It’s a wrap folks! The Google Analytics panel was a big success with a great turnout of over 150 people at the Mahalo office in Santa Monica. Our new volunteer board pulled off a great panel full of juicy tidbits of knowledge from start to finish.

Here’s what we learned:

1. It takes 5 minutes: Google Analytics is about as easy to setup as setting your alarm clock. Seriously. It gets even easier if you use a content management system like WordPress or Blogger because of the use of commonly included page elements like headers and footers. Set aside 5 minutes, get your cut and paste skills ready and prepare to collect analytics data via the 2 lines or so of JavaScript provided by Google with your account.

2. You need to have goals to measure against. Lots of people get stuck on volume of traffic and say, “Look Ma, I got 5,000 hits today!” That’s great if your goal is to have 5,000 hits (as the case may be with those looking for advertising revenue based on volume). Where they go wrong is focusing on the goal behaviors such as “collect an email” or “add an item to the shopping cart” all the way to “spend $10.00 to buy my eBook”. With goals in place, your metrics have so much more meaning and the time you spend analyzing data will drive more informed decisions geared at improving your conversion rates.

3. Track your inbound traffic. Almost as important as what they do on your site is where they came from and how they got there. There’s definitely an art form to the inbound traffic and it all appears to begin with the way you setup the inbound link. This is especially useful if you use links in social media (blogs, tweets, Facebook links or YouTube links) to grab some traffic. Taking a few moments to code your links so that they provide information to your Google Analytics will pay off for you big time when it comes time to understand which traffic is most valuable and which messaging tactics are more likely to result in your goals. (Good tip: Avoid the long and confusing URLs and use a URL shortener like bit.ly for extra style points and to shorten the link for use within Twitter).

4. Help is everywhere. There are TONS of great resources out there for people who really want to get into Google Analytics. Here are a few that were mentioned on the panel:
a.) Avinash Kaushik is THE MAN when it comes to Google Analytics. Head over to his blog and check out the books he’s written on the subject: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/
b.) Google has a “Conversion University” with a TON of great training materials to get you up and running. Here’s a link: http://www.google.com/support/conversionuniversity/
c.) You can setup Google Analytics within a Facebook Fan Page (who knew?): http://www.webdigi.co.uk/blog/2010/google-analytics-for-facebook-fan-pages/
d.) Google Analytics works within RSS feeds as well: http://adsenseforfeeds.blogspot.com/2009/11/afternoon-frank-hey-howdy-george.html
e.) Use this tool to build your Google-Analytics-friendly URL so that you can track your inbound link traffic: http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55578

5. Have Fun With Funnels: Funnels are useful tools to show the number of steps towards a goal and to identify how many people drop off at each step. This quickly leads to the desire to cut the number of steps leading up to your goal. You’d be surprised at how many people miss this point.

Okay, that’s all you get. Next time you’re just going to have to join us in-person. I guarantee you that all those people with notepads who were scribbling furiously have some more tidbits of sweet Google Analytics knowledge as a result of the panel. Maybe they’ll share it with you if you ask a question to our twitter hashtag at #smcla.

Speakers included:

John Shiple, CTO, Ultralive
www.linkedin.com/in/johnshiple

Alex Becker, Co-Founder and President, Highly Relevant
www.linkedin.com/in/alexybecker

Andrew Hahn, Luxury Link and Familygetaway.com
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhahn

Erica Forrette, Online Marketing / E-commerce with a stealth startup (moderator)
www.linkedin.com/in/ericaforrette

A huge thank you to our location host! Mahalo
Mahalo.com
902 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401

TechZulu streamed this event live for us! If you were unable to attend, please check www.techzulu.com and watch the taped recording! We can’t wait to tune into www.techzulu.com during SXSW to see what’s going on at the Social Media Clubhouse! Rawk on TechZulu

A special thank you to our food sponsor for this event, Fresh Brothers Pizza!
Check out their website at http://www.FreshBrothers.com
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/freshbrothers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/freshbrothers

Confused by Analytics? Want to know if your tweet really made a difference in your company’s bottom line? This month we are going to take a deeper dive into one of the easiest ways to measure online social media efforts – through Google analytics.

Come join Social Media Club – Los Angeles on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd from 7-9:30pm as we discuss the topic of Google Analytics!

Speakers include:

John Shiple, CTO, Ultralive
www.linkedin.com/in/johnshiple

Alex Becker, Co-Founder and President, Highly Relevant
www.linkedin.com/in/alexybecker

Andrew Hahn, Luxury Link and Familygetaway.com
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhahn

Erica Forrette, Online Marketing / E-commerce with a stealth startup (moderator)
www.linkedin.com/in/ericaforrette

A huge thank you to our location host! Mahalo
Mahalo
902 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is the enterprise-class web analytics solution that gives you rich insights into your website traffic and marketing effectiveness. Powerful, flexible and easy-to-use features now let you see and analyze your traffic data in an entirely new way. With Google Analytics, you’re more prepared to write better-targeted ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives and create higher converting websites.

Techzulu will be streaming this event live for us! If you are unable to attend, please check www.techzulu.com and watch the show live!

A special thank you to our food sponsor for this event, Fresh Brothers Pizza!
Check out their website at http://wwwFreshBrothers.com
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/freshbrothers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/freshbrothers

Register now: http://ow.ly/1oIzdh

Thanks Fresh Brothers, TechZulu and Mahalo for making this event possible!

Gravity Summit at UCLA- Best Learning and Networking Event You’ll Attend All Year! Plus you can get CE Credits for attendance! http://bit.ly/7GhSRc

SPECIAL DISCOUNT OF $100 OFF FOR SMCLA FOLKS!! Register here for $249 (reg. $349) http://bit.ly/bwYz1y

What is Gravity Summit?
Gravity Summit events help bridge the gap between the new Social Media Marketing tools and the business community. We seek to help educate and inform marketing professionals, small business owners, advertisers, and c-Level executives, and others, about the exciting new marketing and communications landscape that is evolving daily.
Gravity Summit is the brainchild of New Media Visionary, Author and Strategic Consultant Rodney Rumford. Beverly Macy, Managing Partner of Y&M Partners LLC, also teaches Social Media Marketing for the UCLA Extension Executive Business and Management Division.

Who Attends Gravity Summit Events?
Industries: Healthcare, pharmaceutical, communications, real estate, communications, software applications companies, franchise organizations, nutriceuticals, sports marketing, entertainment, music and gaming, financial services, non-profit organizations, advertising and PR, packaged goods
Decision Makers: Senior VP, CEO, President, Physician, Recording Artist, Publisher, VP Business Development, VP Marketing, Director of Client Services, Director Events and Promo, Business Manager, Senior Partner, Director of Membership Development, Managing Director, Director Content Management, SEO Specialist and more

Most social media events are preaching to the choir. We are raising the bar and increasing the level of education by presenting actionable knowledge that will help attendees move the meter and have an impact on their marketing objectives.

We deliver the critical knowledge on what to do next and what matters most for your business. In these competitive times, having this knowledge and knowing how to move forward can be a strong strategic advantage.
We will present the latest in digital leadership knowledge to help you with your business.

Attendees walk away with:
Best Practices
Action Items
Unique Insights
Case Studies
Unique Trends Data
Clearly Defined Objectives
Access to a Peer Network

GRAVITY SUMMIT 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT
Monday, February 22, 2010
Covel Commons, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
330 DeNeve Drive, Los ANgeles, CA 90095
More Information: Beverly Macy 310-860-4788 beverly@gravitysummit.com
AGENDA
8:30 – 9:00 – Registration and Breakfast
9:00 – Welcome and Overview – Beverly Macy
9:20 – Keynote,Jeffrey Hayzlett, Eastman Kodak

9:50 – USA Today, Brian Dresher
10:10- Boost Mobile, Rachel Gross
10:30 – Networking Break
10:50 – Mazda / Rebel Industries, David Harris/Josh Levine
11:10 – Citizen Net, Dan Benaymin
11:30 – AWARDS PROGRAM, Co-Hosted Gravity Summit/UCLA Extension Business & Management Program

@Feliciaday
@shareourstrength Domino Foods
@jeffreyhayzlett Kodak
12:15 – LUNCH
1:15 – BREAKOUT SESSIONS – Choose One

Music, Entertainment, Sports, Sponsored by LA Clippers

Getting Started, Sponsored by GoDaddy.com
2:30 Networking Break
2:45 – Keynote, Ramon de Leon, Domino’s Pizza

3:10 – Turbo Tax, Scott Gulbransen
3:30 – Satellite Marketing, Kevin Popovic
3:50 – Markyr Media – Bringing It All Together, Kyra Reed
4:10 – Closing Comments
4:30 Adjourn
AFTER PARTY at The Roxy Theater on Sunset, Sponsored by Flip and Mazda

Confused by Analytics? Want to know if your tweet really made a difference in your company’s bottom line? This month we are going to take a deeper dive into one of the easiest ways to measure online social media efforts – through Google analytics.

Come join Social Media Club – Los Angeles on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd from 7-9:30pm as we discuss the topic of Google Analytics!

Speakers include:

John Shiple, CTO, Ultralive
www.linkedin.com/in/johnshiple

Alex Becker, Co-Founder and President, Highly Relevant
www.linkedin.com/in/alexybecker

Andrew Hahn, Luxury Link and Familygetaway.com
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhahn

Erica Forrette, Online Marketing / E-commerce with a stealth startup (moderator)
www.linkedin.com/in/ericaforrette

A huge thank you to our location host! Mahalo
Mahalo
902 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is the enterprise-class web analytics solution that gives you rich insights into your website traffic and marketing effectiveness. Powerful, flexible and easy-to-use features now let you see and analyze your traffic data in an entirely new way. With Google Analytics, you’re more prepared to write better-targeted ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives and create higher converting websites.

A special thank you to our food sponsor for this event, Fresh Brothers Pizza!
Check out their website at http://wwwFreshBrothers.com
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/freshbrothers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/freshbrothers

Register now: http://ow.ly/1oIzdh

Thanks Fresh Brothers and Mahalo for making this event possible!