When is the last time you went on vacation or a trip? And, what is the number one thing you take when going to a new place? You can probably guess the one thing you need to make any trip somewhat successful: a map! Or in this digital age, a map app of some kind. Mind you, you can still get lost with a map (yes, that's me) but at least you know the lay of the land before leaving the safety of home.

Well, your analytics is like a map! How you ask? 

• It can give you information regarding the landscape of your site: are users more interested in your services page vs. your about page? It can tell you if the road you’re taking is gravel or paved: which site sections are leading to more registrations? Or more purchases?

• Some maps show you options that you'd never considered before: is a particular affiliate site bringing in 30% of traffic to your site without you being aware of them? Maybe it's time to start a collaboration with that affiliate.

• And better yet, some interactive map apps tell you NOT to take a certain route because it is blocked off: what areas of your site are causing users to leave, without ever reaching the golden content on your site?

All these possibilities just scratch the surface of where your analytics can take you. What is certain is that without a map, you can make a lot of blind decisions that might work ...or might not.

With analytics reporting to back you up, you can make confident decisions about your next site redesign, rebranding initiative, campaign, new clientele, or almost anything! That is why you should care about your analytics. 

So, the first step to becoming friends with any type of analytics data is start by asking yourself what you would like to know about your site.

And that's next up: Day 2 - Starting a Conversation with your Analytics.

Tell me how you use your analytics currently? What reports do you look at? Share in the comments section below.