backed by ISO27001 certification, we’re a digital agency that you can trust to secure and maintain the confidentiality and integrity of your business. We can assure you that our robust policies, procedures and controls will keep your information assets protected and secure.

 Demonstrating our commitment to information security as an ISO27001 certified digital agency

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Insights

Why reporting should be the cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy

'Ghost' Google Analytics Accounts

ISO27001 certified digital agency