Sunday, May 24, 2015

Summer -- Time to See If Your Website Is Working for You?



Memorial Day Weekend always feels like the start of summer for me. Last week, I picked the flowers above from the gardens around my California home. Been using grey water from dish-washing and hand-washing clothes to hydrate the plants, and it's been enough on its own. We all have to do our part out here in the Golden State during the current drought!

Is Summer a slower time of year for you? Perhaps the more leisurely pace of things will give you time to look at whether your website is doing its job. Google was very helpful when I contacted them recently to line up a speaker to explain the basics of Google Analytics. His name is Adam Singer, and he's a Google Analytics Ambassador. Singer will be flying down from Northern California to speak to the Publishers Association of Los Angeles, where I am on the Program Planning Committee and also serve as Secretary. More details on Adam and the program below. We should learn a lot of useful things about this mysterious service from someone who well understands its ins and outs.

Also working on a PALA program for September on lessons learned by successful small publishers. Stay tuned!

WHAT THE HECK 

IS GOOGLE ANALYTICS?


How to Use This Free Web Service 

to Sell More Books


WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015
7:00 PM

Ever wonder if your website is working for you and how to improve it? At our June PALA meeting, digital marketing expert Adam Singer will explain the ins and outs of the free website analytics service called Google Analytics. You’ll see how it can help you start making better book marketing decisions.
Google Analytics can help you evaluate:
  • Whether your website template is accomplishing what you want it to do
  • Where your website visitors are coming from
  • What pages people visit, the length of their stay, and the route they take to leave the site
  • The best and worst web copy on your site
  • Other activity on your site, such as watching videos or downloading files
  • What content of yours is being shared the most on social media
  • Which social media channels make the most sense for you
In addition, Singer will discuss the reports that are available for you, which ones make the most sense as a publisher or an author, as well as how to begin analyzing them.
PALA Members' Websites Featured in Program:  Brenda Avadian of www.thecaregiversvoice.com and Eric Roth ofwww.compellingconversations.com have agreed to have their websites used as examples in this presentation.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: In addition to being a Google Analytics Ambassador, Adam Singer runs The Future Buzz, one of the most popular blogs on the web about digital marketing/PR strategies. This blog has more than 25,000 subscribers, and it can be found at thefuturebuzz.com/. He also writes an analytics column for ClickZ.com. Singer has consulted with and advised such media clients as The New York Times and PR Web on using Google Analytics for better engagement with web visitors.
MODERATOR: PALA Board Member Robin Quinn of www.writingandediting.biz .

DATE: Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Veterans Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City. Corner of Overland & Culver. Parking is free on site. The parking entrance is on Culver. Meetings are on the first floor, down the hall to the left of the front doors. The PALA sign will be on the meeting room door. NOTE: Wear layered clothing. The room is usually comfortable, but the temperature may vary.
COST: Free for PALA members; $10.00 for IWOSC members; $15.00 for nonmembers. Advance admission can be purchased until the day before the program with PayPal on our website: www.pa-la.org.
QUESTIONS: Sharon Goldinger, Program Chair, pplspeak@att.net, 949-581-6190.
Remember to visit our Web site for updates!