Tracking Traffic with Google Analytics
- Bart Forbes
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Scottish heritage societies are relying more on their social media and websites to attract and to sign up members. That’s why tracking how your website visitors find you is key. Understanding where your website traffic comes from is essential for optimizing marketing efforts, improving user experience, and increasing conversions. Google Analytics offers powerful tools to help website managers track referral traffic from specific websites and even individual webpages. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Set Up Google Analytics
Before diving into referral tracking, ensure Google Analytics is properly set up:
Create a Google Analytics account at analytics.google.com.
Add your website as a property and install the tracking code (GA4 or Universal Analytics) on every page of your site.
Use Google Tag Manager if you prefer centralized tag management.
Step 2: Access Referral Traffic Reports
To view traffic from specific websites:
Log into Google Analytics.
Navigate to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition (GA4) or Acquisition > All Traffic > Referrals (Universal Analytics).
Click on “Session Source”
To drill down into specific pages:
Click on a referring domain to see the exact URLs that sent traffic.
Use secondary dimensions like “Referral Path” or “Landing Page” to get more granular.
Step 3: Use UTM Parameters for Precise Tracking
If you're placing links on external sites (e.g., guest posts, ads, social media), use UTM parameters to track traffic at the source level:
utm_source: Name of the website (e.g., "reddit")
utm_medium: Type of traffic (e.g., "referral")
utm_campaign: Campaign name or context (e.g., "spring_sale")
You can then view this data under Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition or use Explore in GA4 to build custom reports.
Step 4: Create Custom Reports or Segments
For deeper insights:
Use Exploration reports in GA4 to filter traffic by referral source and landing page.
Create custom segments to isolate users from a specific referrer.
Set up conversion paths to see how referral traffic contributes to goals.
Final Tips
Always test UTM links before deploying.
Monitor referral spam and filter out irrelevant sources.
Combine referral tracking with behavioral data (bounce rate, time on site) for richer insights.
Tracking traffic from specific websites and webpages empowers you to measure partnerships, optimize outreach, and understand your audience better. With Google Analytics, the tools are at your fingertips—use them strategically to grow your site’s impact.
Here's an example from the Clan Forbes Society for the year 2024. Note the visitors redirected from various search engines, Facebook, ScotlandShop, FamilyTreeDNA, COSCA, and the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA Clan Partner webpages.
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