When it comes to digital marketing analytics, it used to be that Google Analytics was the king of website traffic data. However, recently a new player has emerged: Facebook Pixel.
Many marketers might be asking if it is worth tracking both Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics. The short answer is yes, usually (especially if you are doing pay-per-click ads). For the long answer, read on.
What is Facebook Pixel?
Facebook Pixel is essentially a piece of code for your website that lets you measure, optimize, and build audiences for your Facebook ad campaigns. You can install the supplied code on your website and the Pixel tracks who interacts with your ads.
But that’s not all. It will also show you data about your business Facebook page, including the standard analytics (post reach, engagement, link clicks, etc.), demographic information about your Facebook followers, and what pages on your website get the most traffic. From there it will take that data and allow you to build customized audiences through Facebook.
There are many advantages to building customized audiences — you’ll have the right people seeing your ads in the right places. It will help target your marketing dollar and generate better leads, right from the get go.
What is Google Analytics?
We’re betting many marketers are already familiar with Google Analytics, but just in case it’s a new tool for you, here’s what it does in a nutshell.
Google Analytics allows you to track and assess traffic to your website. You can view visitor demographic information, how people are finding you, what pages attract the most traffic, visitor retention time, and much more.
If you use Google pay-per-click advertising, Google Analytics is a must-have for tracking how your campaigns perform.
There are many helpful applications for Google Analytics, including creating data visualization graphics, tracking what content performs the best (and the worst), determining where people abandon their online shopping carts, if you have an eCommerce store, and seeing how many people are viewing your site on mobile.
What Should You Choose: Facebook Pixel or Google Analytics?
In this case, it isn’t really an either-or choice. It’s really a matter of both-and.
Facebook Pixel can be incredibly helpful if you have a robust Facebook following. And if you are running Facebook ads, or considering it, it’s a necessity.
Google Analytics can help track everyone who finds your page through other channels. But beyond that it’s an important information source for web traffic and offers lots of options.
While there is some crossover between Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics, don’t let this stop you from tracking both. You may find that, for instance, your Facebook audience is gravitating towards different posts than your Google audience. This could be important information for targeting your search engine optimization and focusing your Facebook strategy.
Deciding What to Track
The difficult decision about analytics is deciding what key performance indicators (KPIs) you need to track. There are many different directions you could go and stats that you can pull. To decide what works best for your business, you need to have an idea of what goals you want to meet.
Social and Google analytics offer great insights, but only if those insights are put to use.
Some marketing departments prefer to outsource the tracking — or outsource the content creation so they can focus on the tracking and analysis. Either option can give you back more time and allow you to get more done, for a much lower cost than hiring another in-house staff member.
Pulsion Marketing can help create a data analytics strategy that’s right for your business.
Contact us today to find out how we can help. Call 1-888-701-4441 or visit www.digiforcemarketing.ca.
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