November 4, 2019

5 Web analytics tools to gauge content engagement effectively

Content Analytics Tool

So you’ve embellished your content with everything the experts suggested. You’ve written compelling copy in the form of short paragraphs, with subheads and bullets. You’ve thought of catchy titles that appeal to both users as well as search engine bots. You’ve plugged in some stunning images and cool infographics, along with a related video or two.

What next? The success or failure of your efforts can’t be judged randomly; your work has to be measured in terms of whether it’s really paid off or if it’s fallen short. So, here are five fantastic analytics tools that can help you gauge your content engagement efforts.

1. Google Analytics

Who can understand content analytics better than the master? Google Analytics is one of the best ways to gauge the performance of a website with respect to the type of content that engages most users. It gives you a holistic view along with complete demographic details about visitors, the time they spend on a post, the post with the highest number of likes/views, etc. Not restricted to the search engine; it also measures the source of your traffic, including social networks.

2. Google Webmaster Tools

Another content marketer’s favorite, Google Webmaster gives you almost all the information you would ever need. This includes the exact keywords you are being ranked for, the number of back links, indexed links, and broken pages, along with error messages and reports. You can rectify these error messages and improve your website’s experience to reach out to your target audience more effectively.

3. Matomo

An open-source platform, Matomo (formerly Piwik) can be considered an alternative to Google Analytics, only with better documentation and an intuitive interface. Although it requires its own hosting, you can easily customize it according to your needs without worrying about one-time or annual renewal fees. Matomo gives you complete ownership of the analytics data, unlike Google Analytics. It is best for websites that get a lot of traffic, especially if the owners are not willing to invest in an enterprise solution of Google Analytics Premium (Analytics 360).

4. Open Web Analytics

Open Web Analytics (OWA) is one of the free analytics tools that works much like Google Analytics but has an ace up its sleeve. It offers unlimited tracking and logging options, unlike Google which has a limit. OWA is ideal for businesses that are migrating from Google Analytics, as it gives them a similar setup with greater options. However, installing and running Open Web Analytics could be a challenge if you’re technology-challenged.

5. Buffer

Buffer comes with both free and paid plans and is more for measuring social media engagement. With this single analytical tool, you can access information on social channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can even have a look at the most popular tweet or post on any social channel at any time. The data is key to figuring whether your social goal is being achieved or not, where exactly you are lacking, and so on.

Parting Words

To sum up, it’s important to keep gauging the results of your efforts. This can help you capitalize on your strengths and scale down your weaknesses. However, analytics tools alone cannot help you grow if you skimp on the foundation of marketing – which is writing compelling, unique, and engaging content.