So You Didn’t Have A Goal Set Up In Google Analytics?

Published:

By: Ceci Dadisman

In: Marketing & Communications, Metrics & Analytics

It’s ok. I promise.

So, you should have been tracking goals in Google Analytics all this time, but you didn’t know how to set it up and now you do but you don’t have any data to show. There is at least something that can redeem the situation!

Let’s talk about how we can look at a conversion rate retroactively. You won’t be able to see conversion dollars, but this will at least give you the percentage.

First, you’ve got to set up some goals for your desired conversions (revenue and non-revenue) so that you can track them going forward. Google has a great resource that guides you through the process.

Ok, now let’s look at how we can find out the conversion rate in the past.

The first thing to do is to figure out the conversion URL. So, if your desired conversion is a donation, for example, find out what the URL is of the page people see after the conversion. For the purposes of this example, I’m going to use a real client URL: https://[website URL]/cart/thank-you

Once you have determined that, go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages and search for that URL to find how it is showing in Google Analytics:

Now, scroll up to and select the Add Segment button:

Select that you want to create a new segment, then choose Sequences and enter your URL path (that’s the part that comes after the .com or .org):

You’ll then see the conversion rate on the right.

Now, you can add that segment to your All Pages Report making sure to have All Users selected:

You’ll now see the conversion rate against everyone who came to your site:

Super easy!

Now, get those goals set up so that you can start tracking things from this day forward!

Ceci Dadisman
Author
Ceci Dadisman
Ceci Dadisman is a marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience creating effective communications campaigns utilizing innovative, forward thinking methods. She is nationally recognized as a leader in digital marketing and specializes in multichannel communications campaigns. A frequent public speaker, Ceci’s recent and upcoming engagements feature national conference appearances at NTEN, Museums and the Web, National Arts Marketing Project, Arts Midwest, American Alliance of Museums, OPERA America, Midwest Museums Association, and Chorus America in addition to many other local and regional events. Known for her easy-going and vernacular style, she creates open learning environments with an emphasis on information sharing and useful takeaways. She is a member of the National Arts Marketing Project Advisory Committee and the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts Visiting Committee, and is a mentor in West Virginia University’s Creative Consultant program. She also teaches the arts marketing course at West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and is on the faculty of Chorus America’s Chorus Management Institute. Ceci was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts. She currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Author Archive

Leave a Comment