3 Must Have Tools for Those Who Depend on Google Analytics [AUDIO]

What the chart said vs realitty

The staff was assembled, the stage was set. Representatives from every department plus some of the big brass were sitting around the long conference table.

I was about to present the data that showed how successful my marketing campaigns had been for the past month. This was important, because it had been like pulling teeth to get a more data-driven process in place.

IT had to be cajoled into setting up Google Analytics.

Sales had to be bullied into keeping good account of leads and sales.

Now, with the first full month of data in hand, I was going to point to some steady growth. My pitch was confident as I showed the increase in leads and correlated it with an increase in sales. I was going to be a star.

Until someone spoke up from sales.

“We didn’t get that many leads last month. Most of my sales came from affiliates.”

All eyes turned to me. What I would say next would either raise stature or destroy my credibility.

Was it my programs, or was it my analytics that caused this disconnect?

The right answer would have been, “I personally QA’d our analytics setup. These numbers are right.”

Could you have given that answer?

In my most recent Marketing Land article Is It The Site, Or Is It The Analytics? Debugging Google Analytics, I show you how to be certain that your Google Analytics setup is working as planned.

Whether you setup your own analytics or have your tech team do it, you need to know that the data you’re using is right.

Listen to the Article, Read by the Author

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Using Google Tag Manager: Software Review

IT vs Marketing

Don’t be nervous, IT. Be afraid.

Marketing is slowly but surely slipping control of technology from your keyboard-calloused little fingers. Your long release cycles and distrust of marketing technology will no longer be tolerated.

The newest tool in marketers’ control is Google Tag Manager, and it is a powerful tool for marketers, if used right.

We recently reviewed Google Tag Manager, which makes it dangerously easy for marketers to manage the javascript “Tags” that are on their sites.

Marketers can use this tool to implementing new site features without asking IT to make changes.

The review was voted one of the Fab 5 Business Software Reviews on IT review site TrustRadius. Who are we to argue with them?

Here are some Pros and Cons we found:

* Integrates well in Google Analytics

* Lists a history of site changes

* Won’t support AB software

* Requires extensive Q&A

Google Tag Manager makes adding features and analytics to a site easy. But, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Brian advises to thoroughly test changes and be ready to debug any sudden problems.

Read Fab 5 Business Software Reviews for more comprehensive tools and software for your business.