Google Analytics - how do you use it?

[Jon12345]

Let's face it, Google Analytics is pretty darn powerful. Lately, I've been using it by going to Behaviour > Site Speed > Overview, to see if any of my optimisation attempts have been working. I also look at Audience > Overview > Users/Bounce Rate/page views to try to get an idea of what is going on.

But I feel like I am under-utilising this beast! So, with that in mind, how do you use Google Analytics? Have you any success stories of how it helped you?

 

[l3ta]

I have it but I don't bother with it. I also advertised on Google for like two years and never got a single member lol.

 

[fionix]

I do fine, most what I'm doing is monitoring the traffic with the live monitor, so I just it to check STATS how the forum is performing each day, week and month. It is helpful.

I'm sure there would be much more I could use it for, however, I know from blackhat forums that they prefer not to use Google analytics but rather other tools not connected to Google Corp. not sure if that really would change anything.

But you are right, a cool and ultra advance monitoring system with the mind set from a experte webmaster of a big board would be awesome.

 

[DigNap15]

I use Statcounter, I find it give me the info I need

 

[frm]

I use it for real-time visitors to ensure that my servers can handle the load at any given time; for marketing, by providing demographics, etc. to potential advertisers as well as see who my target market is; and ensure that I have sustainable growth (whether new content is posted or not).

I use it for much more, too. But, that's the tl'dr version.