Setting up Google Analytics is a great step for evaluating your event company’s current standing in the market, but it’s not something you can just install and leave. Your event company’s web analytics are chock full of valuable data, but they’re only as useful as you make it. Without asking the right questions, analytics are just a worthless jumble of numbers without any insight attached.

The truth is that most event rental company owners don’t ask any questions of their analytics at all. Perhaps you check in every now and then to see how the graphs are trending, but that only shows a small piece of the puzzle. You may feel great about metrics like unique traffic, time spent on your site, or a low bounce rate, but none of these reports alone can drive smart business decisions.

When we don’t have a full picture, too often we find ourselves spinning our wheels trying to make sense out of a few numbers. Ultimately, we are unable to turn analytics into action. Before you know it, it becomes a never-ending cycle of throwing things at a wall and hoping they stick. However, it’s hard to fully know if anything is truly working.

Once you start asking yourself smart questions in relation to your event company’s web analytics, you’ll be in a better place to take deliberate action to fix any problems or simply enhance your website in general.

Let’s take a deeper look at the answers to these questions below:

Am I getting enough traffic?

Believe it or not, the average website converts at less than 1 percent. This means that you’ll need at least 1,000 visitors to generate 10 leads—and that’s only if your web traffic is qualified. In general, most small, local, and service-based businesses should aim for at least 800 – 1,200 sessions of qualified web traffic each month.

Take Action:

If you need to work on increasing traffic, start by optimizing your website for search engines (a quick search on SEO will turn up some helpful resources) and spend some time creating valuable content for your social media channels. You may even consider putting some of your budget towards paid advertisements. Regardless of what direction you take, make sure that your traffic is qualified or else you’ll end up wasting precious time and money.

Is my traffic qualified?

Qualified traffic is simply comprised of website visitors who would consider doing business with you. It means they need your products or services, and they fit into the demographics of your target market. All the traffic in the world won’t bring business if your web visitors aren’t open to working with you. For event rental companies, this likely means that your traffic should be in the local area. Check out your geographic reports to make sure you are reaching and attracting website visitors from your local market or feeder markets.

If you primarily serve a certain specialty, you’ll also want to check on other demographic data that aligns with your market. For example, a company focused on wedding rentals should be seeing couples that skew in the 25-34 age range and are mostly female. Naturally, these key points will depend on your ideal client and target market.

Take Action:

Start by looking at your referral reports to identify where most of your web visitors are coming from elsewhere on the Internet. Are they finding your site from social media or through features on websites that target your ideal client? If not, take some time to think about the best avenues to reach your target market. You may want to invest more time and resources into creating a stronger presence.

I also recommend setting up Google Search Console within Google Analytics. This will reveal the search terms that have driven traffic to your site. If the searches that show up are seemingly unrelated, it’s a good sign you need stronger SEO on your site for more targeted keywords.

Are my visitors using my site in a way that meets my bottom line?

Your website should operate as a digital storefront, providing prospects with valuable content around the clock and encouraging them to get in touch to book your services. But, if you can’t convert web traffic into real inquiries, your business will undoubtedly suffer. Be sure to set up goals in Google Analytics to track inquiry form responses. This will help you calculate your conversion rate. Cross-reference this information with other reports (like referral traffic) to determine which platforms and websites are most effective at driving conversions. Then, reallocate your resources accordingly to bring in more leads from those channels.

Take Action:

If you’re facing problems with your website conversions, start by re-evaluating your inquiry form. Longer forms have lower conversion rates, so see if you can simplify your contact form and keep only the basics. You can always get the details you need during a consultation.

You’ll also want to be sure there are calls-to-action (CTAs) sprinkled throughout other pages on your website. These should direct people to your contact form, which will encourage them to take the next step and reach out. The subtle art of repetition is key, but it’s not just for CTAs. You may want to consider adding an intro paragraph to the contact page that restates the benefits of working with you. That way, when they click through a CTA, they’re reminded and encouraged to reach out and connect.

With these questions (and solutions!) in your back pocket, you’ll be well on your way to analyzing and understanding your event company’s web analytics for a better, more profitable future.