Finding the Answers to Your Digital Media Questions

We should have OCD - Obsessive Curiosity Disorder. Always ask questions like “I wonder if” or “What if we changed this?” - Jon Ralls

What worked in digital media yesterday may not work today, and which most likely will change again tomorrow. In situations like this, it’s easy to ignore analytics and data and go with your hunch. Digital expert Jon Ralls tells us that because digital media fluctuates constantly, we must constantly experiment… and use analytics as part of our validation process.

Change is constant. For example, IOS software changes have invalidated many ways users can be tracked through Facebook Pixel or even mass emails. As Digital Marketers, it’s our job to circumvent these difficulties, including experimenting to find ways to meet the desired outcomes. The answers to our problems are found in experimentation, analytics, and God’s leading. Google Analytics is our friend.

What are some examples of analytics we should be looking at?

• Page load speed: Is your website taking too long to load? Before creating marketing campaigns, make sure your web pages are loading quickly. Cleaning up your code comments/white space, and compressing images can go a long way in helping the typical page load quicker.
  

• How often are people visiting: Are people coming back to your site? Or is it a one-hit wonder? Analytics will tell you how often they’re returning. Before spending a bunch of money on that ad campaign, ensure your website is designed to bring people back.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

• Bounce rates: Is your website sticky? Or are people bouncing off your site? Do you have appropriate CTAs (Calls to Action), or are you missing a next step for people to take? If there is a CTA on the page, and people are still bouncing off, experiment with different CTAs to find the most productive results.

All of these issues have data-based solutions. Analytics can answer so many questions, helping your ministry take the next steps in decoding the Digital Media mystery. Don’t forget that our Lord is an essential asset in these decisions.