Google Analytics Basics

Google Analytics is a tool to help you keep data on who is looking at your page. You can use this to track how well advertising is working. I also use it to make myself feel a little bit better when my sales are down (e.g., at least 100 people looked at my page today.)

Question #1 "How do I tell Google Analytics to ignore my own views"

In order for these instructions to work you must have a static IP.

If you have a PC running windows you can find out if your IP is static by following these instructions:

1. Click "Start"
2. Select "RUN"
3. type "ncpa.cpl" and press ENTER
4. under the Network Connections Window double click your LAN/Internet Connection and select SUPPORT tab.
5. If you see an address type assigned by DHCP then your ip is dynamic, otherwise it is static.
   

If you have a MAC you can find out if your IP is static by following these instructions:

1. Click the apple
2. Select "System Preferences"
3. Click "Network" it is under "Internet & Network"
4. For the "Show" drop down, select "Show built-in ethernet" or "Airport" depending on how you connect
5. If you have a DHCP client number than your IP is dynamic otherwise it is static
   

Generally, if you have a dial-up or DSL connection than you have a dynamic IP. If you have cable than you probably have a static IP. If you use a Fiber or LAN connection than it could be dynamic or static.

If you have determined that you have a static IP then the instructions below will work for you. If you have a dynamic ip please use these instructions.

Log into Google Analytics. Toward the bottom right click the blue link titled "Filter Manager." On the right side of the long gray box click "Add Filter."

a. Name the filter whatever you would like; I named mine "me"
b. Under filter type select "Exclude all traffic from an IP address"

Okay, now you need to open up a new window.
First go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ and copy the IP address that is displayed.
Now go to http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55572 and paste your IP address into "First IP address" and then click "Generate RegEx." Now copy the characters displayed in "Step 3."

c. Paste the regular expression you just generated into the field titled "Regular Expression for the IP addresses."
d. Below that, in the box, click www.etsy.com.
e. Click the "add" button to the right.
f. Click "Save Changes."

Congratulations, your views will no longer be included in your site statistics!

Question #2 "What is bounce rate?"

Bounce rate is a term to classify the visitors to your website. If a user comes to any section of your website (e.g., your shop home) and then leaves without going anywhere else on your site (e.g., your fancy necklace listing), then they bounced. Alternatively, if a user arrives at your shop home and then clicks on your fancy necklace listing, then they did NOT bounce.

So, your bounce rate tells you how many people decided to explore your site further then their original destination.

Example: Say your daily bounce rate is 60% and you had a total of 100 visitors that day. That means that 60 people came to your site and then left without looking any further into your website -- but it also means that 40 people explored around on your website.

More of a visual learner? Check out this video!

Don't understand something I wrote about? Have a related question? Post a comment and I will be sure to answer it. Have an unrelated question? Submit it here and I will feature it on my blog!

xoxo
susan.