How to use Google Analytics to Track Your First Time and Return Visit Buyers

More on advanced reporting with Google Analytics here.

Because your website is only as good as your ability to convert visitors into buyers, the following two advanced segment reports in Google Analytics will help you capture your first time visitor/buyers into repeat visitor/buyers. Follow the selections on the screen shots to set up your own site-specific reports.

First time buyer
This particular report can help you understand what motivated visitors to buy on their first visit. What you learn from this report can help you to motivate future new visitors to purchase in as few visits as possible.

Return visit buyers
You can use the return visit buyer reporting tool to understand your returning visitor’s behavior. If they didn’t buy on the first visit, use the data in the report to optimize your site or process to ensure you convert visitors to purchases sooner.

Create a Facebook Fan Page URL in 2 Minutes or Less

If you’ve created a Facebook Fan Page, but cannot (or did not) figure out how to create a vanity URL to go with it, I’m happy to tell you that you can make that change really quickly.

To change your Facebook Fan Page URL, go to http://www.facebook.com/username/

Using the drop down box, select the Fan Page you’d like to (re)name. You’ll need to check the availability of the name. After you’ve checked and created your name, click the save button and voila: your new, simplified Facebook Fan Page URL.

One last thing — Don’t forget to share your new name with your fans as well as in other correspondence you send out!

How to Track Your Social Media ROI in Google Analytics

E-Commerce retailers using Google Analytics to track their metrics can now also track their social media ROI as well. I’m going to explain how in five easy steps.

Step 1. Locate and select Advanced Segments from the lower left sidebar in your Google Analytics Dashboard.

Step 2. Once in the Advanced Segment screen, select Create a new custom segment

Step 3. Move Source into the Dimension or Metric Window

Step 4. Select “Matches Regular Expression” from the Conditions Box. In the Value Box, plug in the social networking sites your website is on using this string:

digg|aim|friendfeed|blinklist|fark|furl|wikipedia|stumbleupon|netvibes|bloglines|linkedin|facebook|del\.icio\.us|
feedburner|twitter|technorati|faves\.com|newsgator|PRweb|msplinks|myspace|bit\.ly|tr\.im|cli\.gs|zi\.ma|poprl|tinyurl

Do not include websites or networks you are not a part of. You’ll also want to be sure you do not leave any spaces between the social network and the Pipe stroke  <|> (the symbol above the backslash on most keyboards). In instances where there is typically a period or dot in the URL, you’ll need to insert a backslash the first and second elements of the URL.

Step 5. Name your Custom Report and test it. You will now be able to see where you are receiving the most social media traffic from as well as your bounce rate, keywords used and any other metrics you decide to track.

Facebook App Allows Fan Page Admins to Create User E-newsletters

File this one under cool things to try in 2010: Facebook Fan Page administrators can now let their fans create personalized e-newsletters including content from the fan page.

Fb-funded NutshellMail, which operates a web based service that culls social media applications,  recently introduced the new feature to its web service.

The NutshellMail Facebook application allows you, as your e-commerce site’s Fan Page admin, to add an “Email Newsletter” tab to your page. By adding a newsletter, fans can opt-in to receive e-mailed content — highlighting your most recent posts — along with their Facebook updates.

Installing the application is fairly easy.

Step 1. On the Nutshell Facebook Application Page, select your page and click “Add Nutshell Mail”

Step 2. Select EMail Newsletter from the Drop Down Tab.

Step 3. Follow the App’s instructions for how to receive updates. In order for this to work, you’ll need to allow the Application access to your Facebook profile. Don’t worry, your person status updates will not go out to your Fan Page Fans.

Step 4. Be sure to promote your new e-newsletter function to your fans as well as in your next email send to customers.

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Once your email is approved (Step 3), you can adjust your account settings to receive e-mail updates as often (or as little) as you want.  You can customize what you receive  Using the Account Settings > Pages tab on Nutshellmail.com.

As for why an e-commerce site would want to add this function to its Fan Page, studies show that consumers are more likely to purchase based on their own opt-in preferences to e-mail. What better way to get your brand in front of your consumers or fans than to be in an email they opted to have you in.

Free Tools To Enhance Your ECommerce Website and Social Media Campaigns

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