Beginner’s Guide: Fix Your Website Traffic with Google Analytics and Search Console
Your website might not be “broken.” But if traffic’s trickling in and no leads are coming out? That’s the real problem.
One of our clients thought their homepage was the culprit. Nope. Their most-visited page? An old blog post — with zero call-to-action.
After three tiny tweaks? Conversions jumped 31% in 30 days.
That’s the power of tracking the right numbers with Google Analytics + Search Console.
Because if you’re still changing button colors or shuffling layouts, hoping something sticks — you might as well be throwing spaghetti at the wall.
What are Google Search Console and Google Analytics?
Google Search Console (GSC)
Think of GSC as your website’s translator. It tells you how Google sees your site and shows you things like:
What keywords you're showing up for
Whether people are clicking through to your site
Any technical issues like mobile errors or slow load times
Google Analytics (GA4)
Google Analytics is your website's behind-the-scenes pass. It reveals how visitors behave once they land on your site:
Where they came from (Instagram? Email? Google?)
What pages they visited
How long they stayed
Whether they bounced (aka left early)
Why Small Business Owners Should Care
If your website is one of your hardest-working digital tools (and it should be), these two free platforms help you make informed decisions — not just pretty ones.
Without them, you could be:
Updating pages no one visits
Wondering why conversions are flatlining
Writing content that no one is actually searching for
You can’t improve what you’re not measuring.
How to Set Them Up (Step-by-Step)
Set up Google Search Console:
Click “Start now”
Choose the “Domain” property type
Verify ownership via DNS or HTML file
Wait a day or two for data to populate
Need help? Check out this beginner-friendly walkthrough from our pals at HubSpot: How to Use Google Search Console
Set up Google Analytics (GA4):
Go to: https://analytics.google.com/
Click “Start measuring”
Create your account and property
Install the tracking code on your website
You're done!
This guide from SEO guru, Neil Patel, breaks it down beautifully: How to Set Up GA4
5 Key Metrics to Focus On
You don’t need to know everything, just what matters most.
1. Bounce Rate
What it is: The percentage of people who leave after viewing only one page
Why it matters: A high bounce rate may signal irrelevant content, slow load time, or a confusing layout
Try this: Revisit your headline, improve page speed, or add links to guide the user deeper into your site
2. Average Time on Page
What it is: How long people are spending on a page
Why it matters: More time = more engagement
Try this: Break content into shorter paragraphs, add visuals, or include a video to hold attention
3. Search Queries (via GSC)
What it is: The exact words people type into Google before landing on your site
Why it matters: You’ll learn what your audience is actually looking for
Try this: Incorporate these exact phrases into your headlines, blogs, and SEO meta descriptions
4. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
What it is: How often people click on your link when they see it in Google search results
Why it matters: Low CTR could mean your page title or description isn’t enticing enough
Try this: Use clearer language or curiosity in your meta title — for example, “How to grow your email list fast (without paid ads)”
5. Most-Viewed Pages
What it is: The pages getting the most love (aka traffic)
Why it matters: These are your high-performers — make sure they’re working for you
Try this: Add clear CTAs (calls-to-action), embed opt-in forms, or highlight your services
How to Use Your Data to Improve Your Website
Now that you’ve got data, here’s how to use it to drive better decisions:
Problem: People are bouncing fast
Try this: Speed up the page load, make the content more skimmable, or clarify your headline
Problem: Low click-through rate from Google
Try this: Rewrite your page titles and meta descriptions to be more compelling
Problem: Lots of page views but no conversions
Try this: Revisit your CTA placement, add testimonials, or simplify your next-step process
TL;DR — Don’t Guess, Know
Google Search Console and Analytics aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re non-negotiables if you want your website to actually perform.
With them, you can:
Stop wasting time updating the wrong pages
Write content people are already searching for
Make design or copy tweaks based on real behaviour — not hunches
Want Help Setting This Up?
If your brain just screamed “I do not want to DIY this,” we’ve got you.
Our Website + SEO Audit shows you exactly where to start and what to improve to boost conversions and visibility.
Or we can set it all up for you and deliver monthly analytics — with real insights you can act on (not just charts you’ll ignore).
Request Your Custom Website Audit Here:
