Analytics setup that actually helps

Why analytics matter

Analytics help you understand what works and what does not. They show which pages people visit, how they find you, and what actions they take.

But analytics can also slow your site, invade privacy, and produce data you never use. The goal is tracking that informs decisions without causing problems.

What to track

Essential metrics

Start with metrics that directly relate to your goals.

• Form submissions and enquiries.
• Key page views, such as service pages and contact pages.
• Clicks on primary calls to action.
• How people find your site, such as search, social, or direct.

What not to track

Avoid tracking everything just because you can.

• Do not track every click, scroll, or mouse movement.
• Do not track personal information you do not need.
• Do not track data you will never use to make decisions.
• Do not add tracking that slows your site [2]Source 2 .

Performance impact

Analytics scripts can slow your site if not loaded carefully [2]Source 2 .

How analytics affect performance

• Analytics scripts add weight and network requests.
• They can block page rendering if loaded synchronously.
• They can delay interactions and make the site feel laggy [3]Source 3 .
• Multiple tracking scripts compound the problem.

Loading analytics responsibly

Load analytics in a way that does not hurt user experience.

• Load analytics scripts asynchronously, after the main content.
• Defer non-essential tracking until after page load.
• Use privacy-friendly analytics that are lighter weight.
• Monitor Core Web Vitals to ensure tracking does not degrade performance [4]Source 4 .

Privacy considerations

Respect user privacy

Track what you need, not everything you can.

• Avoid cross-site tracking and fingerprinting.
• Use aggregated data instead of individual profiles where possible.
• Be transparent about what you track in your privacy policy.
• Respect cookie consent choices.

Privacy-friendly alternatives

Consider analytics tools that prioritise privacy.

• Server-side analytics that do not require client-side scripts.
• Cookie-free analytics that do not set tracking cookies.
• Analytics that aggregate data without building individual profiles.
• Self-hosted analytics that keep data under your control.

Setting up event tracking

Track specific actions that matter to your goals [1]Source 1 .

Form submissions

• Track when forms are submitted successfully.
• Track which forms get the most submissions.
• Do not track form field values or personal information.

Button and link clicks

• Track clicks on primary calls to action.
• Track clicks on important links, such as phone numbers or email addresses.
• Use descriptive event names that make sense later.

Page views

• Track views of key pages, such as service pages or contact pages.
• Track thank you pages to measure conversion funnels.
• Do not track every page view if you do not need the detail.

What to measure

Conversion goals

Define what success looks like and track it.

• Form submissions and enquiries.
• Phone calls or email clicks.
• Downloads or sign-ups.
• Key page views that indicate interest.

Traffic sources

Understand how people find your site.

• Organic search traffic.
• Direct traffic from people who know your URL.
• Referral traffic from other sites.
• Social media traffic, if relevant.

User journeys

Track how people move through your site.

• Which pages people visit before contacting you.
• Common paths through your site.
• Where people leave without converting.

Common mistakes

• Tracking everything without a clear purpose.
• Loading analytics scripts synchronously and blocking the page.
• Using multiple analytics tools that duplicate data.
• Not testing that tracking actually works.
• Ignoring privacy implications of tracking.
• Not reviewing analytics data regularly to inform decisions.

Testing your setup

Verify that your analytics work correctly.

• Test that events fire when actions happen.
• Check that data appears in your analytics dashboard.
• Verify that tracking does not slow your site [4]Source 4 .
• Test with analytics disabled to ensure the site works without it.

Reviewing and acting on data

Analytics only help if you use the data.

• Review analytics monthly or quarterly.
• Look for trends and patterns.
• Make changes based on what you learn.
• Stop tracking data you never use.

When to add more tracking

Add tracking when you have a specific question to answer.

• You want to understand why conversions are low.
• You need to measure the impact of a change.
• You want to optimise a specific user journey.
• You have a clear hypothesis to test.

When to remove tracking

Remove tracking that does not help.

• You never look at the data.
• The tracking slows your site significantly [3]Source 3 .
• The data does not inform any decisions.
• Privacy concerns outweigh the benefits.

Privacy policy requirements

Be transparent about what you track.

• Explain what analytics you use in your privacy policy.
• Describe what data is collected and why.
• Explain how long data is kept.
• Provide information about opting out if possible.

Next step

Review your current analytics setup. Identify what you actually use to make decisions. Remove tracking that does not help. Ensure analytics load without blocking the page [2]Source 2 . Test that events fire correctly [1]Source 1 . Update your privacy policy to reflect what you track. Then review the data regularly and use it to improve your site. If you need help setting up analytics or improving performance, performance services can help you track what matters without slowing your site. For more on third-party scripts, see third-party scripts and when to say no.