• May 19, 2025

Phil Wiseman

If you’re a business owner who isn’t a website expert, you might wonder: “Who’s visiting my website, and why does it matter?”

Let’s break down how you can find out, using simple language and practical tips to help your business get found online.

Why Knowing Your Website Visitors Matters

Understanding your website traffic isn’t just for techies. It’s about getting to know your potential customers, so you can turn more visitors into paying clients.

When you know where your visitors come from, what they’re interested in, and how they interact with your site, you can:

• Improve your marketing strategy
• Make your website more user-friendly
• Increase your sales and leads
• Spend your advertising budget more wisely

Think of website analytics as your digital “customer counter.” It’s like having a tool that tells you how people found your business, what pages they liked, and where they left.

This information is gold for small business owners who want to grow.

What Can You Learn About Your Website Audience?

Website analytics tools, like Google Analytics, help you answer questions such as:

 

Where are my visitors located? (city, state, or country)

Are they new or returning customers?

What devices are they using? (mobile, desktop, tablet)

 

Which pages are most popular?

 

How long do people stay on my site?

 

What actions do they take? (calls, form submissions, purchases)

You can spot trends and make smarter decisions by looking at these details. For example, if you notice most visitors are from your local area, you can focus your marketing on that region.

If a certain page keeps people engaged, you might want to create more content like it.

How to Start: Setting Up Google Analytics

You don’t need to be a web developer to get started. Here’s how most business owners can set up website tracking:

• Create a Google Analytics account (it’s free).
• Add your website as a “property.”
• Install the tracking code on your site. 
• Check your dashboard to see your website data.

If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry.  Analytics That Profit can set this up for you quickly and correctly.

 

Key Website Metrics Every Business Owner Should Know

Here are some important numbers and related terms to watch:

Metric	What It Tells You	Why It Matters
Users/Visitors	How many people visit your site	Shows your reach and growth
Sessions	Total visits (one person can have multiple)	Measures engagement
Bounce Rate	% who leave after one page	A high rate may mean your content isn’t relevant or your site is hard to use
Traffic Sources	How people found you (Google, social, direct)	Helps you focus your marketing efforts
New vs. Returning	First-time vs. repeat visitors	Indicates loyalty and content quality
Average Session Duration	How long do people stay	Longer time usually means more interest
Conversion Rate	% who take action (call, buy, sign up)	The ultimate measure of website success: Using Analytics to Grow Your Business

 

Once you know what’s happening on your website, you can take action:

Improve your content: If certain blog posts or service pages get lots of views, create more like them.

Fix problem areas: If people leave quickly (high bounce rate = Low Engagement), check if your site loads slowly or your message is unclear.

Target your marketing: If most visitors come from Facebook, focus your ads there. If they come from Google, invest in SEO and local search.

Track phone calls and forms: Set up “events” in Google Analytics to see when people click your phone number or fill out a contact form.

 

Tips for Accurate, Useful Data

Filter out your own visits: Exclude your business’s IP address so your team doesn’t skew the numbers.

Check your analytics regularly: Set aside time each month to review your website stats.

Set clear goals: Decide what you want your website to do (e.g., get calls, book appointments, sell products), and measure progress.

What Are LSI Keywords and Why Should You Care?

LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing keywords) are simply words and phrases related to your main topic. For example, if you run a bakery, LSI keywords might include “fresh bread,” “wedding cakes,” “local bakery,” or “order pastries online.”

Using these related terms naturally in your website content helps search engines (like Google) understand your business and match you with more potential customers.

How to use LSI keywords:

• Write about your services and products using different but related words.
• Answer common questions your customers ask.
• Include location-based terms if you serve a local area.

This approach helps your website show up in more searches and makes your content easier for real people to read.

 

Final Thoughts: Make Website Analytics Work for You

You don’t need to be a tech expert to benefit from website analytics.

By understanding who visits your site and how they interact with your business online, you can make smarter decisions, attract more customers, and grow your business.

Contact Analytics That Profit if you need help setting up analytics, understanding your website data, or using LSI keywords to boost your online presence.

We’re here to help you turn website visitors into loyal customers, without the jargon or confusion.

 

Do You Really Own Your Website?

• May 7, 2025

Phil Wiseman

Do You Really Own Your Website? Key Questions Every Business Owner Should Ask

In today's digital age, your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But "having" a website and truly "owning" it are two different things.

Many business owners are surprised to discover they don't have full control over their most crucial digital asset.

This lack of control can lead to significant problems if you ever need to make changes, transfer your site, or even just understand if your marketing efforts are working.

So, do you really own your website? Let's explore some key questions every business owner should be able to answer.

 

1. Do You Know How to Log In to Your Domain?

Your domain name (e.g., yourcompany.com) is your website's address on the internet.

While registering a domain, it's important to understand that you don't own it outright indefinitely; it's more like a lease requiring regular renewal.

 If you don't know where your domain is registered (the registrar) or how to access your account, you risk losing your domain if it expires.

Worse, if someone else, like a former agency or employee, controls these credentials, you could be locked out.

Actionable Step: Use a "WHOIS lookup" tool (easily found online) to identify your domain registrar. Ensure you have the login credentials and that the contact information associated with the domain is accurate and accessible to you.

 

My website domain is registered with GoDaddy. Wherever your domain is registered, the next step is to log in to that site and find out if you have access and control of your website domain.

 

2. Do You Have permission to Make Changes to Your Website?

True website ownership means having the administrative access to make necessary changes.

This includes updating content, managing user permissions, and modifying website settings.

 It's not uncommon for business owners to find out, often at a critical moment, that their web developer or marketing agency holds all the administrative keys.

 This can leave you dependent on them for even minor changes and potentially block you from accessing your own data or making urgent updates.

Actionable Step: Confirm that you have full administrative access to your website’s content management system (CMS), like WordPress, HubSpot, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, etc.

You should be able to add, edit, or remove content freely.

3. Do You Know Where Your Website Is Hosted?

Website hosting is the service that stores your website's files and makes them accessible to visitors online.

Like your domain, you typically rent server space from a hosting provider rather than owning the server itself.

Not knowing who hosts your website or lacking access to your hosting account can become a major hurdle if you need to migrate your site, troubleshoot performance issues, or manage backups.

Actionable Step: Identify your hosting provider. This information might be in your records, or you can use an online hosting checker tool. Ensure you have the login credentials for your hosting control panel.

4. When Was the Last Time Content Was Updated?

Fresh, relevant content is vital for search engine optimization (SEO) and keeping your audience engaged.

If you're unsure when your website content was last updated, it could indicate that you lack practical control or a clear content strategy.

Stale content can negatively impact your search engine rankings and reduce your credibility with potential customers.

Answering common customer questions on your site regularly, for example, can significantly improve your visibility in search results.

Actionable Step: Check your website for the last modified dates on key pages. If you use a CMS, it often logs content changes.

Reviewing your sitemap.xml file can also provide clues about when pages were last crawled or updated.

 

NERD ALERT! Sitemaps can look like a bunch of gibberish.

  If you are using HubSpot, you can easily see the latest updates.

 

 

Why Full Website Ownership Matters

Losing control over these core aspects of your website can be more than just an inconvenience; it can be detrimental to your business.

•  Security: Without direct control, your website is vulnerable if a vendor relationship sours or if there's a security breach they fail to manage.
  
  
• Flexibility: True ownership allows you to make timely updates, switch service providers, or redesign your site without unnecessary delays or gatekeeping.
  
  
• Data & Analytics Insight: Access allows you to integrate tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console (both free resources) to understand how visitors find your site, what content they engage with, and ultimately, whether your marketing is attracting actual customers, not just clicks.
  
  
• Legal Protection: Clear domain ownership, content, design, and associated data helps protect your brand and intellectual property.

Take Control of Your Digital Assets

Your website, domain, and associated profiles like your Google Business Profile are valuable digital assets, as important as any other business investment and It's crucial to manage them actively.

Quick Ownership Checklist:

• Can you log in to your domain registrar to renew or transfer your domain?
• Do you have full administrative access to your website’s CMS?
• Do you know who your web hosting provider is and have access to your hosting account?
• Can you update your website content? Do you know when it was last modified?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, or if this raises more questions than answers, it's time to take action. Understanding and securing these elements of your online presence is fundamental to your business's success.

Feeling unsure about where you stand with your website ownership or how to get the answers you need? 

Phil Wiseman of Analytics That Profit specializes in helping businesses navigate these very issues. He can help you understand your current situation and ensure your digital marketing efforts drive customers, not just vanity metrics.

Schedule a 15-minute virtual call with Phil Wiseman today to get your questions answered and gain clarity on your website's true ownership and performance.

Why Some Website Pages Do Not Show Up In Search Results

 When your ideal customer searches the internet, having your website pages not included in search results can be a big problem. What good is your website page if they can't find it?

How do I know if search engines will include my website pages in search results?

Search engines must index your website pages for them to appear in search results.

Why should my business care about our website being indexed on Search Engines?

Indexing your business website pages on search engines helps improve your online visibility, reach a broader audience, and drive more traffic.

1. Increased Visibility: When search engines like Google index your website pages, they become part of the search engine's database. This means that when users search for relevant keywords or phrases related to your business, your pages are more likely to appear in the search results, increasing your brand's visibility.

2. Attracting Organic Traffic: Indexing enables your website to attract organic traffic from users actively searching for information related to your products or services. Organic traffic is often highly targeted and more likely to convert into customers or clients.

3. Business Credibility: A website that appears in search engine results is often perceived as more credible and trustworthy by users. People tend to trust information provided by search engines, and having your site indexed can contribute to building credibility for your business.

4. Competitive Advantage: If your competitors have their websites indexed and you don't, you may lose potential customers to them. Being indexed ensures your business remains competitive online and is visible to users actively searching for products or services like yours.

5. Wider Audience Reach: Search engines have a global reach, allowing your business to be discovered by a wider audience beyond your immediate geographic location. This is particularly important if you offer products or services that can be accessed or shipped globally.

6. Marketing and Brand Exposure: Indexing is fundamental to online marketing. It ensures that your marketing efforts, such as content creation, promotions, and advertising, are supported by a solid online presence, making it easier for potential customers to find and engage with your brand.

7. SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Indexing is a crucial aspect of SEO. Search engines use complex algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of web pages. Indexing your business website is a prerequisite for implementing various SEO strategies to improve your website's ranking in search results.

8. Analytics and Insights: Indexing your pages lets you gather valuable insights through tools like Google Analytics. You can track user behavior, analyze traffic sources, and make data-driven decisions to improve your website's performance.

What is the first step to having my website appear in search results?

 

Submit Sitemaps to Search Engines

 

Search engines utilize sitemaps as a roadmap to navigate the vast expanse of the internet. When your website pages are missing from search results, it's essential to verify that your sitemap has been submitted and indexed by search engines. A properly submitted sitemap provides search engines with a comprehensive list of your website's pages, making indexing and ranking your content easier.

Where do I find my website sitemap?

If you use WordPress, the Yoast SEO tool will do this for you.

How to enable and view the XML sitemap in Yoast SEO

Your Squarespace site comes with a site map using the .xml format, so you don't need to create one manually. It includes the URLs for all pages on your site and image metadata for SEO-friendly indexing.  Site maps and search engines:  A site map tells search engines what pages are available for crawling.

Your sitemap manages the content shown to search engines for each of your domains hosted on HubSpot. Sitemaps help search engine web crawlers determine the structure of your site so they can crawl it more intelligently.

View and edit your HubSpot-hosted domain sitemap.

 

Why your website pages aren’t indexed

Pages that aren’t indexed can’t be served on Google. Some of the most common reasons your website pages are not indexed and available in search results are listed below.

Discovered - Currently Not Indexed

Crawled - Currently Not Indexed

Excluded by ‘noindex’ Tag

Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag

Website, Page with Redirect, Not Found (404)

Wait a minute.

Shouldn't my marketing or SEO agency take care of this for me?

YES, they should!

NEED HELP WITH GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE?

 

 

Discovered - Currently Not Indexed

The "Discovered - currently not indexed" status is a common occurrence that often leaves website owners perplexed. This status indicates that the search engine has found the page during its crawling process but still needs to add it to its index. This delay could be due to various reasons, such as low content quality, duplicate content issues, or technical glitches.

To resolve this, could you focus on enhancing the quality and uniqueness of your content? Update your website with relevant information and make sure each page serves a distinct purpose. Are you improving the page's metadata, including titles and meta descriptions, to make it more appealing to search engines?

 

Crawled - Currently Not Indexed

Like the "Discovered - currently not indexed" status, "Crawled - currently not indexed" indicates that the search engine has explored the page during its crawling process but has chosen not to include it in the index. This may be due to issues like poor website performance, slow loading times, or issues with the server.

To address this, optimize your website's performance by compressing images, leveraging browser caching, and investing in a reliable hosting provider. Ensure that your website is accessible to search engine bots, allowing them to crawl your pages without encountering obstacles.

 

Excluded by ‘noindex’ Tag

One of the most straightforward reasons for a page not appearing in search results is the presence of a 'noindex' tag. This tag instructs search engines not to index a particular page, rendering it invisible in search results. While it serves a purpose, such as keeping private or duplicate content out of search engine indexes, it can inadvertently affect important pages.

Review your website's meta tags, specifically checking for the 'noindex' tag. If you find it on pages that should be visible in search results, remove the tag to allow search engines to index and display the content.

 

Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag

Canonical tags indicate the preferred version of a page, especially when dealing with duplicate content issues. If an alternate page is specified in the canonical tag, search engines may prioritize indexing that page over others, leaving some content unnoticed.

Inspect your canonical tags to represent each page’s primary version accurately. Adjust these tags as needed to guide search engines towards the correct pages for indexing.

 

Website, Page with Redirect, Not Found (404)

The dreaded 404 error occurs when a page is not found on the server. This can happen for various reasons, including broken links, deleted pages, or server misconfigurations. If search engines encounter 404 errors while crawling your website, they may exclude those pages from the index.

Perform regular checks on your website to identify and fix broken links. Implement proper redirects for pages that have been moved or deleted, ensuring a seamless user experience and preventing exclusion from search results.

 

 

How can I make my website pages appear in search results?

The URL Inspection Process and Manual Page Submission

Google Search Console provides a valuable tool for website owners to troubleshoot and address indexing issues – the URL Inspection tool. This tool lets you see how Googlebot views a specific page, providing insights into indexing status, crawling issues, and more.

To manually submit a page for indexing using Google Search Console:

 

1. Navigate to the URL Inspection tool.
2. Enter the URL of the page you want to index.
3. Review the indexing status and any issues reported.
4. If necessary, you can request indexing to prompt search engines to reevaluate the page.

Wait a minute.

Shouldn't my marketing or SEO agency take care of this for me?

YES, they should!

Not sure what to do next? Schedule A Time To Talk.