As nonprofit leaders, we know the value of data. We collect it to help us understand how our mission is resonating with people, what programs are most successful and more. And, we all understand the true value of having a PAL website. But an often-overlooked area of analysis that can be incredibly valuable to nonprofits is website analytics.
By studying the data behind your website, you can get a better idea of how people interact with it and what’s preventing them from making donations or taking other desired actions.
“Website analytics allow you to make informed decisions about how people to use your website, like which pages visitors click and don’t click on,” says Katrina Pfitzner, analytics engineer consulting for numerous nonprofit organizations.
“Analytics also allow you to identify where visitors are coming from and the paths they take through your site, helping you uncover opportunities that weren’t previously seen. By understanding this data better, nonprofits can come up with new approaches for increased website conversion and user engagement.”
How to Use Website Analytics in Your Organization
If you’re looking to get started with website analytics, there are several tools available—from Google Analytics and Adobe Omniture to open source programs like Piwik.
Once your analytics platform is set up, Pfitzner suggests the following steps:
Monitor Traffic Volume: Look at how much traffic your site is receiving overall and compare it from month-to-month. This will help you identify seasonal spikes or dips in usage as well as any potential problems or issues that may be causing them.
Analyze Top Pages & Navigation Paths: Use web analytics data to track which pages are most popular on your website and the sequence of pages visitors are visiting. This can help you uncover which content is resonating with users, as well as any problems or roadblocks they may encounter when navigating the site.
Identify Important Traffic Sources: Pay attention to where your website traffic is coming from, such as organic searches, referrals or specific online campaigns so you know how best to focus marketing efforts for greater success in each area.
Test & Tweak Your Website’s Content: Test various elements on your website—from calls-to-action and headlines to images and videos—in order to determine what leads people closer towards desired actions like donations or volunteering.
By taking a closer look at analytics data behind your organization’s Police Activity League (PAL) website, you can unlock insights that help boost user engagement and conversions more effectively over time.
