Metrics Matter!! If you don't know what's happening with your Website visitors, where they go, what they're looking for, what they respond to, and what turns them off about your site, you can't possibly make most of your online potential. Your Web traffic reports offer unprecedented opportunities to analyze these relationships on a one-to-one basis.

Here are some examples of using your metrics to ask intelligent questions and make informed adjustments to your site:

Tracking your Promotional Efforts

There are many ways to promote your site, both online and offline. Some are free and some, while not costing money, do take up time and effort. It's important to know marketing options that generate best return on investment for all your resources.

Joyce Weiss works with her public relations consultants to analyze immediate impact of her radio appearances on her Website traffic (at http://www.joyceweiss.com). She said "This way we can decide if Website needs to be tweaked for radio shows, or if I need to say something different on shows to get people to sign up."

Following links to your site (called "refering URL's in reports) can be very useful in creating good professional relationships. Often, site owners won't tell you that they've quoted you so it's important to check that reference is appropriate.

And, it's important to say thank you. I once followed a link to my site and found that one of my articles was required reading for a course at University of Southern Oregon. When I dropped a note to Professor telling him how honored I was, he replied "Not at all, I really like your ideas - and by way, we're looking for a speaker for our next conference . . ."

Dave Paradi does this too: "I do check out those sites that link to mine. One time I found that link was to an old page, so I wrote to them and suggested that they update link. I was also able to mention my other articles that would benefit their visitors."

If you're paying for traffic, make sure that keywords you've selected, or sites that you're advertising on are generating good quality leads. Abby Marks-Beale told me how she does this:

"I've set up separate portal pages for those who come to me from my pay-per-click program through Overture. This way I can see if program is really working."