Fun with eCommerce Analytics

Hello Everybody,

In this post I'm going over how to set up a Shopify account.

You can use Shopify to track exactly how much money you are making. The benefit of doing "real" conversion tracking is that in Google Adwords, you can tell exactly how effective a particular ad has been doing due to the money that it is bringing in. Shopify does cost money at $30 a month, but it is probably one of the cheapest options out there for the services it provides. Conversion tracking is what allows Google to make money. With Adwords you can get analytics that tell you exactly what you spend, whereas with advertising with something like a billboard you can't tell if you are getting your money's worth. Google Analytics and Adwords work hand in hand.

When going through Shopify you should consider setting up a "live" shopify shop. Think of either selling a physical or digital product, and don't worry about not having experience in eCommerce or Adwords. The process is relatively painless. Start by going to Shopify.com and "pick your plan". There you'll enter you e-mail, address, store name and other relevant information. In order to add a product click "add product" and upload your images and save. Shopify's wizard will literally walk you through the process of setting up your account. When setting up your front page, customize your navigation. Take out anything that might give viewers the idea that you're unprofessional.

And there you have it, you have your own online store that provides "real" conversion tracking!

Until next time,
Caitlin Campbell